The holidays are stressful enough without technology adding to the chaos. Families are juggling events, teachers are wrapping up end-of-year responsibilities and staff are trying to hold everything together while thinking about winter break.
The last thing you want is to accidentally frustrate a parent, student or staff member with tech issues that could’ve been avoided.
Think of this as your “Holiday Tech Manners Guide” because no school wants to be the reason a parent loses their mind in the pickup line.
1. Update Your School Hours Everywhere (Before the First Confused Parent Shows Up)
Picture this: A parent rushes across town because Google says the school office is open… only to find the gates locked and everyone long gone for the holiday break.
Congratulations: you’ve just created someone’s “heated e-mail to the principal” moment.
Where to update your hours:
- Your Google School Profile (the big one!)
- Facebook, Instagram and school social media pages
- Your school website banner or homepage notice
- Any auto-generated calendars or parent portals that show office hours
Sample message:
“Happy Holidays! Our school office will be closed from December 20 to January 5. We’ll return on January 6, rested, recharged, and possibly full of holiday cookies. See you in the new year!”
2. Set Friendly Out-of-Office Replies (That Don’t Sound Robotic)
If staff are taking time off, don’t leave parents wondering whether their message went into a black hole.
A warm auto-reply helps set expectations and reduces follow-up messages.
Sample out-of-office message:
“Thank you for your message! Our school office is closed for winter break from Dec. 20–Jan. 5. We will respond as soon as we return. If your matter is urgent, please contact our main line at (XXX) XXX-XXXX. Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!”
3. Don’t Overshare in Your Out-of-Office (Parents Don’t Need Your Vacation Itinerary)
Keep it simple. Families don’t need to know that you’re visiting cousins in Tampa, that your assistant principal is going skiing or that your registrar is doing a holiday road trip.
Too much detail also creates unnecessary security risks.
Stick to:
- Dates
- When responses will resume
- Who to contact for urgent issues
Save the travel stories for staff meetings.
4. Test Your Phone Systems (Before They Test Your Patience)
Holiday callers are often stressed and in a rush. The last thing they need is an outdated voicemail greeting with the wrong hours.
Pro tip:
Call the school’s main number yourself. Yes, seriously.
You’d be shocked how many school voicemails still say “Happy Summer!” in December.
Sample voicemail:
“You’ve reached [School Name]. Our office is closed for winter break. Please leave a message and we will return your call when school resumes on January 6. If this is an urgent matter, press 1 for our on-call administrator. Happy Holidays!”
5. Communicate Holiday Deadlines Early (Before Panic Sets In)
If your school has:
- Uniform store orders
- Yearbook deadlines
- After-school billing cycles
- Registration cutoffs
- Holiday performance tickets
- Medication drop-off deadlines
- Technology returns
- Financial aid paperwork
…communicate early and often.
Parents will thank you. Teachers will thank you. Your office staff will definitely thank you.
Missed communication = stressed parents = more issues landing in your inbox.
The Bottom Line: Good Tech Etiquette = Happy Families = Smooth School Operations
Holiday tech etiquette isn’t complicated. It’s all about setting expectations, communicating clearly and respecting people’s time.
A few simple updates can prevent:
- frustrated phone calls
- angry e-mails
- confused parents standing outside locked doors
- unnecessary teacher interruptions
- last-minute chaos
The goal isn’t just to avoid problems — it’s to make families feel supported and informed, even when the office is closed.
