Online Promotion Guide: Active Parenting Today Online Groups SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

Tips for success:

• Use only one side of a standard 8.5" x 11" sheet of white paper; the official letterhead of the sponsoring organization is ideal.
• In the top right hand corner include contact information including your name and phone number/e-mail address.
• The words "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" should be typed in the top left-hand corner of the release.
• Write a headline summarizing your message and center it on the page.
• The first, or lead, paragraph summarizes the basic facts—the who, what, when and where-of the program.
• Additional paragraphs fill out the story and gain reader involvement by including biographical information about the leader.
• The last paragraph should include a brief description of the sponsoring organization.
• The word "MORE" should appear centered at the bottom if there is a second page. At the end of the news release, center three of these symbols, ###, to indicate to the news editor that this is the last page.
• Mail, e-mail or hand-deliver the news release to the editor who handles parenting or education news at least two weeks
  before you would like it to appear. Check the deadline for the community events calendar and send a separate copy of the news release to the calendar editor. Do not depend on the news editor to share the information with the calendar editor!
• A few days after mailing or delivering your news release make a follow-up telephone call to be sure that the editor has received it and offer to answer any questions he/she may have.

ANYWHERE, STATE-Mitchell Elementary School will offer the new Active Parenting Today Online Group program for parents of children ages 5-12. The six-session online parenting education program will start on Saturday, October 12.

"We are proud to offer theActive Parenting Today Online Group program to the parents in our community," says Denise Myers, school principal. "This program combines entertaining video on and online discussion to help parents learn how to raise children who are cooperative, responsible and able to resist peer pressure. It also guides parents in dealing with sensitive issues such as drugs, sexuality and violence."

How does it work?

The six-week online group begins on a Saturday morning when the first discussion session is posted on the website. Parents log on and "attend" each session and participate in the discussion bulletin board at convenient times during the week. Each session includes real-life multi-cultural vignettes on CD-ROM. Traditional, single-parent and blended families are included in the video and accompanying Parent's Guide.

The next session is posted on the following Saturday. A certified online group leader guides the online discussion and provides individual feedback to parents about specific situations with their children.

The program will be led by Janice Jones, a certified Active Parenting online group leader. Ms. Jones is a counselor at E.L. Smith Elementary School, Central City, and volunteers at the Clinton County Community Center.

For more information and computer/software requirements, contact (name) at (phone number) or (e-mail address).