Getting the word out with department newsletters
In an organization the size of HISD, it’s sometimes easy for great departmental developments to get overlooked. That’s why a number of district departments have taken it upon themselves to create their own newsletters.
The University Interscholastic League Academics Department, for instance, has just launched a new quarterly publication for principals. Dubbed “The Contender,” it was designed to highlight various competitions and aspects of the UIL program.
“When schools join UIL, our primary communication is with the academic coordinator on their campus,” explained UIL Manager Don Hernandez. “However, some principals have said they would appreciate periodic communication from our office so that they can be kept informed with the activities of our department as well.”
The November 2012 edition (.pdf) of The Contender includes details on a new competition for campus leaders called the “Principal’s Cup,” as well as features on the Houston Urban Debate League and “the Big Kahuna of Texas theatre,” the One-Act Play.
The Office of Risk Management, meanwhile, has been publishing two safety newsletters per semester for more than a decade—one distributed to school-based staff (the Campus Safety Alert) and the other to Construction and Facilities Services employees (the Support Services Safety Link). Both contain useful safety information targeted to their respective audiences, but the latter is focused more on craft and maintenance issues.
If your department has a newsletter you’d like to publicize, please send us an email at info@houstonisd.org and let us know! Be sure to include details about how often it’s produced and where interested readers can find both current and past issues.
