Students at North Junior High School are practicing their communication skills and expanding their use of iPads and Schoology by televising the school’s daily announcements. Middle-level students from the Student Leadership Team are determined to engage more students at North. They believe that broadcasting daily announcements is a unique way to inform students about the happenings, events and opportunities available at the school.
Every Friday morning, three students from the Student Leadership Team (consisting of sixth through eighth-grade students) meet with Heather Ebnet, an administrative intern at North. With a makeshift green screen backdrop, an iPad on a tripod and script in hand, students take turns delivering the announcements for the upcoming week.
Ebnet is in charge of recording.
All important information is shared: the breakfast menu, lunch menu, major events such as family nights, dress-up days, etc. But it doesn’t stop there. Students recite words of wisdom and inspirational quotes, and they wish a happy birthday to any student or staff member who is having a birthday that day.
“I really feel good about it,” says sixth-grader Coyle Knutson. “It gets the information out which helps [students] connect to the school and know what’s going on.”
Students at North find the time of day that fits their schedule to watch the announcements whether it is homeroom, in-between class or lunch.
“Some advisors watch it religiously and also still do the written version,” says Ebnet. “We hope to phase out the written version next year.”
“My friends like to watch the announcements,” says student leader, Nasteho Arab.
It’s also easily accessible to parents through Schoology. Parents can log into their Schoology accounts to watch the daily announcements and stay connected with the school and their students.
One aspect of the daily announcements that really has kids watching — the winner of the al-a-carte coupon.
Using Flipgrid, a video discussion platform in education for students, staff and families, students are able to enter their videos into a drawing for an a-la-carte coupon. An engaging question is posted to the site and students record themselves answering the question. They upload the video to Flipgrid where other students and staff members can view the videos. The site is monitored by Ebnet and each submission is put into a drawing for that week.
“You don’t necessarily know students until they submit a video,” explains Ebnet. “You really get to know students more by watching a submission. It’s just another way that we can connect.”
With the growing interest in the engaging questions posted weekly and the number of students watching announcements on their iPads, Ebnet hopes to grow the production next year.
The vision is that the production is completely student-run. Students will do the recording, video creation, posting to Schoology and even the script writing. The Student Leadership Team hopes to have a sub-group that is in charge of announcements.
“It’s not hard to get kids in front of the camera,” says Ebnet, “but some kids may like the other behind-the-scenes and production side of it.”
One thing Kahlid Ali, a sixth-grade student knows, “It’s fun doing it.”
And, if it’s fun, it keeps students engaged. Televised announcements are just one example of how today’s 21st-century learners stay in touch and connect with their school.
Watch an episode of North’s daily announcements.