APS Communication Methods- Choose what works best for you!
Research tells us that parent engagement in a student’s education is one of the most impactful ways to improve a student’s academic performance. A partnership between school and families benefits all involved. Alpena Public Schools (APS) seeks to use a layered approach with a wide array of tools to provide information to our families and facilitate communication. Families can determine what tool or tools suit them best. APS will offer the following to help families to be engaged in the educational process;
Direct Communication at open houses, orientations, parent conferences, parent advisory councils, school visits, school events and by phone.
Weekly Principal Updates-Principals provide families with a weekly informational email on events in the coming week(s).
School Messenger a mass communication system that can be customized by both the sender and the receiver to include any combination of phone calls/Emails/Texts
Phone and Email Communication- APS provides families both phone and email information to communicate with the board, leadership and school staff.
Website-www.alpenaschools.com includes a large amount of information for the user. The news section and pop-ups provide timely updates on important issues.
APS Media Relations- APS works with the local media as a source of community information regarding operations of the district as well as school events/activities.
APS APP- the App contains information that is easily accessed and includes customizable preferences for the user.
StudentVUE and ParentVUE- allows both parents and students to access information and communicate regarding a student’s academics, behavior, attendance, and transportation using the web or the app.
APS Social Media- All schools and the district offer social media options to
Interact and receive feedback from students and families, send and receive private direct messages and share relevant information that supports the ability of students and families to succeed and thrive in school and at home.
Friday Folders-APS uses Friday folders at K-5 to provide hard copy materials to parents.
K-5 Parent/Teacher APPS- Elementary schools utilize communication apps including Bloomz, Seesaw, Class Tag, Remind and Class Dojo to share information with families.
Brightspace- this online system allows students to interact with teachers, view assignments and participate in learning even if they are not physically present in a school building.
Athletic Communication- The athletic department uses Bound to communicate with student/athletes and guardians as well as provide schedules and athletic information in one location. The new website is https://gobound.com/mi/schools/alpenahs
Surveys-Google surveys will be used to gather data on important topics from different groups in the district including students, parents, staff and community members.
APS Live Streams and Recordings on YouTube- APS utilizes youtube livestreams and recordings to attend meetings virtually or watch at your convenience. Find us on YouTube @AlpenaPublicSchoolsMichigan
