Identify yourself to the school district, and get only those e-mails you want.

POTTSTOWN PA – Although the advertising slogan that once promoted long-distance telephone calls – “Reach out and touch someone” – may be long out of fashion, its intent still carries a sense of urgency within the Pottsgrove School District.

The district has tried various ways in recent years to better communicate with residents and student families. It hired a media publicist, updated and revised its website, revamped its quarterly newsletter, and employed a phone messaging service called Global Connect, all to deal with persistent comments that Pottsgrove wasn’t doing enough to keep in touch with its constituents.

The Board of School Directors decided Tuesday (Aug. 24, 2010) to add yet another weapon to its communications arsenal: topical, opt-in e-mail blasts.

“Topical” means users get to select the subjects of district e-mails they receive. Parents who have children in elementary and high schools, for example, can get digital messages about them only and never need to read news from the middle school. “Opt-in” means only those who voluntarily provide their e-mail addresses, and no others, will get messages. If they ever tire of e-mails, opting out (removing a listed address) is quick, easy and immediate.

That kind of list management can be time-consuming, though, so the school board voted unanimously to pay $540 a year for management services that will be provided by Biglist Inc. of Media PA.

Biglist will include self-service links on the district website’s home page so recipients can specify which topics they’re interested in, and to which addresses e-mails should be sent. The district will ensure privacy (the list won’t be sold or distributed) and promises it won’t send spam e-mails (because no one likes a clogged inbox). Topic choices and the ability to add e-mail addresses should be ready within weeks.

“We’re trying to make the process as granular as we can,” district Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis explained to board members.

Director April Kontostathis applauded the addition. “E-mails are definitely more appropriate than the phone for many messages” the district sends, she said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”

And while Director Nancy Landes generally agreed, she encouraged continued use of the Global Connect telephone service. After all, she noted, “there are still plenty of people in the district who don’t have computers” to receive e-mails on.

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ meeting of Aug. 24):

• Coming Soon: Opt-In List For Pottsgrove E-Mails
• After Month’s Work, Pius Deemed Set For Ringing Pupils
• Pottsgrove School Board To Meet; Coaches OK’d Earlier

Photo from Clipart.com

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