The document discusses communication tools used by students and proposes several options for the Trillium Elementary School Council to utilize modern communication technologies to engage with parents and share information. It notes that most students use sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Wikipedia but they require users to be 13+. A survey of two classes at Trillium found high percentages of students using these sites. The document then proposes that the School Council could use tools like Google Apps, Ning, a wiki, Twitter, or create a Facebook group to distribute information to parents in a more modern way. It suggests these could be used to replace email lists and allow two-way communication and file sharing between the School Council and parents.

1. Trillium Elementary School Council - Internet, Communications, and TESC.

2. Do You Know These?? `

3. How About These?? `

4. Guess what...your kids and your students do!

5. “ The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” Bill Gates

6. A Completely Unscientific Study 2 Classes at Trillium - 6/7 and 7/8 70 percent of students have a facebook account. 50 percent of students have a myspace account. 80 percent of students have used Youtube. 100 percent of students have used Wikipedia. 50 percent of students have 'net' friends. All but one have a personal gmail or hotmail email account. All sites have an Internet standard 13+ age requirement to sign. However, a parent can agree to allow them to sign up (my 10 yr old has a live account, with email, IM and document storage)

7. The Web & Communications

9. The Web and Communications The Evolving Beast Web 1.0 Web 2.0 Websites which projected information Email broadcasts Little interaction with 'viewers' No collaboration High need on 'techies' Websites that are dynamic Real time communications The viewers are key - updating/setting info. Constant collaboration. Little need on 'techies'

11. What About Some Real Examples What We Knew What They/We Know Exchange (email) Outlook MS Office Dictionaries Television/Movies Groups/Assoc's Oracle/Databases Summer School Google Apps/iLife Gmail/MobileMe/Hotmail Google Apps/iWork/Zoho Wikipedia/Private Wikis Youtube/Bebo/Hulu* Facebook/MySpace Salesforce/ AWS/LongJump ePals/TutorCity/ Edutopia

12. Did You Know... Trillium Elementary School is on: ratemyteacher.com (faculty comments) facebook.com (Trillium ES group) classmates.com (bulletin board) wordpress (blog - music)

13. Why Look at New Ways To Communicate? Lower email volume. One place to discuss topics, instead of the reply all game. Central document area. No more “find the right document” game. Allows parents to go to information, not ask for... Larger 'tail' - allows for larger group of parents to be 'affected'. imho - it's important to show to our children.

14. Communication Ideas for TESC

15. Google Apps Google is well known for searching. did you know that Google is now a verb - for searching on the Internet? Google released Google Apps two years ago. Replacement for MS Exchange, MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint. Also has much much more... $50 / yr / user for Standard Companies. FREE for educational use... Ottawa University, Lakehead University, countless PTA and school councils.

16. Ning What if you create a facebook like application (app) for your company/school/organization? Ning started in 2005 - now has over 5 Million users (and one of the highest growth rates) Allows for chat boards,specialized groups, email, chat, document sharing, calendaring. FREE - as with facebook, there are a few Google ads.

17. TESC Wiki Wikis - online knowledge areas which allow for content to be managed by the populous. Utilized online by schools, faculty, parent councils. Could be utilized as a place to store: School Code of Conduct Faculty Information School Council Events and Information

18. Twitter Real time communications between "tweeters" All updates must be 140 characters or less Rapidly growing social communication page. Major news broken through Twitter - Flight 1549, Mumbai bombings. First person comments. Could be used for emergency closures: school buses, real-time information passing, event updates.

19. Facebook Group - TESC Trillium ES group already exists "Unmoderated" student group Dissemination of information and events Event invites School Council meetings General information Large number of parents/students already on If you are afraid of privacy, we should talk.

20. Next Month Plotting a course of action - where do we go from here.