Ah, fall! The air is crisp, the leaves are changing, and school is officially in full swing. As we dive into a new season, it’s the perfect time to spice up school social media with interesting, engaging content that shows off the great work your students and staff do day in and day out. The excitement of a new school year and the plethora of fun fall activities happening in your buildings create so many opportunities for content. To help narrow it down, here are nine ideas to add to your school’s social media content calendar this fall.
1. Give your audience a front-row seat to all the fall fun.
The kindergartners are painting pumpkins, the student council is getting ready for the fall festival, the annual food drive is in full swing, and your audience wants to see all of it. But it can be hard to capture everything. Sourcing photos and information from students and staff who are planning and deeply involved in different seasonal activities can help ensure you have the content you need for socials. Encourage teachers to share photos and videos from classroom activities while students capture their own perspectives. Keep in mind that student perspectives are often more interesting and engaging: A video from a student perspective of the student section at the homecoming football game, for example, will often beat one from a parent or administrator because it provides a uniquely immersive vantage point.
2. Share what’s happening in classrooms.
After the lull of summer, there’s finally life and excitement in classrooms again. Show it off! Data shows families and the community appreciate seeing day-to-day learning in action. Classroom highlights are a goldmine for school social media: abundant, easy to gather, and highly engaging. In fact, simple, unpolished clips of classroom activities often outperform the highly produced stuff on school social media. When in doubt, share a photo or video of a smiling, happy kid.
3. Spotlight new programs and facilities.
There is so much work happening in your buildings while students are away for the summer. Now is the time to proudly display all the shiny new and improved facilities, initiatives, and programs. Whether it’s a newly renovated auditorium or a cutting-edge STEM program, social media is a great place to showcase. Include before-and-after photos, interviews with staff and students running point on or participating, and virtual tours to give your audience an inside look.
4. Share recaps of memorable moments.
As we’ve established, there is so much fun and excitement surrounding the “ber” months that it can be hard to choose which content gets shared in real-time. If you’ve got some overflow, share it all in a monthly or even quarterly recap showcasing the best moments. This is a great way to share awesome content and give your audience a quick look into all the cool things that have been happening, and the cadence of a planned recap post means you don’t have to think of another piece of content. These types of consistent and recurring posts also students, parents, and community members something to look forward to.
5. Start a Thankful Thursday campaign.
As the season for gratitude and giving approaches, encourage students and staff to reflect on what they’re grateful for. Share their responses every Thursday leading up to the holidays through video clips or quote graphics. This is an easy way to highlight the values and interests of students and staff, while also humanizing content. Looking for a more deeply engaging approach to this content? Run a Thankful Thursday campaign, where students, staff, and other members of your school community submit gratitude shoutouts to be featured on your school feed(s).
6. Promote mental health.
Fall can be a stressful time with the hustle of exams, busy sports schedules, and adjustments to a new school year. Social media can be an ideal avenue for sharing tips on how to stay mentally healthy. These might include tips for managing stress, finding or accessing mental health resources, and highlights on school counselors. Supportive content goes a long way in fostering a positive environment.
7. Promote wellness and safety.
With weather changes and back-to-school often come illnesses and germs! Encourage your community to stay healthy this fall by sharing wellness tips for the colder months on socials. Tap your school nurse for advice on boosting immunity or managing seasonal allergies. With shorter days and sometimes severe weather, it’s also an ideal time to promote safety tips. Recruit student government teams, school resource officers, and others to help spread tips and information in fun and engaging ways.
8. Highlight teachers and staff.
Especially if they’re new to your school or community, highlighting teachers and staff is a great way to build transparency and trust by giving families insight into who’s spending time with their students. What’s more, people love to feel appreciated for the work that they do. Giving teachers and staff some much-deserved recognition on school social media can also help with morale and retention.
9. Let families know how they can get involved.
Parents, families, and community members are often looking for ways to get involved. And, with busy schedules and lots of commitments, it’s important to keep making these asks and invites. Use your social media to showcase how they can engage—whether it’s volunteering, attending events, or joining committees. Interview students and staff running point of different events and programs, and share impact stories about how their support matters. These updates show your school’s gratitude, while also keeping everyone connected to ongoing opportunities to serve and support.
The thought of covering so many events, areas, and stories across your school community during a busy fall season can feel overwhelming–but it doesn’t have to be. With the right technology, schools can empower students and staff source and submit graphics, updates, and great stories without losing control. Class Intercom helps you do exactly that. It’s a robust, cost-effective school social media management solution with unlimited users, unlimited and automatic archival, and key moderation and management features that keep schools on top of socials. Ready to learn more? Follow the link below to connect with our team.
