Board Meetings

Board of Education District and Community Relations Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 24, 2014, 5:00 PM

Additional Details

District and Community Relations Committee Meeting

AGENDA

 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

5:00 PM

DeLayo Martin Community Room, Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd.NE

Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

I.	Call to Order
A.		Roll Call
B.		Adoption of the June 24, 2014, District and Community Relations Committee Meeting Agenda and the Approval of the May 27, 2014, District and Community Relations Committee Meeting Minutes (Discussion/Action)
II.	Public Forum
III.	Presentation of Social Media Training ('Social Media 101') completed by APS counselors, administrators, many schools and community organizations during 2014 (Discussion) Presenter: Monica Armenta, executive director, Communications, and Maralyn Beck, social media strategist, Communications
IV.	Next District and Community Relations Committee Meeting
A.		Wednesday, July 22, 2014, at 5:00 p.m., at the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex in the DeLayo-Martin Community Room.
V.	Adjournment

 

Minutes of the District and Community Relations Committee Meeting

Board of Education

Albuquerque Public Schools

 

A District and Community Relations Committee meeting of the Board of Education (BOE) of Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) was held Tuesday, June 24, 2014, beginning at 5:00 p.m., in the DeLayo Martin Community Room, Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd. NE.

 

I.          Call to Order 

            The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.

1. A.           Roll Call

Present:  Dr. Analee Maestas (5:05 p.m.), Kathy Korte, Lorenzo Garcia, and Dr. David Peercy (5:08 p.m.); Dr. Donald Duran attended by phone

Absent:  Martin Esquivel and Steven Michael Quezada

1. B.           Adoption of the June 24, 2014, District and Community Relations Committee Meeting Agenda and the Approval of the May 27, 2014, District and Community Relations Committee Meeting Minutes (Discussion/Action)          

Chairwoman Kathy Korte asked for a motion to adopt the agenda and approve the minutes.  Board member Lorenzo Garcia moved for approval; board member Donald Duran seconded the motion; motion carried. 

 

II.         Public Forum

            Mr. Santiago Maestas, on behalf of the Center for Social Sustainable Systems (CESOSS), addressed a request made by APS and the Western Albuquerque Land Holdings for approval of the Santolina Master Plan for development of the West Mesa; such development would threaten the local water supply in the Rio Grande basin.  Chief Operations Officer Ruben Hendrickson will look into it and respond. 

 

III.        Presentation Social Media Training (‘Social Media 101’) completed by APS counselors, administrators, many schools and community organizations during 2014 (Discussion)

Communications Executive Director Monica Armenta introduced Maralyn Beck, social media strategist, Communications, who shared that the APS Communications Office and several other departments convened a school and community task force to draft a social media policy to take to the Board of Education next month.  Social media training was completed for several schools, departments, and community groups in advance of the board discussion on future guidelines and procedural directives for the district.

An overview of the training was provided to the District and Community Relations Committee.  The content of the training provides a snapshot of what the social media environment looks like for APS students, parents, and educators.  Platforms discussed include:  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, KIK, Whisper, and more.  The training provides educators an in-depth understanding of the benefits and challenges that currently face the school district due to living in such a connected world.

The term “social media” refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.

The internet has become a primary source for information and connection.  Social networking is essentially putting one’s information on a public bulletin board for everyone to see.  The user does not pay for social media accounts and, therefore, does not own the information.  The information is retained in “The Cloud” along with the IP address.  Smart phones have the capability of taking a screen shot or copying and pasting, thereby skirting privacy settings.

Digital engagement affords APS the opportunity to role model good social media behavior, utilizing it in a positive way to encourage students and teachers, and to access influential people for reinforcement of positive messages.  Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts allow the district to instantly and directly connect with teachers, parents, and students in a comfortable environment, and in ways that are helpful and informative.

A responsibility for establishing guidelines and accountability comes with this opportunity.  Teaching the nine elements of digital citizenship (etiquette, literacy, access, security, health and wellness, commerce, communications, rights and responsibilities, and law) and bringing awareness of the different social media platforms and how they work are important elements.  Employees should keep in mind that they are representatives of APS.  Common sense should be used to protect privacy and ensure safety of both employees and students.  The following is a check list for social media users:

• Keep social networking profiles clean;
• Have an appropriate profile picture;
• Check privacy settings;
• Remember that you don’t own your information;
• Consider how it may impact your future.

Next steps for APS include:

• Tuesday, July 1:  Social Media Task Force Committee Meeting;
• Monday, July 9:  Release recommended/updated guidelines to student and employee policies and handbook on website for public comment;
• Wednesday, July 24:  Present recommended policy and guidelines (for employees and students) at board meeting.  (The goal is to have the policy and guidelines in place by the next school year.)
• Presentation to principals at the 2014 Administrator’s Conference on Education (ACE)

Board members suggest engaging community groups to help with the education aspect and having leadership committees such as the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SuperSAC) assist with presentations and set an example of how to utilize social media to give encouragement to fellow students.

 

IV.        Next District and Community Relations Committee Meeting

            Chairwoman Korte announced that the next District and Community Relations Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2014, at 5:00 p.m., at the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex in the DeLayo Martin Community Room.

 

V.         Adjournment

            The meeting was adjourned at 6:22­­ p.m.