Social Media- Protocol for Staff

Introduction

‘Social Media’ is the term commonly given to websites and online tools which allow users to interact with each other – by sharing information, opinions, knowledge and interests. Examples include: social networking websites (such as facebook, bebo and MySpace), content sharing websites (such as flicker and YouTube), blogs (inc twitter) Chat facilities (inc MSN), podcasts and message boards.
The growing popularity of social media has opened up new opportunities for communication. The following principles are intended to provide you with a framework to make responsible decisions about the use of these communication tools in relation to your role at St Margaret’s School.
Whether or not you chose to create or participate in any of the media listed in the introduction above is entirely your own decision. However, it is important to be aware that posting information about any matter relating to St Margaret’s school or any other partner agency cannot be isolated from your role as a staff member or volunteer.
Principles
These principles apply to your online participation and set out the standards of behaviour expected as a staff member, volunteer or member of the Governing Body at St Margaret’s school:
• Be responsible; remember that you are an ambassador for our school.
• Be aware that libel, defamation, copyright and data protection laws apply.
• If you are an employee and you are not using sites / tools to support you directly in your job, you should always access the sites / tools in your personal time.
• Do not make personal comments about individual children, parents or colleagues.
• Do not sign up parents or ex-parents as ‘friends’ on social networking sites.
• Identify yourself (name and role) if you discuss or comment on school related matters in a public forum. You must make it clear whether you are speaking for yourself, or on behalf of your organisation with permission.
• Protect your own privacy: never give out personal details like your home address and phone numbers.
• Always remember that participation online results in your comments being permantly available and open to being forwarded on to, or accessed by people that you may not have originally intended to read them. Your comments can be viewed much more widely and more easily than through any other type of media.

For teaching staff please remember that personal and professional conduct is part of the teaching standards.

‘Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school’