Sample letters to parents

I always send parents an email on or before the first day of school so they know how to contact me and what to expect. As a new teacher you might be wondering what to say in such a communication so I thought it might be helpful if I provided you sample letters to parents.

You’ll find that contacting parents early will pay off in a multitude of ways. If you’re nervous about contacting parents, check out these posts:

A script for how to call a parent

Handling “helicopter” and “snowplow” parents

Keeping track of parent contact

How to communicate with a group home

Handling absentee parents

If you are ready to type your letter and hit send check out these sample letters to parents.

This is what I will be sending to the parents/guardians of my journalism students.

Dear Families,

Welcome! I am excited for the upcoming year and the opportunity to get to know those of you who I don’t already know.  I hope this is only the beginning of a year-long dialogue between us. Journalism is a demanding class, which requires a good amount of work in and out (interviewing, taking pictures, etc.) of class, but it is also a ton of fun. 

Students are responsible for every stage of their progress. The course provides practical experience in mass media history, media ethics, layout and design, writing, editing, and publishing. Students will also learn the industry standard software for publications (Photoshop and InDesign). Grades will be determined by the student’s on-time and quality completion of assignments. 

I anticipate students who signed up for this class will be motivated to do well, but I will not hesitate to contact you if we have any problems (or great triumphs!). I will do my best to get to know your sons and daughters, and differentiate my instruction to their interests, learning styles, and learning abilities, while at the same time keeping class fun and interesting.

A copy of the syllabus/expectations is attached. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns. 

Respectfully,

Kathleen Trace

Here is another example:

Good morning,

I am your child’s Dual Enrollment English instructor at Salem.  I hope this letter is the beginning of a year-long dialogue between us. My main goal is for students to develop into the most independent reader/writer/speaker/listeners possible.  Students should leave the class with the research and writing skills they need to be successful in college and careers. I will also be guiding students to take more responsibility for their own learning through regular goal setting and self evaluation. A major aspect of the course is a year-long service project which you will be hearing more about in the coming weeks (Passion Project).

This is a college level course and failure to meet deadlines has consequences (a letter grade for each day late), but I encourage students to advocate for themselves and let me know if they have an extenuating circumstance that will prevent them from finishing their assignment on time. I will give extensions in applicable cases. Though I encourage students to advocate for themselves, that doesn’t mean I don’t also encourage you to let me know if there are situations occurring at home that may negatively impact students’ academic or social/emotional health. I am here to support each student’s success and I can better do that if I am aware of major situations that might prevent them from doing their best. If there is something you think I should know about your child before the start of the school year in order to help them be successful please let me know.

I anticipate students enrolled in this class will be motivated to do well, but I will not hesitate to contact you if we have any problems (or great triumphs!). I will do my best to get to know each student and encourage them to explore their passions through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Respectfully,

Kathleen Trace

I hope these examples get you going on a letter home to parents on or before the first day.

It is more than worth the effort to make contact early!

Here are some more posts you might find helpful or to explore on your own start here.

Keeping track of parent contact

5 Snacks teachers love

Creating consistency in classroom procedures

Planning for the first day of school

5 ways to handle first year teacher stress

Survival Mode

If you found this helpful, make sure to pin, post, and tweet to share it with other new teachers who might also benefit from it!

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