Social Media Do's & Don'ts
Protecting your Students' Privacy Online
Social Media Use
- Never use students names when posting a photo or video. The only exception is if a HS student has won a scholarship, award, or athletic achievement, then it may be posted with permission.
- Check photos/video carefully for any identifiable student information in the background, such as student work with names on the wall, name tags, jerseys, names on desks, etc. You can use free photo editing apps to blur out personal information.
- Don't "tag" parents in photos - it might be tempting to "tag" the parent of a student in a post to make sure they see the photo of their child. But by doing so, you are possibly identifying that student's name and parents.
- Never identify as student or class as special needs. For example, you can say Mrs. Peterson's class - not Mrs. Peterson's Life Skills class.
- Be aware of students who have "opted-out" and chosen not to have their child's photo posted. Make sure that the substitute teachers and instructional assistants have this information as well.
- Check your privacy settings. Double-check your privacy settings on you r phone and make sure the location setting is off.
- Check before posting. If you have a school social media account, as well as a personal social media account, double-check which account you are posting from.
Don't forget to use #IAMWashington and #hatchetstrong on all your Instagram and Twitter posts!
Social Media Do's & Don'ts for Teachers
Washington Schools Social Media Board Policy
Staff members shall only engage in electronic communication with students via email, texting, social media and/or online networking media, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, Skype, blogs, etc., when such communication is directly related to curricular matters or co-curricular/extracurricular events or activities with prior approval of the principal.
Staff members are prohibited from electronically transmitting any personally identifiable image of a student(s), including video, photographs, streaming video, etc. via email, text message, or through the use of social media and/or online networking media, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, Skype, blogs, etc., unless such transmission has been made as part of a pre-approved curricular matter or co-curricular/extracurricular event or activity such as a school-sponsored publication or production in accordance with Policy 5722.
Protecting Student Data Online
Washington Community Schools
Email: tpeterson@wcs.k12.in.us
Website: www.washingtoncommunityschools.org
Location: 301 East South Street, Washington, IN, USA
Phone: 812 254-5536
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WashCommSchools/
Twitter: @WashCommSchools