Googe Docs for Administrators

I really feel like we can save paper in schools. As an elementary school principals I see LOTS of paper waste and trash. I have been using google docs personally for just under a year and love having everything accessible anywhere.

My personal use of google docs:

Originally, I used it to take notes for a summer class that was held on the university campus. Classes where usually held locally but for the summer we had to drive to St. Louis. We were so lucky to be in the computer lab and have computers right in front of us. My class partner and I took notes on the same google doc at the same time but used different font colors so we knew whose info it was. Then we decided we would write our Specialist paper together through google documents so we would not have to meet in person. We both have toddlers and it is hard to schedule meeting to write a paper as well as all the other committments we already have.

Worked like a charm. We did meet on a few occasions but not near as much since we could write our paper online together. SO MUCH BETTER than sending attachments back and forth and trying to remember which is the most recent attachment and the trying to rename it and send it back and forth and back and forth.

Professional Use:

• I started downloading everything that came as an attachment into google docs first and then save it also in whatever file I needed to. Other principals in my district and I send official documents back and forth for editing but they haven’t bought into google docs yet.
• PTO Notes – I type up monthly PTO notes for my PTO meetings regardless of whether I can be there or not. Instead of posting these in the teachers lounge or making a copy for each teacher, I “publish” the notes and then send a link to the teachers to read. I could still post one copy in the work room but I forget.
• End of the year checklist – Instead of giving all the teachers a copy of the end of the year checklist to lose, I just downloaded it to google docs, “published” it, and then sent them a link. I really just want them to have a copy to refer to and then I will give them a final copy but this is better than copying a lot of times. They can just refer to it until closer to the end of the year.
• End of year info – The end of the year comes at us so fast that I thought I would also type up some “helpful info” and send it as a document as well. This one is a work in progress and I told them that I would be adding to it and not to make a bunch of copies but to just save the link and refer back to it. (I don’t think they have even explored delicious yet.)

I also read an article somewhere recently that talked about a principal buying all his staff a school logo flash drive and put all his beginning of the year documents on that drive. This would keep from making folder packets of paper that don’t get looked after the first faculty meeting. It is getting easier to put things on school servers or computer so teachers don’t have to save a paper copy.

Some of the things that teachers post around their room would need to be copied but other stuff can just be saved to the computer.

Hope that helps you!