The Parents' Welcome Pack

The Parents' Welcome Pack is a structured information package (analog or digital) that parents receive when their child starts school or at the beginning of the school year. It contains all essential information about procedures, contact persons, and school culture.

✍️ Brigitta Rupp, PBÖ
Download PDF
⏱️ Duration Up to 15 minutes
🔄 Frequency One-time
👥 Target Group Students, Parents
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Purpose

The Parents' Welcome Pack creates immediate orientation and a sense of security.
Teachers can use it to actively convey that parents are a valued part of the community.
It reduces misunderstandings and questions at the start of school and promotes well-being through transparency.

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Use and Learning Outcomes

  • 1. Facilitating the onboarding process for new families.
  • 2. Communicating school values and a culture of welcome from day one.
  • 3. Time savings for teachers by consolidating important information.
  • 4. Professionalizing parent-teacher communication.
  • 5. Lowering barriers for parents to participate in school life.
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Wellbeing References

Basic Needs

❤️ Belonging 🛡️ Security

Quality Dimensions

School culture Social interactions Parent involvement
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Details & Preparation

🏫

Room Requirements

None

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Time for preparation

90 minutes

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Preparation

Collect all important documents (school rules, contact list, annual calendar).
Design an appealing layout (e.g., with student drawings).

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Materials

Checklist for content.
Folder (analog) or PDF/Web link (digital).

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Sequence of Steps

1

Content Check

⏱ 20 minutes
The school management together with the class teachers determines which info is essential (e.g., "Who's who?", "How to report illness?", "Break rules", "School values").
2

The "Personal Touch"

⏱ 10 minutes
Each class teacher writes a short, warm welcome letter to be included in the pack.
3

Design

⏱ 30 minutes
Information is organized clearly.
Important: Use simple language and clear graphics to break down barriers.
4

Handover of the Pack

⏱ 5 minutes
The pack is handed out at the first parents' evening or sent via email.
The teacher briefly explains its benefit: "Here is everything you need for a relaxed start."
5

Feedback & Update

⏱ 15 minutes
Once a year, check if the info is still up to date (e.g., new phone numbers or projects).
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Reflection & Tips

Reflection

Do parents feel well-informed or overwhelmed by the pack?
Has it reduced the number of organizational questions in daily school life?

Tips for Implementation

Less text and more visualization increases the likelihood of it being read.
Use QR codes for digital content (e.g., explainer videos or forms).