Montville schools make news with social media

Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried sent home a letter on Monday, January 5, 2015 encouraging parents, students, teachers, staff and the community to FOLLOW the Montville Township Public Schools on Twitter and LIKE them on Facebook.

The on-line platforms are designed to help keep parents, teachers, students and the community updated on the many events and accomplishments that take place daily in Montville Township’s seven public schools.

“Communication is a district priority,” said Fried. “Revising and improving communication is an on-going process. We are committed to investigating new, better and additional ways to bring you information.”

For this reason, the district began testing Facebook and Twitter accounts last spring. The reaction from the community to the Montville Township Public Schools’ social media sites has been very positive. To date the district’s Twitter, @MontvilleTwpSch and Facebook, Montville Township Public Schools, accounts, have acquired 235 and 576 FOLLOWERS respectively. Montville Township High School has also launched a Twitter feed, @MustangsMTHS, which has 443 FOLLOWERS.

“Since January, 2014, more than 500 news items about Montville Township Public Schools have appeared in newspapers and other news outlets,” said District Communications Officer, Susan Marinello. “Countless more awards, accomplishments and achievements for students, teachers, and teams have been noted throughout our website, Montville.net. We post news and links to articles daily on Twitter and Facebook.”

In addition to accomplishments, the district’s Facebook and Twitter accounts also announce upcoming events, information sessions, college prep info, and schedules.

“There are many great things happening in education every day in Montville Township Public Schools,” Marinello added. “Things that parents, grandparents, colleagues, and alumni enjoy learning about.”

Traffic across the social media sites is growing steadily each week.

“Montville is a community of well over 21,000 people,” explained Marinello when asked what the district’s goals for the initiative are. “Almost 4,000 students attend the district’s seven public schools. One or two thousand members of the community FOLLOWING Montville Township Public Schools would be a great. It would be great for the schools and great for the community.”

In launching the social media sites, the district also encourages all who FOLLOW or LIKE them to remember just one important Tip from Twitter: “You are what you Tweet!”

In his letter to families and staff Dr. Fried said, “What you say on social media is viewed around the world instantly. Regardless of the platform (Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, or websites), students and others are reminded that the district’s internet usage policies for appropriate language and content apply to the above initiatives. In establishing these initiatives, it is our goal to provide the community with a source of on-going information, as well as a platform for the community to share information about events, achievements and accomplishments. These sites are intended for general information. We are very excited to offer these new opportunities and trust everyone will be respectful of these tools, the Montville Township community, each other, and the Montville Township Public Schools.”

The community is also encouraged to help the district get news out to more people. This goal can be achieved if FOLLOWERS take the time to RETWEET or SHARE items that they FAVORITE or LIKE.