"Nothing"... How many times each week do your students respond to the question, "What happened at school today?" with that single, uninspiring, and untrue word? As school principals, Ryan McLane and Eric Lowe know that if schools rely on students to keep their parents informed, they risk parents believing that nothing special is happening at school - when quite the opposite is true. Great things are happening in your school every day! It's time to tell people! Your School Rocks... So Tell People! is a practical guide to using social media tools to keep your students' families and community connected, informed, and excited about what's going on in your school. Packed with tips and insights from educators who are effectively using social media, Your School Rocks... So Tell People! will inspire you to find the communication tools that work best for your school community. You'll learn: Where you'll find your "audience" online How video newsletters can help you save time (and paper) Why you don't have to be afraid of Facebook and blog comments How to engage students in learning activities outside normal school hours How simple images and words can inspire students How to save money using powerful and free social media tools And much more! With more than 70 immediately actionable tips, easy to follow instructions, and links to video tutorials, Your School Rocks... So Tell People! equips teachers and administrators to create communication strategies that are doable and effective. "This book beautifully guides you through the process of reaching people where they are... It is an easy yet powerful read, that can help you start making a difference today." George Couros, Author of The Innovator's Mindset - "Educators are always hoping for more parent engagement. Your School Rocks...So Tell People! will help you turn that hope into a reality." Dr. Joe Clark, Superintendent - " Your School Rocks...So Tell People! should be on every school leader's bookshelf." Jay Eitner, Superintendent "Mr. McLane allows parents to feel connected to school by engaging the kids in brief videos and sharing these videos on social media. My wife and I look forward to these brief videos to learn 'what's going on.' In addition, we enjoy the brief snapshots in the classroom so that we can engage our children at the dinner table with directed conversation and learn at a deeper level about what they're learning. We also see our kids' friends and the learning happening in other classrooms. These videos allow me, and parents like me, the opportunity to be involved in more meaningful ways than a typical newsletter or email. We get to visually experience the events and learning alongside our children. It's an outstanding way to stay connected."-- Stephen P. Fujii, Big Walnut Intermediate parent "If you're an educator thinking about using social media in your classroom or school, you've got to read "Your School Rocks!" Ryan and Eric share dozens of examples that help us envision just how these tools can be used to improve communication between the home and school! Paul A. Solarz, Author of Learn Like a Pirate, 5th Grade Teacher School is a little bit more than that: friends that turn into family and teachers and staff that are a huge part of your life as well! Social media allows you to connect outside of school and become closer as a whole! Social media used in school creates a twenty-first-century learning environment. When we first started using social media in school, my first thoughts were, 'This is kinda cool!' We get to share our experiences with outside people! Eventually things started escalating. We had our own hashtags and educators with pages that only spread positivity, which was wonderful! All the positive, optimistic posts made me look at school a little bit differently. It wasn't long until my whole attitude on school changed; I loved school! -- Sydney, 8th Grade Student "At BLMS, we use social media in so many ways. Every morning on the bus, I check my Instagram. As I scroll through, I come past one or two posts from Mr. Lowe; he always takes time out of his morning to post an inspirational quote and to write out an optimistic caption. That is enough to make me want to show up to school with a smile on my face, finish what needs to be finished, and to overall impress him along with my teachers. In addition, students and staff use social media as a way to post memories that will last forevermore. For example, on our eighth grade Washington, D.C., Expedition, we posted the many pictures of our classmates and chaperones using the hashtag #blmsdc15. By going to this hashtag, you are overwhelmed with the many things we experienced, from videos of the bus ride to clever photos with the monuments. You can definitely tell we had more fun than we imagined. Our smiling faces are on many profiles, PROVING that in Beaver Local, we take education to the next level and make it a blast!" -- Maddie, 8th Grade Student "