(Note, www.blue-dragons.com has no connection with B. C. Harris Publishing or Levittown Schools. This is information and opinion gathered about the directories because they are of interest to the DAHS alumni. Neither the schools nor B.C. Harris have not contacted us, nor have we contacted them officially. B.C. Harris said alumni can tell other alumni about the project.)
The directories have been published and distributed.
They tried to include a (printed) link to www.blue-dragons.com .
Somehow they mentioned instead to www.blue-dragon.com, which is a tattoo parlor in Arizona.
Alumni directory BOOKs are being prepared, one for each Levittown high school (DAHS, MacArthur, Levittown Memorial).
It seems like a good idea. If you want to be found or don't mind being found, why not be listed. Well, someone might bother you or send junk mail. But most of us are in the phone book, how bad can it be? You can list a lifetime e-mail address and a P.O. Box or other private address.
Make it easier for the next reunion committee to track you down, or free them up to find others. Tell your friends, especially those who are not on the Internet or who might not get get found, about the directory. It is one decision whether to confirm or update your listing, a separate decision whether to purchase a directory.
An agency is preparing the directories with permission from Levittown Schools.
They sent letters and postcards to the graduates they could find. Apparently they call some people as well.
They track people down using the school district's records and by researching public records. (I'm sure they take "tips" too.)
They plan to close editing on June 16, 2003 and deliver finished directories In November 2003.
They claim to typically find 85% of people.
The money arrangements are: The publisher researches the alumni and collects confirmations and other information on the phone (a lot of work). They prepare the directory and sell it to alumni (selling somewhat aggressively, when you call them). They want $80 for the hard-cover edition; or $70 for a soft-cover edition (same contents), with a 30-day guarantee. No money is taken from or given to the schools. The school district gives consent, provides the last-known addresses, authorizes all mailings and gives the stamp of official-ness to the project. The school district receives an updated database which they can use for fundraising and/or to help class reunions to track down alumni.
The company that actually prepares the directory is Bernard C. Harris Publishing Co.
Their website is here: www.bcharrispub.com
The info there is mostly sales contact information for schools that would do a directory. Some of the pages are interesting:
www.bcharrispub.com/directory/publicschools_faq.html
Their "Online Questionnaire" does not work for DAHS or other High School directory projects. They take the information by phone or by e-mail.
Harris posts a Privacy Statement. www.bcharrispub.com/privacy.html Basically they say they won't share the information. After the project, they give the updated database to the School District and they do not use it for other purposes.
The books are only supposed to be distributed to alumni. The directory is one step from public, with up to 45,000 people allowed to get a copy. Any info in the books can leak out, as does information in yearbooks. Use for solicitation is not permitted but could happen. Harris says they monitor the list for possible mis-use.
Harris says that Levittown Public Schools should post their own Privacy Statement about how -they- intend to use the information, but they have not yet posted one.
The alumni mailings (letter and postcard) from DAHS Directory Publication Office look vague, almost like they were not authorized and are trying to hide something. Levittown Schools logo, and a return address that starts with Division Avenue High School -- but with a return address in Virginia, and call them based on Centraltime (their callroom / inbound Telemarketers is in their Texas office). Well, the school district really did sign on with Harris. Audrey Pullo works in the school district; her office acknowledges the directory; but they have nothing to do with the details. The style of their letter might reduce their success, but it is the same recipe they have been using for many previous projects.
A number of schools and universities sign on with Harris, as can be seen by sampling the results of this search:
www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22Bernard+C.+Harris+Publishing%22
Levittown Schools put up one web page mentioning the project: www.levittownschools.com/alumni.htm
As you can see they say very little, except to watch your mail, and call the 800-number on the postcard. They have added links to the Harris Privacy Statement and Frequently Asked Questions. (Other schools that do a directory with Harris post more information about the project.)
Levittown Schools also mentioned the directory project in their newsletter for district residents, Levittown Schools Today.
The phone number on the mailing is 800-338-7815. (They'll still talk to you if you don't have the ID number on the mailing. I expect they'll confirm your information somehow.)
You might want to contact them to include or exclude your information.
If you don't contact them, I'm not sure what they will publish by default.
Maybe they will leave a blank or just print a name with no other information. I see a slim chance they might reprint the most recent information, even if it is the home-address information that was in the yearbook, even if it is unconfirmed.
This edition will not include individual photos. They say they would get specific permission before publishing photos, whether old yearbook photos or newly submitted photos.
They plan to list, and are looking for, "all alumni" -- including (as we do) those who moved away or left school, "everyone who attended".
The data included are: name, name now (if different), address, telephone, e-mail address, marital status, number of children, occupation. (Each item is optional.)
Some schools repeat the project and publish updated directories every 5 years.
A copy of the letter:
[Levittown Public Schools logo]
Dear Etaoin Shrdlu, [Class of 19]69: It seems many alumni are interested in finding out about former classmates, and would like to see who's married, who's had children -- even just to see who's living right around the corner. So, we're starting a brand new Division Avenue High School Alumni Directory project to help everyone re-connect. This will be the best directory we have ever published and we want to make sure you're included. We're contacting all Division Avenue High School alumni to make certain we have the most up-to-date information for everyone's listing. And we need your help! Please take a moment to call the number listed below to ensure that your listing is complete and accurate. To make sure that your Directory information is accurate, please call 1-800-338-7815. You can update your profile in just a few minutes with a representative of Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company, the official Directory publisher. Harris will then process the information along with other alumni records. Each Directory listing will contain biographical information including home and e-mail address, names of family members, and also business information. Listings will also be cross-referenced by class year and geographic area. The Directory will be a great way to see what fellow classmates have been up to lately and maybe even to get in touch with a few whom you've lost touch with. Please take a few minutes to call in to update your information this week. Your fellow alumni will be glad to find you! Sincerely, Audrey Pullo Your ID#: ____ |
posted 2003.03.25
last edited 2005.04.22
