Hi Everyone!
- Today is your LAST CHANCE to pre-order pizza for Encanto movie night this Saturday. ¡Hoy es su ÚLTIMA OPORTUNIDAD de reservar pizza!
- We’re expecting 100+ attendees for movie night (K-2) on Sat, but only have 5 volunteers. Sign up to help from 4-8pm — even an hour makes a difference! Esperamos más de 100 asistentes este sábado, pero solo tenemos 5 voluntarios. Inscríbase para ayudarnos de 4 a 8 pm; incluso una hora ayuda.
- The first Cafecito is Friday at 10am. Meet Vice Principal Ivy and chat with Principal Carrillo. El primer cafecito será viernes a las 10am.
- The PTA has started a blog with two posts on the Why and How of our WhatsApp Community. La PTA ha lanzado un blog con dos publicaciones sobre el Por qué y el Cómo de nuestra Comunidad de WhatsApp:
Check out all the details! ¡Revisen todos los detalles!
Have a great day / Que tengan un buen día,
Hannah
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Cafecito, September 20th, 10am @ RCF
Meet our NEW Vice Principal, Mrs. Ivy! Casual vibes, and great company—don’t miss it!
Conoce a nuestra nueva subdirectora, la Sra. Ivy. ¡Ambiente relajado y buena compañía, no te lo pierdas!
We Need to Double Our Movie Night Volunteers!
Volunteers Needed! We are expecting at least 100 attendees, but we only have 5 adult volunteers. Having 10 adults would make the night more manageable/enjoyable. Volunteer tasks include: Setup/cleanup in RCF's APR, selling concessions, and crowd control during the film. Hours needed are 4-8pm on the 21sr, but even an hour helps.
¡Se necesitan voluntarios! Esperamos al menos 100 asistentes, pero solo contamos con 5 voluntarios adultos. Contar con 10 adultos haría la noche más manejable y agradable. Las tareas de los voluntarios incluyen: montaje y limpieza en el APR de RCF, venta de concesiones y control de la multitud durante la película. Las horas necesarias son de 4 a 8 pm el día 21, pero incluso una hora de su tiempo ayuda.
LAST CHANCE to Pre-Order Pizza for Movie Night – Sales end tonight!
Make your movie night even better with a delicious pizza! Pre-order now to ensure you get yours and enjoy a stress-free, yummy evening. ¡Haga que su noche de cine sea aún mejor con una deliciosa pizza! Reserve la suya ahora para asegurarse de obtenerla y disfrutar de una noche deliciosa y sin estrés.
A Magical Movie Night Awaits! ¡Le espera una mágica noche de cine!
Join us in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a special screening of Disney’s Encanto—a perfect family evening for grades K-2 (siblings welcome!). Únase a nosotros para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana con una proyección especial de Encanto de Disney—una tarde perfecta en familia para los grados K-2 (¡hermanos bienvenidos!).
Date: Saturday, September 21
Fecha: Sábado, 21 de septiembre
Time: 5:00–7:00 PM
Hora: 5:00–7:00 PM
Location: RCF All-Purpose Room
Lugar: Salón de Usos Múltiples de RCF
Tickets: FREE – Just come and enjoy!
Entradas: GRATIS – ¡Solo venga y disfrute!
What to Expect / Qué esperar:
- Enchanting Story: Experience the magic of the Madrigal family and the power of love and unity. Historia encantadora: Experimente la magia de la familia Madrigal y el poder del amor y la unidad.
- Cultural Celebration: Enjoy the vibrant music, traditions, and beauty of Latin American culture through this award-winning film. Celebración cultural: Disfrute de la vibrante música, tradiciones y la belleza de la cultura latinoamericana a través de esta película premiada.
- Costumes Encouraged! Dress up as Mirabel, Bruno, or your favorite character (totally optional, but fun!). ¡Disfraces alentados! Vístase como Mirabel, Bruno o su personaje favorito (totalmente opcional, pero divertido).
- Tasty Treats: Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be available for purchase! Deliciosos refrigerios: ¡Pizza, bocadillos y bebidas estarán disponibles para la compra!
The Issue of Separate Class Chats in Schools
At Rock Creek Forest Elementary, we aim to foster proactive engagement and inclusivity in our school community. To support this, we encourage all parents to stay involved and model open communication by providing inclusive, grade-level chats instead of separate class-based ones. Class-based chats often create divides, limiting access to important information and resources, especially for marginalized families.
In today’s digital age, access to information is critical. When communication is siloed, it can prevent families from fully participating in their child’s education, exacerbating inequities. Studies show that timely access to information directly impacts families’ ability to engage in school activities and support their children’s learning outcomes (1).
The Benefits of Grade-Level Chats
Grade-level chats will help bridge the gap and build community between the immersion and neighborhood programs at Rock Creek Forest. They will offer a space where parents in each program can connect, get to know each other, and share information and opportunities more widely to the benefit of all our kids. Creating these inclusive spaces not only fosters a stronger school community but also ensures that every family has the opportunity to engage (2).
Exclusionary Communication in Action.
The exclusionary nature of class-based chats becomes evident in several ways:
Information Silos: In class-based chats, information about school events, deadlines, or opportunities has a limited reach. For example, a parent in one class or program might share details about an upcoming science fair or a local art workshop, but this information won’t reach other families who may be interested. Even if unintentionally, this creates unequal access to enrichment opportunities that could benefit more students.
Social Exclusion: Beyond limiting access to school-related information, class-based chats can also lead to social exclusion. Playdate invitations, family outing recommendations, and summer camp ideas often circulate within these groups, but if the chat is limited, so are the families who will know about these opportunities. As a result, children whose parents aren’t in the chat might miss out on forming friendships and social bonds that are critical to their overall development and sense of belonging.
Reinforcing Privilege: In magnet programs, where many families are engaged and proactive in seeking out educational opportunities, the use of exclusive class chats can reinforce existing privileges. These families often share information about resources such as tutors, extracurricular activities, camp sign-ups, or educational trips that may not be widely advertised. Families outside these chats may miss out on these opportunities entirely, simply because they aren’t aware they exist, further deepening educational inequalities.
Rock Creek Forest Elementary’s Approach
Recognizing that separate class chats are not inclusive, Rock Creek Forest Elementary PTA established a WhatsApp Community with grade-level chats. This gives all parents—regardless of their child’s class or program— access to shared information and resources.
WhatsApp’s global reach and ease of use make it an ideal tool for our diverse community, helping bridge cultural and language gaps. By using a platform familiar to many, we aim to model inclusive communication and make it easier for all families to stay connected, informed, and engaged with the school community.
Tag Groups for Class-Specific Questions
While grade-level chats are the primary communication method, we understand that there are times parents may need to communicate with just their child's class. To accommodate this, we’ve set up tag groups (@TeacherName) that allow parents to ask class-specific questions without the need for separate chats, ensuring that important grade-wide information is still shared.
By offering an open, welcoming space through our PTA-administrated WhatsApp Community, we are helping create a foundation for inclusive communication. While we can't compel participation, by providing these spaces and setting the standard for proactive engagement, we ensure every family has the opportunity to connect and participate in our school community.
- (Warschauer, M. & Matuchniak, T. 2010. New Technology and Digital Worlds: Analyzing Evidence of Equity in Access, Use, and Outcomes)
- (Warschauer, M., Knobel, M., & Stone, L. 2004. Technology and Equity in Schooling: Deconstructing the Digital Divide)
Why We Opted for a PTA-Administrated WhatsApp Community
PTA-administrated chats help address key issues we’ve faced with open WhatsApp groups:
- Security Concerns: Open groups were infiltrated by bots posting explicit content, posing risks in digital spaces where children’s information is shared.
- Privacy Issues: Conversations in parent-run chats were sometimes screenshotted and forwarded to the school or PTA without consent, leading to conflicts.
A Controlled Environment
PTA-administrated chats create a safer space with clear guidelines for privacy and respectful communication. While absolute privacy can't be guaranteed online, these guidelines encourage better behavior and help protect the community.
Digital Literacy & Online Privacy
Remember, nothing shared online is fully private. We encourage parents to be mindful of what they post. Within the PTA WhatsApp, we emphasize privacy and respect, reminding users of these expectations upfront.
Moving Forward Together
We appreciate your support as we work to improve communication and build a welcoming community. If you have feedback, please reach out—we’re always open to suggestions.
WhatsApp Community vs. Listserv: Why We Use Both
Each tool serves a distinct role in our communication strategy:
PTA Listserv
- Formal Communication: Newsletters, event invitations, meeting minutes, and official announcements.
- Archived and Searchable: Emails can be saved for future reference.
- Less Immediate: Best for non-urgent information that doesn’t require immediate action.
PTA WhatsApp Community
- Immediate Updates: Quick reminders, real-time updates, and informal discussions.
- Community Building: Encourages day-to-day interaction among parents.
- Real-Time Feedback: Ideal for quick questions and instant feedback.
Why Both Matter
The listserv ensures formal, organized communication, while WhatsApp fosters quick, real-time interaction. Together, they provide comprehensive coverage, ensuring parents receive important information in the most effective format.
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Hannah Sloss
(Nessa, 3rd grade)
President, Rock Creek Forest ES PTA
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