Public+Relations+and+Email+Netiquette

Research has proven that once the general public is knowledgeable about public education, they are both complimentary and supportive. Our goal is to be as visible as possible by the means of the local newspaper, television and radio stations, community organizations, and just word of mouth. We deserve to be proud; communicate that pride! Please help in this effort by submitting articles to the secretary for publication in the local press, TMS newsletter, etc
 * PUBLIC RELATIONS **

 Email is not to be considered confidential– The communication of district employees in the form of electronic mail may constitute a "public record" and therefore may be subject to public inspection under C.R.S. 24-72-203 of the Colorado Open Records Act.  Honor Privacy – Using student names and information in email is //not  //a violation of FERPA if it is to district staff who have a specific and legitimate need to know such information. Do not send student information to those who do not have a legitimate need to know (FERPA, 20 U.S.C. §1232g)
 * Email Netiquette**

General Email Netiquette  Address email only to the specific person/list you wish to respond. Use the Cc: line for all others. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> You are not <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">expected to reply to email that is merely copied (cc:) to your attention or sent FYI. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Do not send long emails<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">; instead, include lengthy text in an attachment or pick up the phone. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Do not <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">add unnecessary personal commentary about parents, students, or employees in any district email. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Subject Lines <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">– When responding to a specific subject line email, respond within the parameters subject’s content. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Start a new email <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">for a new topic/subject <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Use FirstClass Urgent <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">button for ASAP – As Soon As Possible response **//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">Shorthand subject line acronyms  // AR **<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">- Action Requested  **//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">FYI  //**<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">-For Your Information <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Keep your FirstClass resume up to date Interoffice Memo <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">- A summary of information: it should be brief — no more than one page. Use District Style Guide and memo form on FirstClass. Memos are not for policy but for procedures or important information, designed to be shared with others that informs about policy, procedures or practice. Examples: <span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings;">  <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">Anything that should be saved should be on an official memo <span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings,Wingdings;">  <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">Official announcement or processes

Documents such as, PDFs <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">– as attachments. Should be questions, supporting documents, forms or articles.

Never use email when <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">issues seem tense and emotional. Instead, pick up the phone and call the individual, or meet face to face.

To help prevent viruses<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">, avoid opening suspicious email. If you do not recognize the sender and are uncertain as to the content, delete the email or contact a technologist or the ISTS help desk for assistance.

Use a signature box <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">at the end of each email, identifying your name, title, location, phone number. You may also insert the district logo and a tagline such as the district mission statement.

When sending an email on behalf of your supervisor<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">, be sure to indicate in the subject area that you are sending the message on that person's behalf. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Who Are You Sending Email To? – Rules for Distribution – <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Target your audiences <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">carefully and precisely when you send out email. Don’t include people who don’t need the information. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Avoid sending email to distribution lists <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">that include many more people than your intended audience. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Always consider <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">that your email can be forwarded to others. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Avoid using Reply to All<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">, and keep your list of recipients, and cc: to a minimum. To reset your FirstClass reply settings to "Reply Sender" go to **//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">Edit>Preferences>Messaging (tab) //**<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">and click on the "Reply preference" drop down menu in FirstClass. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Forwarding email <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">– Be thoughtful and consider intent of the original senders audience and purpose when forwarding internal dept, school or district email outside the group. Consider asking the original sender to share information summary outside the group. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Never forward <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">chain letters, potential hoaxes, large graphics, or oversized attachments to other employees.

Making Messages More Readable <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Keep email simple <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">and //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">concise  //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Stick to the subject <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">of your message or //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">bullet  //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">each separate topic <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Summarize your message <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">at the //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">beginning  //<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">instead of the end <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Use District Style Manual recommended fonts <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">which are most web readable and professional- Verdana, Helvetica and 10 point or larger <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> Informational content <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">should be professional and straight forward using proper grammar, mechanics and be spell checked. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"> When usin<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">the "Reply with quote" function in FirstClass, set your preference so that the oldest message in the quote is at the end of the message. To have FirstClass default to this--go to **//<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">Edit>Preferences>Messaging (tab)>Initial Content (tab)  //**<span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Verdana;">click on the "Cursor placement in reply" drop down menu and set your preference to "Before Quote."