District 75 goes to virtual backpack

The notices aren't phone-book-sized, but they can be numerous.

And any chance to cut down on the clutter is considered a plus by officials in Mundelein Elementary District 75.

Starting today, the district will join many of its neighbors by going to a "virtual backpack," in which notices from outside organizations will be posted online rather than printed out and sent home with students.

Reducing the number of printed fliers students bring home each day is one way of going green, according to the district. But the measure also will save staff time.

"After awhile, parents when they look in the backpack and see another flier, it becomes too much," said Debbie Petric, a community outreach administrator.

The electronic distribution applies to not-for-profit organizations that send home fliers regarding events or activities, like club or camp signups.

"We want to be able to have parents access this information online. It's an opportunity to have everything consolidated in one place," Petric said.

Because there are families in the district without computer access, fliers will be distributed both electronically and via hard copy for a time as parents get used to the practice.

Individual school newsletters, published roughly once every two weeks, are still distributed in hard copies, although some are also posted online in a gradual transition.

The virtual backpack is becoming much more common. Vernon Hills-based Hawthorn District 73 was among the first to adopt the practice when it began posting notices from not-for-profits online in February 2008.

"We figured it saved us easily a million sheets of paper," said District 73 spokeswoman Lynn Brandl.

"A lot of things are very good things, we just don't put them in the backpack anymore."

Libertyville District 70 began the practice about a year ago.

"Technically, the only thing going home in the backpack is homework," said spokeswoman Robin Kollman.

School newsletters also are online, she said, although the district's three-times-a-year community newsletter to all households is still distributed by hard copy.

In Oak Grove District 68, "virtual backpack" is a listing on the Web site, which offers a brief description of the nature and time of a posted event.

Community organizations promoting educational or recreational events send an e-mail request and must be approved to be listed.