Newsroom

District Social Media Guidelines

The School District of Altoona and school social media accounts provide a family friendly open forum, focused on celebrating and supporting our schools, students, and staff. As such,  please express your thoughts courteously. In addition to keeping it family friendly, we ask that you follow our posting guidelines. If you do not comply, your message will be removed from public viewing:

--We do not allow graphic, obscene, explicit, political or racial comments or submissions, nor do we allow comments that are abusive, hateful, or intended to defame anyone or any organization. 

--We do not allow solicitations or advertisements. This includes promotion or endorsement of any financial, commercial, or non-governmental agency. Similarly, we do not allow attempts to defame or defraud any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency. 

--We do not allow comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity. 

--As a form of government, all comments are considered public comment and therefore retained and archived.

--You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username, and any information provided. 

--Appearance of external links do not constitute official endorsement on behalf of the School District of Altoona nor do they represent our views.

--We reserve the right to delete comments or topics and ban users as needed. Please be aware that all Facebook content and posts are bound by Facebook’s Terms of Use.

 
District Staff:
The School District of Altoona realizes that adapting to the changing methods of communication is part of 21st century learning.  As such, it is important that teachers, students and parents engage, collaborate, learn and share in these digital environments as part of of 21st century learning.  To this aim, the Altoona School District has developed the following guideline to provide direction for instructional employees, and the school district community when participating in online social media activities. Whether or not an employee chooses to participate in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is his or her own decision. Free speech protects educators who want to participate in social media, but the laws and courts have ruled that schools can discipline teachers if their speech, including online postings, disrupt school operations. 
 
The School District of Altoona social media guidelines encourage employees to participate in online social activities. But in doing so, it is important  to create an atmosphere of trust and individual accountability, keeping in mind that information produced by Altoona School District teachers is a reflection on the entire district and is subject to the district's Acceptable Use Policy and Policy 522.71 - Electronic Media & Social Media.  By accessing, creating or contributing to any blogs, wikis, or other social media for classroom or district use, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Please read them carefully before posting or commenting on any blog or creating any classroom blog, wiki and/or podcast.