The West Central School Board has finalized some new guidelines for school employees’ use of social media. The new policy outlines a few items for staff to consider when using social media, according to Superintendent Don Street. “Any references to West Central should be made only in a professional manner,” he says. “Exercise good judgment in online conduct. Making decisions and comments as it relates to other professional staff, and making sure it’s done in a professional manner, and maintain a strict segregation of personal and school-related accounts.”
Street says any social media communication with students must be kept professional. School employees are also encouraged to review the privacy settings on their social media accounts.
The social media policy was one of four policy revisions approved by the West Central School Board Thursday. Also included on that list was an employee arrest policy. “Other corporations have adopted a similar policy to this, and it’s basically if someone is arrested, either taken into custody or not, that they are required to report that to the superintendent or designee,” Street explains, “and it’s just making sure that the school corporation is made aware of these situations that might arise with employees.”
The other two policies had to do with the school corporation’s use of electronic monitoring equipment on its property and the school board’s ability to seek professional services for projects.
