How to Create an Engaging “Meet the Principal” Newsletter

It’s hard being new!

1. Share a little bit about your background.

The first impression is vital, so begin your newsletter with a warm and inviting message from the principal. This introduction should express the principal’s enthusiasm for the upcoming school year and their commitment to the school community. Including a personal story or anecdote can help humanize the principal, making them more relatable to parents and students. For guidance on crafting impactful messages, Edutopia offers insights on effective school leadership communication.

Pro tip: Skip the long paragraphs—most people won’t read them. Instead, bring your background to life with engaging visuals, bullet points, and even emojis! Consider adding photos, links to your work, or fun facts to make your introduction more interactive and engaging.

Here’s an example:

• 📚 Education: Graduated with a Master’s in Education from XYZ University, specializing in curriculum design.
• 🎓 Experience: 10 years teaching elementary school and 3 years as a literacy coach.
• 🌍 Fun Fact: I’ve traveled to 15 countries, and love incorporating global perspectives into the classroom.
• 💻 Favorite Tool: Smore for creating engaging newsletters!

This format makes your background easier to digest and more memorable!

2. Share some details about your career.

Parents, faculty, and community members are always interested in hearing directly from you—even if an official bio has already been shared. It’s perfectly fine to repeat some of the same information, but now you have the chance to add your own personal touch. Keep it visual and brief to ensure it’s accessible to everyone, including those translating your newsletter.

We’ve switched to bullet points here to make it easy to read and translate:

• 🏫 Years in Education: 15 years, with experience in both elementary and middle school settings.
• 📋 Current Role: Principal at [Your School Name], focusing on enhancing student achievement and family engagement.
• 🏅 Leadership Highlights: Led a district-wide initiative to improve reading scores by 20%.
• 🎤 Community Involvement: Regular speaker at local education conferences and a mentor for aspiring teachers.

By using this format, you provide a clear, digestible snapshot of your career for your school community.

3. Share your philosophy of education

Don’t: Dive into a deep dissertation 😝
Do: Capture the vibe of your educational philosophy with engaging elements like quotes, photos, videos, or even a series of GIFs!

Here’s an idea: create a GIF-based philosophy of education that highlights your key values in a fun, visual way. For example:

• 🌱 Growth Mindset: A GIF showing students collaborating and problem-solving.
• 💡 Lifelong Learning: A quote or a GIF of a lightbulb moment in class.
• 🌍 Diversity & Inclusion: A GIF celebrating different cultures and perspectives.
• 📖 Student-Centered Learning: A snapshot of students leading a discussion or project.

This creative approach makes your philosophy more relatable and memorable for your school community!

4. Share a resource

Parents, caregivers, faculty, admin & staff will be turning to you as a leader, for advice, support, & mentorship. Set the tone in your very first bit of outreach, by sharing a resource that meant something to you as a new teacher, new leader, and/or new parent of a school-aged child.

Like Lennon & McCartney said, “we get by with a little help from our friends.” 😊

5. Be accessible.

It’s important to let families and staff know how they can reach you. Whether you have an open door policy or prefer that appointments be scheduled through your assistant, be sure to clearly communicate this in your newsletter.

For example:

• 🕒 Office Hours: My door is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-4 PM for drop-ins.
• 📅 Appointments: If you’d like to schedule a meeting, please contact my assistant at [email/phone].
• 📧 Email Availability: I typically respond to emails within 24 hours.

Setting these expectations ensures clear communication and helps everyone feel supported.

That’s it! You can get started here. Wishing a great year!