Communications needs and goals evolved along with instruction

Lovett views communications as a critical part of their work, and they changed their approach as they started to shift to digital learning.

Lovett Elementary in Chicago is committed to its community and believes community members are a critical part of the district’s work. As part of this commitment, Lovett places a large emphasis on helping parents understand why and how their children are learning. As Lovett’s educators changed their instruction to become more blended and personalized, the style and content of their communications efforts also changed.

One of the key communications challenges for Lovett focused on technology. Parents needed to understand that children were still learning when away from school, even if they did not bring textbooks home, and parents needed to know how to support this learning. Leaders also emphasized a concern about screen time and worked to strike a balance between the benefits and challenges of technology. Lovett’s biggest communications success was engaging students through better teaching and learning, as parents and guardians could notice a difference in enthusiasm in their children and feel like more part of the school through them.