41.0 - 41.6 Social Media Policy

Great Plains Technology Center recognizes that access to technology in school gives users greater opportunities to learn, engage, communicate, and develop skills that will prepare them for work, life, and citizenship. We are committed to helping individuals develop 21st-century technology and communication skills.

To that end, we provide access to technologies for student and staff use. This Social Media Policy outlines the guidelines and behaviors that users are expected to follow when using school technologies or when using personally owned devices on the school network.

Lines are easily blurred between personal and professional social media accounts. Great Plains respects and honors an individual’s right to freedom of speech. However, an employee’s social media posts on either a professional or personal account, that disrupts Great Plains’ instructional, or business service delivery is prohibited and may result in disciplinary actions.

A. The network is intended for education/business purposes.
B. All activity over the network or using district technologies may be monitored and retained.
C. Access to online content via the network may be restricted in accordance with our policies and federal regulations, such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
D. Users are expected to follow the same rules for good behavior and respectful conduct online as offline.
E. Misuse of school resources can result in disciplinary action.
F. We make a reasonable effort to ensure users’ safety and security online but will not be held accountable for any harm or damages that result from misuse of school technologies.
G. Users of the network or other technologies shall alert IT staff at helpdesk@greatplains.edu or 351-6710 immediately of any concerns for safety or security.

In conjunction with Great Plains Technology Center’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy, GPTC will grant controlled access to all social media accounts for educational purposes. These requests must be made in writing, with an educational/business purpose identified, and approved by the supervisor and director of information technology.

Once access is granted, the Program teacher/director or business service coordinator is responsible for providing education to users regarding proper use of a school-sponsored account.

All electronic records created with Great Plains Technology Center’s equipment or in association with an official social media account are subject to the Open Records Act. All users should be aware that all GPTC electronic records may be requested, and Great Plains must provide those records according to the laws of the State of Oklahoma. 

Proper use and training include but are not limited to:

A. Providing professional development and user training on the requirements of open records for GPTC, emphasizing that all communication on GPTC servers and sponsored pages are subject to the open records act.
B. Complying with the GPTC Media Style Guide, as developed by the Communications and Marketing department. This guide will establish appropriate cover photos, icons, and graphics, and other style elements for Great Plains Technology Center-sponsored accounts.
C. Maintaining a professional voice in all communications sent via a Great Plains sponsored account.
D. Obtaining media releases from employees, students, and clients who might appear on the account. Blanket release signage may be developed to obtain implied permission to post pictures from public event such as job fairs, trade shows, and other events in which members of the public may participate.
E. Developing and monitoring the sharing of any social media post previously online.
F. Recognizing that disclosing proprietary or personal information about students, clients, or other users of a Great Plains sponsored site, whether in visual, printed, or audio media, without their permission is prohibited on personal and/or professional social media accounts.

All employees are expected to observe and maintain professional boundaries between themselves and students. A violation of professional boundaries will be regarded as a form of misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

The following non-exclusive list of actions will be regarded as a violation of the professional boundaries that employees are expected to maintain with a student:

A. Using email, text messaging, instant messaging, or social-media sites to discuss with a student a matter that does not pertain to school-related activities.
B. Establishing personal relationships and fraternizing with students on social-networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or other social-media sites. Materials that employees post on social networks that are publicly available to those in the school community must reflect that professional image applicable to the employee’s position and not impair the employee’s capacity to maintain the respect of student and parents/guardians or impair the employee’s ability to serve as a role model for our students.

Acceptable use includes: 

A. Appropriate discussions would include the student’s schoolwork, class activity, CareerTech Student Organization, or other school-sponsored activity.
B. Electronic communications with students are to be sent simultaneously to multiple recipients, not just to one student, except where the communication is clearly school-related and inappropriate for other students, or irrelevant for persons other than the individual student to receive (for example, a message about a student’s grades).

Appropriate exceptions are permitted to the foregoing for legitimate health or education purposes and for reasons of familial relationships between employees and their children or other family members who are students.

If you see a message, comment, image, or anything else online that makes you concerned for your personal safety, bring it to the attention of an instructor, supervisor, or IT department at helpdesk@greatplains.edu or 351-6710 immediately. Users should never share confidential, personal, or financial information.

Cyberbullying will not be tolerated. Engaging in cyberbullying or any online activities intended to harm (physically or emotionally) another person, will result in severe disciplinary action and loss of privileges. In some cases, cyberbullying can be a crime. All activities are monitored and retained.

Great Plains Technology Center will not be responsible for damage or harm to persons, files, data, or hardware. While Great Plains Technology Center employs filtering and other safety and security mechanisms, and attempts to ensure their proper function, it makes no guarantees as to their effectiveness. Great Plains Technology Center will not be responsible, financially, or otherwise, for unauthorized transactions conducted over the school network.

Violations of this policy may have disciplinary repercussions, including:

A. Suspension of network, technology, or computer privileges
B. Notification to parents
C. Detention or suspension from school and school-related activities
D. Legal action and/or prosecution

Users of Great Plains sponsored accounts should be aware of the prevalence of recording technology across all populations and conduct themselves accordingly. Access to a Great Plains sponsored account is a privilege which can be revoked and disciplinary action, if necessary, can be taken in accordance with all published Great Plains Technology Center Policies and Procedures and Student Handbooks.