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Reaching Spanish-speaking and multilingual families

A school newsletter that reaches only English-speaking families is not reaching all families. It is reaching the ones who were already easy to reach. The articles here address multilingual family communication directly: how to write newsletters that work in both English and Spanish without one language feeling like an afterthought, how to use translation tools without losing meaning, how to communicate with Arabic-speaking, Haitian Creole-speaking, and Vietnamese-speaking families, and how to build trust with families who have been historically underserved by school communication. There are also resources for bilingual program communication in dual-language and two-way immersion schools.

Additive Bilingualism Newsletter: Why Being Bilingual Matters

Write an additive bilingualism newsletter that helps families understand the cognitive and social benefits of bilingualism and how to support language learning at home.

May 4, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Amharic-Speaking Ethiopian Families: What Works and Why

The Ethiopian-American community is growing rapidly in several US cities. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches Amharic-speaking families with the access they need and the respect they deserve.

May 5, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Advocacy Newsletter: Fighting for Language Rights

Write a bilingual advocacy newsletter that mobilizes families and community members to support language programs, policies, and funding at the school and district level.

May 5, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Arts and Culture Program Newsletter: Engaging Multilingual Families in Creative Programs

Arts and culture programs are among the most powerful ways to connect multilingual families to school life. A bilingual arts newsletter bridges the gap between language barriers and creative participation.

May 5, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Assessment Newsletter: Testing in Two Languages

Explain bilingual assessment to families with this practical newsletter guide. Covers what tests measure, how results are interpreted, and what families can expect.

May 5, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Back-to-School Newsletter: Welcoming Multilingual Families at the Start of the Year

How bilingual and multilingual schools can use the back-to-school newsletter to set the tone for family engagement, explain key information in accessible language, and make multilingual families feel genuinely welcomed.

May 5, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Book Club Newsletter: Reading Across Languages

Launch a school bilingual book club with this newsletter template. Includes book selection guidance, discussion prompts, meeting structure, and family engagement tips.

May 6, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Classroom Newsletter Tips: What Actually Works for Multilingual Families

Practical tips for teachers in bilingual and dual-language classrooms on creating newsletters that serve all families, regardless of which language they read first.

May 6, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Classroom Newsletter: Communication in Two Languages

Write a bilingual classroom newsletter that reaches every family in two languages. Templates, structure tips, and content ideas for dual-language teachers.

May 6, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Community Outreach Newsletter: Reaching Multilingual Families Beyond the School Building

How schools can extend their multilingual communication strategy into community spaces, building connections with families who are hard to reach through traditional school communication channels.

May 6, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Education Rights Newsletter: Communicating Family Rights to Multilingual Families

How schools can use newsletters to inform multilingual families of their rights in the educational system, from language access to EL identification, in clear language across language barriers.

May 6, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Emergency Communication: How Schools Should Reach Multilingual Families During Crises

Emergency communication is the most critical test of a school's multilingual communication system. Here is how to build a bilingual emergency notification approach that actually reaches every family when it matters most.

May 6, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual End-of-Year Newsletter: Closing the Year With Multilingual Families

How bilingual and multilingual schools can use the end-of-year newsletter to celebrate student growth, prepare families for the summer, and close the school year in a way that strengthens family connection across language communities.

May 7, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Family Engagement Newsletter: Building Genuine Participation Across Languages

How bilingual and multilingual schools can use newsletters to build authentic family engagement, not just distribute information, across language and cultural barriers.

May 7, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Family Literacy Newsletter: Supporting Reading and Writing Across Languages at Home

How bilingual schools can use newsletters to support family literacy development in both the home language and English, helping multilingual families become active partners in their children's reading growth.

May 7, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Health Communication Newsletter: Reaching Multilingual Families With Health and Safety Information

How schools can use bilingual newsletters to communicate health policies, immunization requirements, illness protocols, and wellness resources to multilingual families in language they can understand and act on.

May 7, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual High School Newsletter: How to Keep Multilingual Families Engaged at the Secondary Level

Multilingual family engagement drops sharply at the high school level when communication complexity increases and language barriers remain. Here is how to design a bilingual high school newsletter that keeps families in the loop.

May 7, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual IEP Communication Newsletter: Supporting Multilingual Families Through the IEP Process

How schools can use newsletters to prepare multilingual families for the IEP process, explain their rights and role, and ensure that language barriers do not prevent families from being active participants in special education decisions.

May 7, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Kindergarten Newsletter: Welcoming Multilingual Families in the First School Year

Kindergarten is when multilingual families form their first impressions of the US school system. A bilingual kindergarten newsletter sets the tone for the relationship with families who speak multiple languages.

May 8, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Math Progress Newsletter: Helping Multilingual Families Support Math Learning

Math is the subject where multilingual families most often feel able to help at home. Here is how a bilingual newsletter can bridge the home-school gap in math support for families who speak different languages.

May 8, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Middle School Newsletter: Bridging the Communication Gap with Multilingual Families

Middle school is when multilingual family engagement most often begins to slip. Here is how to design a bilingual newsletter that keeps multilingual families informed and engaged through the most complex years of schooling.

May 8, 2021·5 min read

Spanish-English Bilingual School Newsletter: A Complete Guide

Everything you need to create a Spanish-English bilingual school newsletter. Layout options, translation workflow, how to maintain quality in both languages, and how to make both language communities feel equally served.

May 8, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Parent Night Newsletter: Inviting Multilingual Families to School Events

How schools can use newsletters to invite multilingual families to parent nights and school events in ways that address language, cultural, and logistical barriers that typically keep these families away.

May 8, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Parent-Teacher Conference Newsletter: How to Prepare Multilingual Families

Parent-teacher conferences are the most important face-to-face school communication of the year. Here is how to prepare multilingual families for a productive conference through a well-designed bilingual newsletter.

May 9, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual PE Teacher Newsletter: Reaching Multilingual Families About Physical Education

Physical education is often the subject multilingual families know least about in school. A bilingual PE newsletter communicates expectations, safety, and student progress in a language families can use.

May 9, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Program Parent Night Newsletter: Come Learn With Us

Use this bilingual program parent night newsletter template to invite families, explain the agenda, and boost attendance at your dual-language information event.

May 9, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Scholarship Newsletter: Financial Aid for Language Learners

Share bilingual scholarship opportunities with families through a clear, organized newsletter. Includes deadlines, eligibility requirements, and application guidance.

May 9, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual School Counselor Newsletter: Connecting Multilingual Families to Mental Health and Social-Emotional Support

How school counselors can use newsletters to communicate social-emotional support services to multilingual families, address cultural barriers to help-seeking, and build connections across language communities.

May 9, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual School Newsletter Guide: Building a Communication System That Reaches Everyone

A practical guide for bilingual program coordinators and teachers on building a newsletter routine that reaches families in their home language without doubling the workload.

May 9, 2021·7 min read

Bilingual Special Education Communication Newsletter: Reaching Families of Students with Disabilities

Families of students with disabilities who speak limited English face a dual barrier to participation. Here is how to ensure special education communication reaches multilingual families with the clarity and completeness the law requires.

May 10, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Summer School Newsletter: Language Learning All Year

Write a bilingual summer school newsletter that keeps families engaged, explains program goals, and gives students language practice to bridge the summer gap.

May 10, 2021·6 min read

Bilingual Testing and Assessment Newsletter: Helping Multilingual Families Navigate Test Season

State testing season generates anxiety in multilingual families who lack the context to understand what tests mean. A bilingual testing newsletter demystifies the process and helps families support their students.

May 10, 2021·5 min read

Bilingual Testing Communication Newsletter: Explaining Assessments to Multilingual Families

How schools can communicate about state tests, English proficiency assessments, and academic assessments to multilingual families in language they actually understand, reducing test anxiety and increasing family support.

May 10, 2021·6 min read

Burmese School Newsletter: Reaching Myanmar Families in Your School Community

Burmese-speaking families in US schools include both recent refugees from Myanmar and established immigrant families. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches these communities effectively.

May 10, 2021·5 min read

Chinese Bilingual Newsletter: Reaching Mandarin and Cantonese-Speaking Families

How schools can write and distribute Chinese-language newsletters that account for Mandarin and Cantonese differences, traditional versus simplified characters, and cultural communication norms.

May 11, 2021·6 min read

Chinese Mandarin Immersion School Newsletter for Families

Write Chinese Mandarin immersion newsletters that serve both Chinese-heritage and non-Chinese families, celebrate Mandarin milestones, and connect to Chinese-speaking culture and community.

May 11, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Chinese-Speaking Families: Mandarin and Cantonese Communication Strategies

Chinese-speaking families are not one audience. Here is how to send school newsletters that actually reach Mandarin and Cantonese communities effectively.

May 11, 2021·7 min read

Code-Switching School Newsletter: Understanding Bilingual Behavior

Explain code-switching to school families with this bilingual newsletter guide. Help parents understand why bilingual children mix languages and what it actually means.

May 11, 2021·6 min read

Community Interpreter Resources Newsletter: How Schools Can Connect Multilingual Families to Interpretation Services

Interpretation services are the backbone of meaningful multilingual family engagement. Here is how to communicate available interpreter resources through your school newsletter so multilingual families actually use them.

May 11, 2021·5 min read

Dual Language Immersion Newsletter: Two Languages One School

Build effective dual language immersion newsletters that communicate program philosophy, student progress in both languages, and how families can support bilingual development at home.

May 11, 2021·6 min read

Dual Language Teacher Newsletter: Communicating With Families in Both Languages

How dual language teachers write newsletters that serve families in both program languages. What to communicate about language development, program milestones, and how to maintain balance between the two language communities.

May 12, 2021·6 min read

Engaging ELL Families Through School Newsletters: What Works

How to use school newsletters to build real engagement with English Language Learner families, the communication strategies that close the gap between school and home.

May 12, 2021·6 min read

English Learner Reclassification Newsletter: Communicating the Process to Families

How schools can use newsletters to explain the English learner reclassification process to multilingual families, prepare them for what reclassification means, and address common concerns about losing support services.

May 12, 2021·6 min read

Farsi and Persian School Newsletter: Reaching Iranian and Persian-Speaking Families

Persian-speaking families in the United States are a highly educated and engaged community. Here is how to build a school newsletter that reaches them effectively in Farsi.

May 12, 2021·5 min read

French Immersion School Newsletter: Bonjour Famille!

Create engaging French immersion school newsletters that communicate program progress in both English and French, celebrate student language milestones, and connect families to Francophone culture.

May 12, 2021·6 min read

German Immersion School Newsletter for Families

Write a German immersion school newsletter that keeps all families informed, supports home language practice, and showcases your dual-language program.

May 12, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Greek-Speaking Families: Reaching Your Greek-American Community

Greek-American communities have deep roots in the US and maintain strong language and cultural traditions. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches Greek-speaking families respectfully and effectively.

May 13, 2021·5 min read

School Newsletter for Haitian Creole-Speaking Families: Communication Strategies for Schools

Haitian Creole-speaking families are often underserved by school communication. Here is how to send newsletters that actually reach this community.

May 13, 2021·7 min read

Haitian Creole School Newsletter Guide: Communication Strategies for Haitian American Families

A practical guide for school communicators on building effective newsletter systems for Haitian American families, covering language resources, cultural context, and trust-building strategies specific to Haitian communities.

May 13, 2021·6 min read

Heritage Language Program Newsletter: Communicating With Heritage Language Families

How schools running heritage language programs can use newsletters to support heritage language development, connect families to the program's mission, and build the cultural community the program serves.

May 13, 2021·6 min read

Heritage Speaker Program Newsletter: Honoring Home Languages

Create a heritage speaker program newsletter that celebrates students' home languages, informs families about program goals, and builds community pride.

May 13, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Hindi-Speaking Families: Reaching Your South Asian Community

Hindi-speaking families in the US often have high education levels but still benefit from school newsletters in their home language. Here is how to build that communication effectively.

May 14, 2021·5 min read

Hmong School Newsletter: Communicating With Hmong American Families

How schools with Hmong American families can build communication systems that work across language, generational, and cultural differences specific to Hmong communities.

May 14, 2021·5 min read

Interpretation Request Newsletter: How to Request a Translator

Help families request school interpretation services with this practical newsletter template. Includes step-by-step process, languages available, and what to expect.

May 14, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Italian-Speaking Families: Communicating with Italian-American and Italian Immigrant Communities

Italian-speaking families in US schools include both long-established Italian-American families maintaining heritage language and more recent Italian immigrants. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches both groups.

May 14, 2021·5 min read

Japanese Immersion School Newsletter for Bilingual Families

Learn how to write a Japanese immersion school newsletter that keeps bilingual families informed, engaged, and connected to their child's language learning.

May 14, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Korean-Speaking Families: How to Reach Your Korean-Speaking Community

Korean-speaking families bring specific cultural expectations and communication preferences to their relationship with schools. Here is how to build a newsletter approach that genuinely connects with your Korean-speaking community.

May 14, 2021·5 min read

Language Brokering and School Newsletters: Why Student Interpreters Are Not a Communication Strategy

Many multilingual families rely on their children to interpret school communication. Here is why that approach falls short and how a bilingual newsletter system solves the problem more fairly and effectively.

May 15, 2021·5 min read

Language Learning Support Newsletter: How Schools Can Help Multilingual Families Understand ELL Services

English language learner services are underused by multilingual families who do not understand what they are or how to access them. Here is how a newsletter can change that.

May 15, 2021·5 min read

Language Minority Rights Newsletter for School Families

Inform families about language minority rights in schools with a clear, practical newsletter. Covers legal protections, translation access, and family advocacy steps.

May 15, 2021·6 min read

Multilingual Classroom Newsletter for Teachers: A Practical Guide to Reaching Every Family

Individual classroom teachers are often the primary communication link for multilingual families. Here is a practical guide for teachers who want to send weekly newsletters that reach every family, regardless of language.

May 15, 2021·5 min read

Multilingual Document Distribution: How Schools Manage Document Translation and Delivery

How schools can build efficient systems for distributing translated documents to multilingual families, ensuring that every family receives important school information in a language they can understand.

May 15, 2021·6 min read

Multilingual Emergency Communication: How Schools Reach All Families During Crises

How schools can build multilingual emergency communication systems that ensure every family, regardless of language, receives timely and accurate information during lockdowns, evacuations, and school crises.

May 16, 2021·6 min read

Multilingual School Newsletter Guide: Reaching Every Family

Build a multilingual school newsletter system that reaches families in 3 or more languages. Practical workflow, translation tips, and tech tools for diverse school communities.

May 16, 2021·6 min read

Multilingual School Climate Newsletter: Communicating Belonging to All Language Communities

How schools can use newsletters to build a school climate where multilingual students and families feel genuinely included, not just tolerated, across language and cultural differences.

May 16, 2021·6 min read

Building a Multilingual School Communication Strategy

How school leaders can build a systematic approach to multilingual family communication, from language inventory to translation workflow to staff training.

May 16, 2021·7 min read

Multilingual School Orientation Newsletter: Preparing Diverse Families for a Successful School Year

School orientation is the first major communication event of the year. Here is how to build a multilingual orientation newsletter that leaves every family, regardless of language, ready to participate.

May 16, 2021·5 min read

Nepali School Newsletter: How to Reach Bhutanese and Nepali-Speaking Families

Nepali-speaking communities in the US include Bhutanese refugee families and Nepali immigrants with different backgrounds and needs. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches both groups effectively.

May 16, 2021·5 min read

Newcomer Family Multilingual Welcome Newsletter: Making New Families Feel at Home from Day One

Families who arrive in a new school speaking a language other than English need more than enrollment paperwork. Here is how to design a multilingual welcome newsletter that genuinely orients newcomer families and sets their child up for success.

May 17, 2021·6 min read

One-Way Immersion Program Newsletter for Families

Communicate effectively with one-way immersion program families through newsletters that explain language progression, home support strategies, and how immersion develops biliteracy.

May 17, 2021·6 min read

Parent Translation Request Newsletter: Communicating the Translation Process to Families

How schools can use newsletters to explain how multilingual families can request document translation and interpretation services, and how to build systems that make language access easy to use.

May 17, 2021·5 min read

School Newsletter for Polish-Speaking Families: Building Communication with Your Polish Community

Polish is one of the largest non-English languages spoken in many northern US cities. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that genuinely reaches Polish-speaking families.

May 17, 2021·5 min read

Portuguese Bilingual Newsletter: Building School Communication for Portuguese-Speaking Families

How schools with Brazilian, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean families can build newsletter communication that serves the diverse Portuguese-speaking community, accounting for dialect differences and cultural context.

May 17, 2021·5 min read

School Newsletter for Portuguese-Speaking Families: Reaching Brazilian and Portuguese Communities

Portuguese-speaking families span Brazilian, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean communities. Here is how to send school newsletters that reach each group effectively.

May 17, 2021·7 min read

Professional Interpreter Newsletter: What Families Should Know About School Interpretation Services

How schools can communicate to multilingual families what professional interpretation services are available, how to request them, and why using trained interpreters protects families in high-stakes school meetings.

May 18, 2021·5 min read

Russian Bilingual Newsletter: School Communication for Russian-Speaking Families

How schools can build Russian-language newsletter communication that serves the diverse communities of Russian speakers in America, from recent immigrants to multi-generational families.

May 18, 2021·5 min read

How to Create a Bilingual School Newsletter Edition

A practical guide to creating bilingual school newsletter editions. Layout strategies, translation workflows, which content to prioritize, and how a bilingual edition increases family engagement across language groups.

May 18, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter Language Access: What Schools Are Required to Provide and How to Do It

Language access in school communication is not just good practice. It is a legal requirement. Here is what schools must provide and how to build a newsletter system that meets the standard.

May 18, 2021·8 min read

Seal of Biliteracy Newsletter: Celebrating Bilingual Achievement

Write a Seal of Biliteracy newsletter that explains the credential, outlines requirements, and celebrates graduating students who earned recognition for bilingual skills.

May 18, 2021·6 min read

Somali School Newsletter: Communicating With Somali American Families

How schools with significant Somali populations can build a newsletter communication system that reaches families across language, literacy, and trust barriers common in refugee communities.

May 19, 2021·6 min read

Spanish Bilingual Newsletter Template: What Works for Spanish-Speaking Families

How bilingual and dual language programs can build a Spanish newsletter template that is culturally grounded, linguistically accurate, and builds genuine family engagement beyond translation.

May 19, 2021·6 min read

Spanish-English School Newsletter: Bilingual Communication Guide

Write a Spanish-English school newsletter that reaches every family. Templates, formatting tips, and content strategies for bilingual school communication that works.

May 19, 2021·6 min read

Spanish Immersion School Newsletter: Communicating in Two Languages

Create compelling Spanish immersion school newsletters that inform families in both English and Spanish, celebrate bilingual progress, and provide home support strategies for Spanish development.

May 19, 2021·6 min read

Spanish-Language School Newsletter Guide: What Works and What to Avoid

A practical guide to writing and producing Spanish-language school newsletters. Translation quality, dialect considerations, tone guidance, and how to build a Spanish-language newsletter that actually reaches and engages families.

May 19, 2021·6 min read

Spanish School Newsletter Templates: Phrases and Structures That Work

Ready-to-use Spanish phrases, section templates, and structural patterns for school newsletters, covering openings, closings, common sections, and tricky terminology.

May 19, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Swahili-Speaking Families: Reaching East African Communities

Swahili is the lingua franca of East Africa and is spoken by communities from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and the DRC in US schools. Here is how to build newsletter communication that reaches these families effectively.

May 20, 2021·5 min read

School Newsletter for Tagalog-Speaking Filipino Families: Communication That Connects

Filipino families are among the most engaged school communities in the country. Here is how to build a school newsletter approach that connects with Tagalog-speaking families on their terms.

May 20, 2021·5 min read

Teacher Newsletter: Explaining Code-Switching to Families

How teachers communicate about code-switching in school newsletters. What code-switching is, why it is a normal and sophisticated bilingual behavior, and how families can understand and support it in their multilingual children.

May 20, 2021·6 min read

Teacher Newsletter: Supporting Heritage Language Development at School

How teachers communicate about heritage language development in school newsletters. What heritage language learners need, how families can support home language maintenance, and why heritage language matters for academic success.

May 20, 2021·6 min read

Teacher Newsletter: What Families Need to Know About Language Immersion

How language immersion teachers communicate with families through newsletters. What immersion programs involve, what the language development timeline looks like, and how families can best support their immersion student at home.

May 20, 2021·6 min read

Teacher Newsletter: Explaining Translanguaging to Families

How teachers communicate about translanguaging in school newsletters. What translanguaging is, how it differs from code-switching, why it is valued in bilingual education, and what families can expect when their children's teachers use it.

May 21, 2021·6 min read

How to Translate School Newsletters Accurately (Without Hiring a Translator Every Week)

A realistic workflow for translating school newsletters into Spanish and other languages, using the right tools, review strategies, and quality checks to get it right consistently.

May 21, 2021·6 min read

School Translation Services Newsletter: Help Is Available

Tell families about available school translation services with this clear newsletter guide. Covers interpretation, document translation, and how to request language support.

May 21, 2021·6 min read

School Newsletter for Turkish-Speaking Families: Connecting with Your Turkish-American Community

Turkish-speaking families represent a growing part of US school communities. Here is how to design a newsletter communication approach that reaches this community effectively.

May 21, 2021·5 min read

Two-Way Immersion Newsletter: Native and Non-Native Speakers Together

Write effective two-way immersion newsletters that address both native and non-native speaker families, bridge language communities, and explain the program's unique cross-cultural benefits.

May 21, 2021·6 min read

Two-Way Immersion Program Newsletter: Communicating With Both Language Communities

How two-way immersion programs can use newsletters to serve both English-speaking and partner-language-speaking families, building community across both groups throughout the school year.

May 21, 2021·6 min read

Ukrainian School Newsletter: Communicating with Newly Arrived Ukrainian Families

Ukrainian families have arrived in US schools in unprecedented numbers since 2022. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches newly arrived Ukrainian families effectively.

May 22, 2021·5 min read

Vietnamese Bilingual Newsletter: Reaching Vietnamese-Speaking Families

How schools can create and distribute Vietnamese-language newsletters that reflect the communication needs of Vietnamese American families and build genuine school-family partnership.

May 22, 2021·5 min read

School Newsletter for Yoruba-Speaking Families: Reaching Nigerian and West African Communities

Yoruba is one of the most widely spoken languages in West Africa and has a significant presence in US schools through Nigerian immigrant and diaspora families. Here is how to build school newsletter communication that reaches Yoruba-speaking families effectively.

May 22, 2021·5 min read

Common questions

How do I send a newsletter in English and Spanish?

Write the English version first, then have it reviewed by a native speaker, not just machine-translated. Google Translate is a starting point, not a finished product. For high-stakes communication (IEP notices, discipline letters, enrollment deadlines), professional translation is worth the cost. For weekly classroom updates, a reviewed machine translation is acceptable.

Do schools have a legal obligation to communicate in languages other than English?

Yes, in many cases. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act requires schools receiving federal funding to provide meaningful access to parents with limited English proficiency. That typically means translated written communication and interpretation for meetings. If 5% or more of your families speak a given language, translation is generally required.

What is the best tool for sending a bilingual school newsletter?

Daystage supports multilingual layouts in a single email. You write both language versions, and families see both in one newsletter. This performs better than sending two separate emails because it signals that both languages are treated equally, not that the Spanish version is an afterthought.