Email Guidelines & Reminders

  • Email and other electronic communication tools can be an effective and efficient means for communication.   Please Note:  Emails are not confidential and are subject to Public Records Law. They can be requested by anyone. When writing/sending emails, we ask students and parents to respectfully observe the following guidelines:

    • Emails should not be used to communicate any information that is highly emotional, sensitive or contentious. In such a case, emails may be used to arrange a time to meet or to have a phone conversation.
    • In urgent matters and time-sensitive communications such as dismissals, please call the office and speak to someone to have the message relayed to the faculty member. Faculty members are teaching students and are not always checking email during the school day.
    • For nonurgent emails, it is reasonable to expect a response within 2-3 school days (excluding weekends).
    • Students in Grades 6-12 should use their Dedham Public Schools email account when emailing teachers and should address email to the staff DPS account.
    • School email accounts should not be used for business unrelated to the work of the school (e.g. fundraising, political campaigns, advertising non-school events, etc.).
    • Educators are not given a school cell phone and therefore, except in predetermined circumstances approved by a supervisor, texting should not be used as a means for parents and students to communicate with staff.