Union Public Schools encourages parents to partner with us to ensure that students are safe and responsible digital citizens. Facebook, Twitter, and other applications can be wonderful tools for enriching our lives and building relationships when used responsibly, but social media can also be a hazardous environment for young people.

The following are issues that can negatively affect our school community:

• A lack of civility and responsibility;
• Mean-spirited behavior and intolerance toward other people and ideas;
• Bullying/cyberbullying;
• The posting of inappropriate/distasteful photos; and
• The spread of rumors and misinformation that can severely disrupt a school’s learning environment.

We respectfully ask for your help in the following ways:

1. Talk with your children about the importance of using social media responsibly. Stress that they can be held responsible for their actions. Many students don’t realize that their remarks, posts, and conduct can result in consequences at school and even have legal ramifications. In addition, social media posts can impact their college admissions and future job opportunities.
2. Make sure they are mindful of what they are sharing on social media to ensure they are protecting themselves. Nothing on social media is truly anonymous!
3. Consider the source. Certainly not everything that you read on social media istrue.
4. Social media is not the place to report safety concerns. If you see or hear something that poses a threat, immediately report factual information to the school during school hours or access our SafeSchools Alert hotline 24 hours a day at www.unionps.org or by calling 918-505-9802.
5. If you need help starting the conversation with your student, you can find useful information at www.Safesmartsocial.com.

We want all of our students to behave responsibly on social media. We appreciate your attention to this important issue.