Dist. 204 adopting social networking guidelines
Teachers and staff in Indian Prairie Unit District 204 won’t be friending students anytime soon, but they can use some social networking tools to enhance instruction and communication under guidelines that will be implemented during the next school year.
“It’s good to see we’re at least setting the guidelines around it to where we’re … embracing it instead of resisting it,” board member Mark Rising said.
Board members were presented with the new guidelines Monday night and recognized social networking can be effective methods of communicating and educating that go beyond other forms of technology already routinely used in the district like email and online programs listing students’ homework and grades. At the same time, district officials want to make sure use is appropriate and students and staff are protected.
Already some teachers and staff use social networking like coaches texting students about practice times and teachers at May Watts Elementary School writing blogs about classroom activities.
Board members hope the new guidelines will spur teachers to do more.
“I’m excited that this will encourage things,” board member Cathy Piehl said, adding she is a fan of the teacher blogs. “I think it is a much more effective way to communicate with a family when you’ve got those kinds of sites that don’t just list when assignments are due.”
Social networking isn’t yet widespread in the district. Many teachers were waiting for official guidelines, said Stan Gorbatkin, director of technology services.
“We feel like we’re doing this at a good time,” he said. “We (don’t) feel like we’re having to rein in something that has gotten out of hand. We’re being proactive.”
Currently teachers and staff using social networking are required to follow guidelines in the district’s Internet policy along with other policies that address issues such as student-teacher contact. The new policy, which will be reviewed annually, is more far-reaching and specifically addresses expectations from parent permission to texting content to personal use of sites by district staff.
Teachers must gain administrative approval before using any form of social networking, blog or other tool that allows for posted comments or for electronic communication. There must be an educational purpose related to instruction and parents must sign permission slips that explain “rationale, curricular connections, and expectations for acceptable use.” Parental permission also must be granted for use of students’ pictures and names.
The policy also addresses content by requiring all communications to pass the “TAPE” test — Transparent, Accessible, Professional and Ethical. That means communications can’t be private; must be part of District 204’s archives; must be professional in word choice, tone and subject matter; and must be free from harassing and intimidating content.
Texting can only be used for group communication in situations involving immediate and time-sensitive information like a game cancellation. In an emergency, an individual student can be texted if other methods of communication aren’t feasible and if another district staff member is included in the text. Parents also must be notified that texting will be used.
Staff members will not be allowed to friend students, use personal email accounts for school matters or participate in online gaming with District 204 students. As for staff members’ personal use of social networking sites, personal blogs or dating services, guidelines call for them to be “professional and responsible.”
Sites won’t be monitored, but inappropriate use brought to the attention of the district will be investigated.