​Joplin Schools staff are encouraged to work cooperatively with the news media regarding coverage of the district, its operations, its programs and accomplishments. News and special events should be submitted to the communications department so they can help spread your message. Please keep these guidelines in mind:

• If the media calls your school and wants to interview or photograph a student or staff member, please instruct them to contact the communications department. In like manner, communications staff will inform the school if such contact originates with them. All media contact MUST be approved by the director of communications.
• If the topic of interview or photography is sensitive or controversial in nature, parental consent is strongly recommended when students are involved.
• If the topic of interview or photography is associated with a non-school entity (outside corporation, non-profit group, or other non-district organization), parental consent is required when students are involved.

Help promote district news by emailing the Director of Communications Sarah Coyne at any time with your story idea. Every idea has potential! Once we are aware of the event or story, we will take it from there, inviting the appropriate media outlets, writing press releases, and arranging interviews as needed. We know you are busy and we want to make the process as simple as possible so you will share more ideas with us next time!

When the media wants to interview an administrator, principal or staff member, the communications department will always help with preparation. We want you to feel comfortable, relaxed and ready!

Crisis Communications

Joplin Schools utilizes several communication methods to keep parents informed, depending on the nature of the incident and the actions we may need parents to take. These include ParentSquare, website, Facebook, and when needed, the local news media. In order to focus our attention on student safety during an emergency, communications efforts will be coordinated at the district level.

A crisis can be broadly defined. No matter the situation, we want you to be prepared from a communications standpoint. Please take time to review your district and building emergency operations plans on a regular basis.

Media Guidelines During a Crisis

Refer all news inquiries to the communications department. We want you to focus on your students and staff during the emergency. If you are contacted by the media via telephone during the crisis:

• Direct the media to the communications department
• Do not speculate.

The communciations department will work directly with the building administrators on press coverage when outside media is likely to be involved. Written information or statements should only be released after consultation with the Communications Department. 

If you are the designated spokesperson for a school during a crisis:

• Briefly state the known facts of the situation, but do not provide names.
• Do not go into depth, or say more than is required.
• Do not speculate about motives or feelings. If civil authorities are involved, refer questions that require their expertise.
• Review what is being done to respond to the situation. In general terms, identify the support being provided to the students, their families, and staff. Emphasize that the primary goal is to help the students through the situation.
• Let the media know that  the school will try to maintain or quickly return to its normal routine and schedule, based on the response of staff and students.
• Avoid judgment statements or opinions.

Websites

Each Joplin Schools website is a vital communications tool for parents, students, prospective Joplin Schools families, and the community. As such, our goal is to create consistent, comprehensive, informative, and user-friendly websites that will adequately represent the district. 

Most website upkeep and design will be done at the district level by the Communications Department, but other district staff will be granted access to certain pages or sites as needed and approved. In these cases, training will be provided by Communications Department staff for website management. To request training for website management, please contact Heather Pugh.

Social Media

The purpose of Joplin Schools Social Media Guidelines is to ensure the orderly processes by establishing standards for the operation of school district social media accounts.

A School-Sponsored account is a social media account, regardless of platform, that is operated by or on behalf of a school district employee or School Board member, or their designee in his/her professional capacity, or on behalf of a school sponsored organization or group, and that is designed to further the educational mission of the school district by communicating with members of the school district community and the general public.

School Sponsored Social Media Account Guidelines

Managers of approved Joplin Schools social media accounts will abide by the following requirements:

• Account ownership: School-sponsored social media accounts are owned by the school district, and operated by school district employees on behalf of the school district. The Director of Communications will maintain a list of all school-sponsored social media accounts, along with a list of credentials to access all school-sponsored accounts. It is the responsibility of the individual who creates the school-sponsored social media account to request account approval and report the account’s credentials to the Director of Communications.
  • The account will be set up as a business page. No private groups will be approved.
  • Account operators are asked to post content frequently and regularly. Content may be provided by students, but students should not be allowed login or admin rights.
  • Ensure content adheres to Joplin Schools privacy, FERPA, CIPA, COPPA, copyright, trademark, AUP, HIPAA, and other legal guidelines.
• Public comments: All school-sponsored social media accounts operate as a limited public forum, where the public may comment publicly on the posts – subject to certain guidelines. 
  • Account operators must have the profanity filter set to “Strong” on Facebook and Instagram and hide any inappropriate comments. Postings and comments of an inappropriate nature or containing information unrelated to official or district business must be reported and/or deleted promptly.
  • Operating as a limited public forum, school-sponsored social media accounts are moderated and all comments are subject to review by Joplin Schools moderators. All Joplin Schools social media accounts shall include a prominent link to the district’s Social Media Commenting Guidelines. While comments will not be edited or screened for viewpoint, Joplin Schools reserves the right to remove any comment that violates the Guidelines.
  • Account operators should encourage positive feedback, but remain aware that we do not have the ability to control public comments that comply with the Guidelines. 

• District Posting Standards: School-sponsored social media accounts must remain professional, and consistent with the educational mission of the school district at all times. The operators of school-sponsored social media accounts are responsible for ensuring that content is accurate and stays current. Postings should be fact-checked and spell checked.
  • School-sponsored social media account operators may post photographs, videos, and live streams of students engaged in the educational process or at school-related events unless the student’s parents/guardians have opted out of the district’s media release form. The operators of school-sponsored social media accounts are responsible for complying with this provision.
  • Respond to inquiries and messages in a timely manner.
  • Never denigrate outside organizations, groups, or public or private school districts or their students, staff, or families. 
  • Immediately refer all media-related requests to the Director of Communications.
  • Do not post content that will harm the reputation of Joplin Schools, its employees, or students; personal comments on district legal matters or posts on controversial subjects, false or speculative information or offensive remarks.

Internal Communications

The Communications Department aims to share updates, celebrations, reminders, and information with staff in a timely manner. Please be sure you are registered for ParentSquare, and have your email settings arranged so that District Chat emails are not filtered out. ParentSquare and District Chat will be the district’s first-line methods for urgent communications.

Because school staff members are often our community’s most trusted sources for reliable and accurate information about what is happening in our schools, our goal is to ensure staff members have access to the district’s most up-to-date facts. As such, we intend to share important news with staff members first, before informing local media or sharing on social media networks. We ask that staff uphold the same intention, by informing the Communications Department of important events or celebrations to receive approval for publication so we can share your good news with the whole district when appropriate.

Internal Stakeholders include Board of Education members, Superintendent’s Leadership Council, certified staff, support staff, substitute teachers.

District Chat vs. Trading Post Emails

District Chat: Joplin Schools provides an internal email group called DistrictChat in order for staff members to share broad information that is relevant to most, if not all, district staff members. Emails sent to the DistrictChat email address are monitored for approval by the Communications Department and the Technology Department. All staff members are automatically enrolled in the District Chat email group.

District Chat emails SHOULD be reserved for the following Joplin Schools staff communications:

• District-wide celebrations or reminders;
• Weather notices from an administrator;
• Emergency notifications or school closing information from an administrator;
• District-wide information, such as district newsletters, curriculum updates, policy updates, Board of Education updates;
• District-wide support opportunities, such as free professional development opportunities, resources for student support, etc.;
• Fundraisers that benefit a district building or program as a whole.

District Chat should NOT be used for:

• Promoting events that are not affiliated with Joplin Schools;
• Sharing flyers for outside organizations;
• Buying and selling of products or services;
• Solicitation or advertising of any kind (which is a violation of Board Policy KI)

Trading Post: Joplin Schools also provides an internal buy/sell email group called Trading Post. Trading Post membership is optional, and must be requested by contacting your building tech.

Trading Post emails SHOULD be used for the following Joplin Schools staff communications:

• Seeking to buy or sell a particular item;
• Hosting a garage sale;
• Event notifications that are not affiliated with Joplin Schools;
• Fundraisers that benefit your child/family/church/other outside organization;

Trading Post emails should NOT be used for:

• Selling or offering business products or services, including but not limited to babysitting, lawn care, dog breeding, Real Estate representation, multi-level marketing opportunities, etc.

External Communications

As our area’s largest provider of public education, Joplin Schools recognizes the vital importance of sharing information with students, parents, and community members to ensure an accurate understanding of our purposes, successes, and processes. We want our community to feel involved and engaged in their public schools, exhibit pride and trust in the district, and support Joplin Schools students, staff, and schools. 

To reach these goals, several communication channels are used:

• Local news media (print and broadcast)
• Social media (primarily Facebook and Instagram)
• ParentSquare posts
• School and District Websites
• Newsletters (district, school, and classroom level)
• JETHD YouTube
• Community Bulletin Board
• Key Communicators email group
• Board of Education meetings
• Community Partner (Site Council) meetings
• Superintendent’s Focus Groups
• Civic organization presentations
• District Annual Report print mailing
• Strategic marketing opportunities