Simple Communication Notebook

When I was in the classroom, I used a contact log where I tracked parent/student communication notes. Most of the time, quick little notes were all that I needed. 

Fast forward to my first year as a high school assistant principal, I quickly realized just how much more vital good documentation and note-taking was. A contact log was no longer going to be enough when working in a school of 1600ish students. 

For the first few weeks of school that year, I tried a few different things:

• A contact log with extra space to write notes
  • Never had enough space
• Using the notes section in the back of my planner
  • Again, not enough space
• A digital contact log
  • I can write faster than I can type, it was not easy to search for previous information, and it seemed impersonal when I was having to type notes on my computer when trying to meet with a student or parents/guardians. 

So, I went to TJMaxx, bought a cheap $3.00 blank notebook(with a hard cardboard cover), and it became my sole notebook for taking notes when I talked to parents on the phone, met with students in my office, etc.

I know, I know…this process seems so simple and it is. However, it has been extremely helpful to me, and it has been a process that I have kept for the last 4 years and will continue to use in the future. 

Quick Notebook Details

I start a new notebook each year. I write the school year on the front of the notebook.When the year is over, the notebook goes on my bookshelf…even if there are a few pages left. 

What does a log entry look like?

I date every entry as well as the time and the name of whoever I am talking to.  If something is shared with me through email, I print it out and staple it into my notebook. I love that I can jot down notes in a way that makes sense to me, I have no limit on how much space I have to take notes, there is no other notes/information in the book that could clutter the notebook and make important information get lost, and it’s in chronological order so it is easy to flip back through and recall notes when needed. 

I keep it on my desk all year so that I can easily access it, take notes, and/or refer to older entries when needed. 

So, if you are looking for a super simple way to take notes for student/family communication….try the simple notebook approach! It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t need to be complicated. 

And, strong documentation is VITAL when you are in a leadership/administration role. 

Document, document, and document some more! You never know when you are going to need to refer to notes.