Have you heard the news?
The Los Angeles Unified School District has just hired its first Social Media Director, who will be responsible for updating the district’s Facebook and Twitter feeds, uploading YouTube videos, helping some schools create websites, and more (according to the Daily News).
Here’s what we think:
- This definitely marks a new era in school communications. Schools are recognizing that they need to embrace the technology around them in order to get the results that they want.
- It’s a great idea to use platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and text messaging to improve communication with parents who may not be comfortable speaking English.
- On a similar point, it’s interesting to note that school-based “training for parents” is becoming more widely instituted. We’ve touched upon this trend before, and it seems to be a good example of a great way to help families and school communities. That being said, is this something that could realistically be instituted in a small-school setting, without the (relatively greater) funds and support of a larger school district?
- The use of social media to communicate with parents is a subject that’s still being debated (We’ve covered both the pros and the cons on this blog, in case you’re curious).
- The Los Angeles Unified School District is one of the largest in the country, and all of the social-media using schools mentioned in the article were public. Would it ever be possible for a smaller school to conduct a similar type of program?
Do you think the LAUSD’s decision is an revolutionary new strategy? A waste of money? None of the above? Let us know in the comments!