How Not to Host a School Email Etiquette Meeting
Tom Starkey takes minutes from your school’s 342nd workload meeting…
- by Tom Starkey
Present
- GL – (Deputy Vice Principal)
- BN
- RR
- CL
Apologies from
Not sure until I’ve actually checked my emails.
Meeting held in
The IT suite, given that it’s the only place where there isn’t the incessant ‘ping’ of notifications as none of the computers work and it’s a mobile dead spot.
Item 1 – Mail order bribes
GL stated that he was holding the meeting to gather feedback regarding email contact. He first asked if there were any questions.
“Yes,” stated RR. “Is it at all possible that this meeting could have been replaced with a few emails?”
GL said yes, but he thought it better there should be face-to-face contact. And he’d bought chocolate covered hobnobs.
There was great affirmation from the group that face-to-face contact was indeed extremely important. At least I think there was; it was difficult to tell through the spray of crumbs.
GL then went on to discuss email etiquette, especially given the recent spate of 2am messages from a perhaps overly-zealous deputy of teaching and learning who GL stated was probably better off remaining nameless.
(It’s Gavin. Bloody Gavin.)
“Gavin needs to cut it right out,” declared CL, oblivious to GL’s advice. “If I get another late night email that is not telling me that the school is on fire or something else equally joyous he’s going to have one hell of a meeting confirmed in his calendar.”
“I don’t see what people are worried about,” interjected BN. “It’s not as if an email can get to you straight away when you’re at home.”
Silence and confusion from the group.
GL, cautiously, so as not to fall too far into the rabbit hole, asked BN what he meant.
“Well, it’s not going to get delivered straight away is it? Most of us live far away so it’d take longer than the ones you get when you’re actually in the school.”
There was more silence. Loads of it.
GL thanked BN for the contribution and moved swiftly on. (He also made a note to put IT training on the schedule for the next CPD day. For BN.)
Item 2 – You’ve (not) got mail
GL suggested a cut-off point in the evening where it’s agreed that no more messages be sent unless it’s completely necessary.
The team all simultaneously suggested 3.15pm.
GL laughed at the fantastic humour of his team.
The team were serious.
GL wrapped up the meeting. He said he’d email the minutes. Before 3.15pm. And he’d tell Gavin.
AOB
Helping BN understand some of the underlying concepts of electronic mail was attempted, then swiftly abandoned.
Meeting adjourned
And I can finally check my critical emails. It’s groupon day.
Tom Starkey is a teacher and writer who blogs at stackofmarking.wordpress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tstarkey1212.
