School families are invited to join the school listserv, an email distribution list which is used to post school related announcements. Almost everything you need to know gets posted on the listserv. This is often the way to find out about after school activities, sports teams and issues concerning the school. To join, please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/westbrook-school.
A separate listserv has been set up for the parents or guardians of a Westbrook student with special needs or learning differences or who receives educational support. To join, please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestbrookES_Special_Needs or e-mail WestbrookES_Special _Needs@yahoogroups.com.
For non-school related information, there are community based listservs available for announcements of local events, news, power outages or sales - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/announce-westbrook-hood
- and for discussion of neighborhood concerns - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/discuss-westbrook-hood/
These list-serves are not moderated, and users need to be aware that any message sent is delivered to around 600 people.
- Tip: Join the Westbrook all-school and neighborhood listservs. It is the easiest way to stay informed.
- Tip: Be sure to sign your name and your child's name and grade when posting messages on the school listserv.
- Tip: Consider carefully before hitting "reply-all" on a listserv message!
WESTBROOK LISTSERV
Westbrook Listserv is an e-mail network for Westbrook Elementary School to both share and ask for information, and to exchange ideas about school. The Westbrook Listserv allows members of the list to send e-mail to the whole list of members. The Westbrook PTA approved the guidelines below to govern the use of Westbrook Listserv. In using the Westbrook Listserv, all have agreed to follow these guidelines. If you have questions about the guidelines, please contact the Westbrook Listserv moderator, John Crupi (john.crupi@jackbe.com) or the PTA leadership.
ACCEPTABLE USE GUIDELINES
Statement: Westbrook Listserv is a privately created and maintained forum on Yahoo! Groups for those affiliated with Westbrook Elementary School. Its primary purpose is to communicate information about school events and activities, and members can informally share ideas on topics and issues. Westbrook Listserv is sponsored by the Westbrook PTA. Postings on Westbrook Listserv do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of any entity related to the State of Maryland, Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Public Schools, or teacher or parent organization, including but not limited to any PTA.Membership: Westbrook Listserv welcomes all members of the educational community centered at Westbrook Elementary School, including faculty and staff members, and parents of students currently enrolled at Westbrook. The primary audience for the Westbrook Listserv is made up of the parents of students currently enrolled at Westbrook. Applicability: These Guidelines apply to all members of Westbrook Listserv. In joining Westbrook Listserv, members agree to abide by these Guidelines as well as the Yahoo! Groups Terms of Service and Yahoo! Group Guidelines.
DEFINITIONS
Moderator: Volunteer parent(s) who manage(s) the list membership, adding and removing members on request. Moderators generally do not review messages before they are posted.
Yahoo! Groups: Yahoo! Groups give users a place to meet, interact, and share ideas with each other. These services are currently provided at no cost to and messages will contain advertising.
Guiding Principles/Purpose: Westbrook Listserv is for communicating about school matters and education in general. While a majority of families may be members of Westbrook Listserv, it is a supplementary medium of communication; it does not replace any of the other methods the school or the PTA may use.
ADMIN AND IMPLEMENTATION
Westbrook Listserv is for communication and interest about Westbrook Elementary School. You will be asked for your affiliation with Westbrook Elementary when you request to join Westbrook Listserv. Your name will not be added to Westbrook Listserv without your permission. Moderators will not disclose or share members’ names or e-mail addresses. Yahoo! Groups has its own privacy policies. Only members of Westbrook Listserv can post messages, receive messages, or review messages on the Yahoo! Groups web site. Westbrook Listserv is considered an “unmoderated list,” although the moderator reserves the right under certain circumstances to review messages before posting. Attachments to email messages are automatically removed so as to restrict the spread of computer viruses, worms, etc. Files for member use may be uploaded to the YahooGroups server via a link on the YahooGroups page. Replies may go to the original sender and/or to all of Westbrook Listserv. Please review the “TO” line of your message to ensure that you are sending your message to the intended recipient(s). The school and the PTA strongly advise that the proper way to handle a dispute with a teacher, or to question the value of a class, or school activity is to first take it up directly with the teacher, her/himself. If you cannot get satisfaction from the teacher, please go to the Westbrook Elementary administration.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Each member may express views freely; however:
• You must sign your name to your posting and state your affiliation with Westbrook.
• You are expected to use electronic communications in a manner that is respectful to others.
• You may NOT advocate on behalf of candidates for the Board of Education or political office.
• You may NOT use language that constitutes libel, slander, defamatory claims, or hate speech.
• You may NOT advocate for nor deride particular faiths or beliefs.
• Appropriate language, behavior and style are expected from all Westbrook Listserv members at all times and in all messages.
• If you have a disagreement with another member, you will be asked to take the discussion “off line” from Westbrook Listserv.
• Westbrook Elementary School PTA has provided an alternative resource for the community for non-school or education related topics. These off-topic messages, that is, messages not specific to Westbrook Elementary School, are not permitted on the Westbrook Listserv.
• When posting an off-topic message, you must use the website http://groups.yahoo.com/group/announce-westbrook-hood/ (for news and announcements) or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/discuss-westbrook-hood/ (for discussions only).
• Clearly state the topic of your posting in the subject header.
• Off-topic messages on the westbrook neighborhood listserve are not to be used by commercial enterprises to advertise or solicit business. Those not abiding by these Guidelines will be reminded of them by the Moderator and/or the PTA Board. The PTA Board reserves the right to restrict a Westbrook Listserv member to “read only” status or remove a Westbrook Listserv member who egregiously or repeatedly violates these guidelines.