Over 50 new staff members will join our Heartland AEA family on August 1, the first day of orientation for new staff members. Yes, you read that correctly – over 50 new hires!
Of those new faces, there are six males and 46 females, with 15 of those being new graduates in their first positions. We hope you’ll give them a generous “welcome to Heartland AEA” and help them understand and embrace our mission to improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Five Ways to Improve Your Email Etiquette & Efficiency
The following article was taken from the June issue of Global Reach Internet Productions’ newsletter. The company did the redesign of our agency’s website and has extensive experience with many things related to the web.
With email being the most prevalent form of communication for many business endeavors, it is important to make sure that basic etiquette guidelines are followed. We’ve put together a list of the top 5 ways to start improving your email etiquette today.
1. Use a meaningful subject. When emails have generic subjects, or even worse--no subject at all, it can be very difficult for the recipient to guess what the message may be about. A meaningful subject will ensure your message receives due priority and can prevent it from being overlooked completely. Using subject lines such as Action Need, Important and FYI can help the recipient know right away what is expected of them.
2. Don’t use ALL CAPS. In the world of online communication, using ALL CAPS is the equivalent of shouting. If you want to stress a specific part of the message, you should opt for a subtler alternative like italicizing, bolding, or underlining.
3. Be concise. If you can say something in a sentence or in a paragraph and make it equally clear either way, choose to be brief. Do not make others waste time reading lengthy messages. Learn to communicate effectively and efficiently. Practice this and soon you will even see a boost in your productivity.
4. Proofread your email. Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Answer all questions and pre-empt follow-ups. Also, make sure that you correctly spell any names included in the message, and replace all the necessary fields if you are using a template.
5. Ensure readability. Use a suitable structure and layout. A wall of text is uninviting and may deter recipients from reading your message. Proper formatting enhances your message’s visual attractiveness, makes it easy to scan, and highlights important information.
With email being the most prevalent form of communication for many business endeavors, it is important to make sure that basic etiquette guidelines are followed. We’ve put together a list of the top 5 ways to start improving your email etiquette today.
1. Use a meaningful subject. When emails have generic subjects, or even worse--no subject at all, it can be very difficult for the recipient to guess what the message may be about. A meaningful subject will ensure your message receives due priority and can prevent it from being overlooked completely. Using subject lines such as Action Need, Important and FYI can help the recipient know right away what is expected of them.
2. Don’t use ALL CAPS. In the world of online communication, using ALL CAPS is the equivalent of shouting. If you want to stress a specific part of the message, you should opt for a subtler alternative like italicizing, bolding, or underlining.
3. Be concise. If you can say something in a sentence or in a paragraph and make it equally clear either way, choose to be brief. Do not make others waste time reading lengthy messages. Learn to communicate effectively and efficiently. Practice this and soon you will even see a boost in your productivity.
4. Proofread your email. Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Answer all questions and pre-empt follow-ups. Also, make sure that you correctly spell any names included in the message, and replace all the necessary fields if you are using a template.
5. Ensure readability. Use a suitable structure and layout. A wall of text is uninviting and may deter recipients from reading your message. Proper formatting enhances your message’s visual attractiveness, makes it easy to scan, and highlights important information.
Braille Teacher of the Year Short Featured in Braille Institute Video
As was mentioned in the June HeartBeat, Chris Short, itinerant vision teacher, was recently named the Braille Institute’s 2013 Teacher of the Year.
The Institute produced a video (below) which features Chris, the teachers and students she works with and Misty Christensen, regional director. Through a partnership with the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Chris provides services to students in Heartland’s Region 2 who are blind or visually impaired.
Chris also noted, “To top it all off, my student, Lauren Thomson, who will be a freshman at Earlham High School this fall, won first place in her age group (at the National Braille Challenge). This was her eighth trip to the nationals in eight tries and her fourth time to place among the top three competitors! Lauren is also featured in the video. I am so proud of her!”
The Institute produced a video (below) which features Chris, the teachers and students she works with and Misty Christensen, regional director. Through a partnership with the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Chris provides services to students in Heartland’s Region 2 who are blind or visually impaired.
Chris also noted, “To top it all off, my student, Lauren Thomson, who will be a freshman at Earlham High School this fall, won first place in her age group (at the National Braille Challenge). This was her eighth trip to the nationals in eight tries and her fourth time to place among the top three competitors! Lauren is also featured in the video. I am so proud of her!”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)