"We made the announcement, but half of them didn't read it." This is one of the sentences I hear most often from school administrators. Most of the time the problem is not the parents but the announcement itself: long, scattered, unclear about who it is for, with what needs to be done buried in the last paragraph.
A good announcement is one that a parent can understand in ten seconds and, if needed, act on. Here are nine rules for making that happen.
1. Send it to the right people
An announcement sent to the whole school also reaches parents it doesn't concern, and lowers the chance that the next one gets read. Send the announcement to the relevant class or group. In Funikid, announcements are made by class; a trip announcement goes only to the class that will take part in the trip.
2. Let the headline say it all
In a notification, often only the headline is visible. "Important announcement" is not a headline. "School closes at 1:00 pm on Friday" is a headline. A parent who reads the headline should learn the essence even if they don't open the announcement.
3. What, when, who in the first sentence
The inverted pyramid from journalism works here too: the most important information goes at the top. "The Daisy class's zoo trip will take place on Thursday, October 12. Students need to be at school at 8:30." Details come later.
4. Ask for one action
If there is something the parent needs to do, write it clearly and on its own: "Please confirm attendance in the app by Wednesday evening." If an announcement contains three separate requests, you probably need three separate announcements. For events that need attendance confirmation, event management is a better fit: confirmations are tracked one by one.
5. Keep it short
An announcement longer than three paragraphs on a phone screen ends up on most parents' "I'll read it later" list. The rule is simple: if it doesn't fit on one screen, provide the details as an attachment. Long content — a program, a list, rules — suits the newsletter better, as a PDF or image.
6. Write the date and time clearly
Expressions like "tomorrow" or "next week" get misunderstood when the announcement is read late. Write the day name together with the date: "Friday, November 14." If there is a time, add the start and end.
7. Think about timing
A "tomorrow" announcement sent at nine in the evening may already be too late for a parent trying to get to work in the morning. Send important announcements during the day, at a time when parents can make plans. Not sending non-urgent information at night also protects trust in notifications.
8. Tone: warm but clear
A school announcement should be neither as cold as an official letter nor as scattered as a chat. A short greeting, clear information, and a thank-you are enough. Even in announcements that contain a warning, avoid accusatory language: starting with "Reminder:" works better than "Some parents...".
9. Don't repeat, remind
Sending the same announcement three times teaches parents that every announcement will be repeated. Instead, send a short reminder the day before the deadline: "Tomorrow is the last day to confirm trip attendance." Events on the calendar can also be reminded to parents separately; see calendar.
Example: before and after
Before: "Dear parents, as you know, our annual autumn festival will once again be held this year with great enthusiasm, and we kindly ask for your support in preparing our students' costumes and bringing them to school at the appropriate time on the day of the festival..."
After:
- Headline: "Autumn festival on Friday, October 24, at 10:00"
- Text: "We look forward to seeing you at the autumn festival where our children will take the stage. Students just need to be at school at 9:30 and wear yellow or orange. Please let us know whether you will attend through the app by October 22. Thank you!"
The second version is shorter, is understood from its headline in the notification, and asks for a single action.
Parents who speak different languages
If some of your parents speak the local language as a second language, writing in simple sentences helps everyone. Funikid's multilingual support makes it easier to offer parents information in their own languages; details are in our article on multilingual parent communication.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an announcement and a newsletter?
An announcement conveys a single topic briefly and clearly. A newsletter carries the summary, schedule, or visuals of a certain period; it is usually shared as a PDF or image. Details are in our school newsletter guide.
How do we know a parent has seen the announcement?
When an announcement goes out through the app with an instant notification, it is much more likely to reach the parent. Where a reply is needed, asking for a separate step such as attendance confirmation makes tracking easier.
How should an emergency announcement be made?
Short, clear, and calm: what happened, what needs to be done, and when the next update will come. If emergency announcements are kept few, they are taken seriously when they arrive.
Can I try announcements in Funikid?
Yes, with the 14-day free trial you can make class-level announcements and share newsletters. Get in touch with your questions.
About the author
Selin Kaya
Digital Content Specialist
Writes on Funikid's content team about school–parent communication, announcements and messaging routines. Answers the everyday questions of preschool and nursery leaders in plain language, with practical advice.
