Communications

The District Communications office is responsible for:

Keeping all stakeholders informed about District news and events
Sharing stories about our amazing students, staff and alumni
Stewarding the District’s brand and reputation

Supporting schools with parent and family communication
Engaging community stakeholders in the work of the District

Resources

Brand Standards

SchoolMessenger (robocalls, texts, emergency alerts)

FHSD uses the SchoolMessenger Notification System to provide timely communication about emergencies, weather-related closures, attendance and other important topics. All parents/guardians listed in Infinite Campus Parent Portal are automatically registered to receive alerts through the SchoolMessenger system.

To change your contact information or add a new phone number or email address – The SchoolMessenger system utilizes the contact information on file in Infinite Campus. Update your information in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or contact the school’s Building Information Specialist (BIS).
To update your communication preferences – The SchoolMessenger system sends phone calls, text messages and emails. Visit the SchoolMessenger app or website to customize the type of alerts you receive. To opt-in to receive text messages from FHSD, text “Y” or “YES” to 67587.

Constant Contact (eNews)

Peachjar

FHSD utilizes an electronic flyer delivery service called Peachjar to share information about school activities, events and programs.

Flyers from outside community organizations must be approved by the Communications Department. Flyers that fall into one of these categories are generally approved:

• Information from non-school sponsored youth sports and recreation activities offered in our community.
• Information from municipal, government agencies in our community that are not political in nature.

• Community organizations providing educational or enrichment services that may directly benefit students.

Flyers may be denied if the content includes:

• Information endorsing or promoting a specific religion, religious organization, political candidate or position on a political issue.

• Promotion of any content that is inconsistent with the mission and vision of Francis Howell School District.
• Promotion of content that is in direct conflict with a service, program or function that is already provided by Francis Howell School District.

• Any direct solicitation of money, except for dues for membership or fees for an activity announced in the material.

• Mention of activities or events not suitable for children, including any mention of alcohol ("adult beverages" and "non-alcoholic" are acceptable).

To distribute a flyer to FHSD families:

Visit peachjar.com and register as a Community Organization.
Follow the prompts in Peachjar to upload the flyer, select target schools and submit the flyer for approval. The following disclaimer will be added to your flyer: "This program and its parent organization are not sponsored by, affiliated with, nor endorsed by the Francis Howell School District or its individual schools." Please note that Peachjar collects a service fee from outside organizations; this fee is set and collected by Peachjar, not the District.
Your flyer will be automatically submitted to the Communications Department. Once approved, your flyer will be emailed to families.

Media Guidelines

Media Requests

Media personnel who want to film, photograph or interview Francis Howell School District staff members, students or Board members are asked to make a request through the Communications Department at 636-851-4000.

Visiting Schools

Anytime a member of the media is on District property, a Communications staff member or designee will serve as an escort to minimize disruption at the school and to assist with additional requests. If you would like to visit a school, please contact the Communications Department. We will work with your schedule, as well as that of the students and staff in order to ensure that your visit is a successful one. Keep in mind that our schools participate in early dismissal days, standardized testing and school-wide events that may prohibit your visit on a specific day.

Interviews with School Officials

If you are interested in interviewing, filming or photographing a District employee or Board member, your first point of contact is with the Communications Department. We are glad to help you find the correct resource for your story and arrange an interview time.

Photographing or Interviewing Students

The Francis Howell School District operates in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law allows students and parents to opt out of the release of certain information about students, including photographs. The Communications Department will work with each school to determine who cannot be photographed and interviewed according to FERPA guidelines. Before taking photos, video, and quotes from Francis Howell students and staff, please verify the legality with the Communications Department.

Board of Education Meetings

The media are invited to attend all open meetings of the Francis Howell School District Board of Education. Media may film and/or record these meetings. To avoid disruption of the meeting, reporters and photographers are asked not to approach Board members, guest speakers, or members of the audience in the Board Room during the meeting. Interviews must be conducted outside the Board Room in the hall or pre-arranged conference room. Copies of the board agenda, informational items, and other meeting materials are available online on BoardDocs.

Emergencies

It is the District’s practice to work as cooperatively as possible to supply timely information to the media in an emergency and its impact on students, teachers and staff members, provided the release of information does not jeopardize the emergency response activities or conflict with federal privacy laws, the well-being of students or employees or the concerns of families. During an emergency, media will not be allowed inside affected school building(s). Media will be assigned to a designated external area at the site of the emergency to allow full access to the site by emergency response teams.

During an emergency, all media calls are referred to the Communications Department to allow the crisis response team at the site to give full attention to relief efforts. The District will work as quickly as possible to provide accurate information to the media through a spokesperson, written releases or news briefings.

Meet the Team

DISTRICT DIGEST

Miss an issue of the monthly newsletter? We have you covered!

2022-23

2021-22 (Archived)

June 2022 District Digest

May 2022 District Digest

April 2022 District Digest

March 2022 District Digest

February 2022 District Digest

January 2022 District Digest

December 2021 District Digest

November 2021 District Digest

October 2021 District Digest

September 2021 District Digest

August 2021 District Digest

July 2021 District Digest

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I found an error on the District website. Who do I contact to let them know?

I want to sign up for the District and school email newsletters.

Parents/guardians listed in Infinite Campus are automatically registered to receive updates from the District, as well as updates from their child’s school (no sign-up needed). Grandparents, senior citizens and other residents who are interested in following the District’s progress can visit the Get News and Updates page to subscribe to the monthly District Digest and individual school email newsletters.

I want to unsubscribe from District and school emails.

Parents/Guardians listed in Infinite Campus are automatically subscribed to email communications from FHSD and your child’s school. This includes the District Digest and school eNews. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, use the “Unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the email. If you are not receiving the District Digest and/or school eNews, you can sign up here.

I am not receiving SchoolMessenger calls/texts from the District. What do I need to do to get this fixed?

FHSD utilizes the SchoolMessenger system to communicate time-sensitive information such as weather alerts and emergency information with families via robo-call, text message and email. Parents/Guardians listed in Infinite Campus are automatically registered to receive these important alerts. It is imperative that your contact information is up-to-date in Infinite Campus. Review and update your phone number and email address in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or contact your child’s school. If your contact information is correct in Infinite Campus and you are not receiving notifications, reach out to the District Communications office so we can troubleshoot the issue. Please note that you must opt-in annually to receive text messages from SchoolMessenger. Opt-in by texting “Y” or “YES” to 67587.

Why am I receiving SchoolMessenger phone calls/texts from the District if I do have a student enrolled?

The SchoolMessenger notification system pulls contact information directly from Infinite Campus (the District’s student information system). If you are receiving notifications from the District, it means your phone number or email address is listed as part of a student’s contact record. If you believe this is an error, contact the District Communications office so we can look into the issue.

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