Administrative Procedure 146

RESPONSIBLE USE OF ELECTRONIC SOCIAL MEDIA

Background

The School recognizes that the use of electronic social media is a viable means to enhance learning. The School supports the use of electronic social media to interact knowledgeably and responsibly for this stated purpose. This procedure applies to all students, staff, and School Council representatives.

Definition

Electronic social media refers to electronic access to and use of blogs, personal websites,RSS feeds, postings on wikis and other interactive sites, such as, but not limited to: Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, Twitter, Instant Messaging, and postings on video or picture-sharing sites and elsewhere on the Internet.

Procedures

1. Interactions Representing the School
1.1 Unless given written permission from the Principal, a user is not authorized to use electronic social media sites to represent the School or the School Council executive.
1.2 In cases where a user has sought permission to represent the School or School Council, the user must identify themselves by name and as an employee (staff member) of the School or the School Council executive.
1.2.1 The signature “Valhalla Community School” and/or the logo needs to appear in the banner for blogs, etc., or in the profile page for social media sites like Twitter.
1.2.2 Access and permission to use the logo can be granted by contacting the Principal.
1.2.3 The School logo shall not be used without first obtaining written permission from the Principal.
1.3 Any use of electronic media by a user must be consistent with the duty of loyalty each user owes to the School and must not transgress any law or civil duty of care owed to the School or any other person. Breach of this requirement will be considered to be conduct that is subject to action by the Principal and the Principal will take such action as warranted.
2. Respect, Privacy, and Confidential Information
2.1 Users will not disclose confidential student information, images, or confidential school, department, or personnel records without first obtaining written consent from the Principal and the parent(s) for students under the age of eighteen (18) who are not independent students, as defined in the Education Act.
2.2 Users will not use electronic social media sites to be defamatory or harassing towards any person and will not espouse or support any position or opinion or statement that is contrary to Charter Board policies and School administrative procedures.
2.3 Users will not engage electronically in behaviour or comments that would reflect negatively on the School’s reputation or the reputation of any person employed with or holding elected office with the Charter Board.
2.4 Users may be disciplined if their social media comments and postings, whether personal or School related, are not in compliance with this procedure or any other Charter Board policies or administrative procedures.
2.5 Users participating in social media activities shall respect copyright laws, not only in relation to the content produced on the social media sites, but also in relation to the software that enables them to operate.
2.6 Users participating in electronic social media activities acknowledge that all information posted to sites is subject
to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) and/ or Protection of
Personal Information Act (PIPA) if that information falls within the sphere of information protected by and
governed by FOIP or PIPA.
3. Staff-Student Online Correspondence
3.1 Online correspondence between staff and students must be related to course work, or school sanctioned
clubs/activities. Social media conversations between a staff member and a parent are subject to the provisions
of this administrative Procedure.
3.2 The Principal must approve school-based electronic social media groups that will be supervised and monitored
by a teacher from the School.
3.3 The Principal will ensure that all school-sanctioned electronic social media groups have at least two (2)
individuals with administrative privileges.
3.4 The Principal will inform staff members participating in school-created electronic social media groups with
students that the ethical standards for the teaching profession apply at all times, whether in a traditional school
environment or an online environment.
3.5 School staff shall not initiate or accept electronic “friend” invitations from students unless the networking is part
of an existing school course or school club structure and at least one (1) other staff member has administrative
access to the electronic social media group.
4. Social Media Accounts
4.1 The School, School Council, or individual staff wanting to create a social media account on behalf of the
school/School Council/fundraising arm of the School Council must request that a social media page be
established under the School’s corporate account.
4.2 All accounts can be set up through a formal written request to the Principal. As a condition of such pages, the
Principal must be one (1) of the two (2) administrators of the account, who holds the responsibility to manage the
page, including removing defamatory or inappropriate remarks.

References: Section 25, 26, 31, 33, 52, 53, 68, 196, 197, 222, 225
Education Act Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Act Personal Information Protection Act
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Canadian Criminal Code
Copyright Act