IIBGC: Staff Online Activities

Employees are encouraged to use district electronic mail and other district technology and resources to promote student learning and to communicate with parents of students and education-related entities. If those resources are used, they shall be used for purposes directly related to work-related activities. Technology-based materials, activities, and communication tools utilized by employees with students shall be used in accordance with law and appropriate for and within the range of the knowledge, understanding, age, and maturity of students with whom they are used.

District employees, including, but not limited to, administrators, classroom teachers, and extracurricular and co-curricular activity coaches and sponsors, may set up social media accounts using district technological resources and following district policy and procedures to promote and enhance communications with students, parents, and the community concerning school-related programs and activities as well as for the purpose of supplementing classroom instruction. Social media sites and other online communication options offering instructional benefits may be used for the purpose of supplementing classroom instruction and to promote communications with students and parents concerning school-related activities, as allowed by law and this policy.

In order for district employees to utilize a social media platform for instructional, administrative, or other work-related communication purposes, they shall comply with the following:

1. They shall request permission from the superintendent or the superintendent's designee(s) prior to setting up or using any social media platform.
2. If permission is granted, staff members will set the platform up following any district policy, administrative procedures, and directives. This shall include, but may not be limited to, limiting the employee to using only board approved social media platforms for official school purposes and giving administrative access and editing rights to designated district or school officials.
3. If the expenditure of district funds is required to complete the set-up or maintenance of the platform, the requesting staff member shall present an itemized summary of such costs to the superintendent for appropriate approval.
4. Once the platform is in use, the sponsoring staff member is responsible for the following
   1. Monitoring and managing the platform to promote safe and acceptable use and compliance with district policies, administrative guidelines and directives, and applicable law; and
   2. Observing confidentiality restrictions concerning release of personally identifiable student information under state and federal law.

Prohibitions Regarding Social Media Platforms

No employee of the district shall privately or directly communicate with any student through a social media platform, except as expressly permitted under this policy. This prohibition applies regardless of whether communication occurs during or outside the school day.

No employee shall require a student to use a social media platform for any assignment or extracurricular activity.

Definitions

For purposes of this policy, a "social media platform" is any online website or application that permits a person to become a registered user, create an account or profile for the primary purpose of creating, sharing, or interacting with user-generated content that is publicly viewable. "Social media platform" includes, but is not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (Twitter). "Social media platform" does not include:

• Any online website or application whose primary purpose is educational;
• Any platform approved by the board if such platform:
  • Is owned, licensed, or contractually controlled by the school district;
  • allows for required user accounts;
  • allows communications to be monitored, archived, retained, or audited in compliance with policy or law;
  • is accessible to parents or guardians; and
  • used by employees in accordance with policy;
• email;
• private messaging services, including one-to-one or group messages, where communication is limited to specifically identified recipients and is not publicly viewable; and
• any online product or service that does not have school-specific features or identifiers and the predominant purpose is to post educational materials, news, resources and user comments, or other interactive functionality that is incidental to such predominant purpose.

For purposes of this policy, "official school purposes" means the broadcasting or posting of public, one-way communications that pertain to school functions, activities, or events. "Official school purposes" does not include private communications, direct communications, or two-way communications with any student.

Uses of Social Media Platforms

The board may approve specific social media platforms for employee use for official school purposes, and employees are expected to utilize only board approved social media platforms in the performance of any district related work responsibilities, including the posting of information on behalf of district programs, clubs, and activities.

Board-approved social media platforms may be used by employees only for the following purposes:

• Posting or broadcasting one-way, public communications; and
• Sharing general information related to school programs, activities, or events.

Employees shall not use social media platforms for any form of two-way interaction with students, including but not limited to:

• Private or direct messaging;
• comment-based conversations; or
• other two-way exchange of individualized messages with a student.

Other Online Platforms

Employees may communicate with students through district approved platforms that are not classified as social media platforms, provided such use complies with board policy and applicable law. These platforms may include:

• District email accounts;
• district learning management systems; and
• board approved messaging, notification, or collaboration platforms.

All board approved platforms must allow for appropriate administrative supervision, monitoring, and record retention.

Training and Compliance

The superintendent or designee shall provide training to employees regarding acceptable social media platform communication practices as necessary for implementation of new requirements and then periodically thereafter.

Disciplinary Actions

While not in direct violation of applicable law or this policy, staff members are strongly discouraged from creating personal social media accounts with which they connect with current or future students. Employees taking such action do so at their own risk. All employees shall be subject to disciplinary action if their conduct relating to use of technology, social media, or online resources violates board policy or administrative procedures or directives; Kansas law regarding social media platform use by school employees; statutory or regulatory provisions governing employee conduct or the protection of student record information; or if it impairs the staff member's job performance or effectiveness in the work setting. District staff shall endeavor to protect the health, safety, and emotional well-being of students and confidentiality of student record information both in the school setting and in their online actions. Conduct in violation of this policy, including, but not limited to, conduct relating to the use of technology, any social media, or online resources, may form the basis for disciplinary action up to and including termination from employment.