Section 8.6: Bulletin Boards

Bulletin boards can share information, be a passive program, and can be purely fun and social in nature.  Here are some suggestions for bulletin boards that draw eyes year-round:

• Make it interactive. Use things students can touch, move, and write on.
• Use different materials. In addition to using construction paper and print-outs, think about using yarn, newspaper, foil, and cardboard.
• Use large, easy to read font. Fonts with serifs, like Times New Roman, Century, Bookman Old Style, and Garamond are difficult to read for people with dyslexia. Additionally, fonts that are too fancy, like a script font or a narrow, tight font can be more difficult to read, especially from a distance. Your bulletin board should be easy to read from a few feet away.
• Cover topics and themes your residents have expressed an interest in. If you have seniors, make boards about resumes and job searching.
• Fill the blank spaces while thinking about presentation and a clean arrangement of photos and information.  While cramming your board with information may be too overwhelming for the eye, adding interesting photos can make your bulletin board more appealing and attractive.
• Utilize the pre-made bulletin boards on the Resources for RAs webpage or contact other offices and departments for potential materials. Also websites like Pintrest can provide great ideas.

Please note that different buildings and floors may have different numbers of bulletin boards available.  Your supervisor will communicate the expectations with you for how and when these boards should be updated.  Some areas may even lack a bulletin board.  It is important to note that even if your floor doesn't have a bulletin board you will still be expected to find an alternate place or source for sharing information.