Facebook: 450 and Growing

Back in 2009 when I started this blog, I tried to hone in on the impact that technology has in and around the school system and our students. For the most part I had been thinking about cyber bullying and smart phone uses that well, weren’t all that smart. Recently the reality of the social networking era has taken its impact on our elementary system while those who have worked most intimately with our new problems have remained internet silent….until now.

I have read plenty of articles and scholarly research about the impact of social networks in both the academic environment and in the community. When used appropriately, social networks such as Facebook can be powerful sources of information. They can be places where people share ideas and educate one another about complex and often misunderstood things. These same social networks can also be powerful sources of negativity or even worse, assist in the proliferation of information that is lacking in credibility.

CBS Channel 3 and Channel 22 Springfield newscasters took interest in the fact that more than 450 people joined a Facebook page that focuses on the financial condition of the Orange Elementary Schools. With this, I could not help but to log on and read just about every post from every person since the page was created. I was happy to find people who quickly educated themselves about school funding regulations in our state and shared them with the many readers on the site. Sadly too, I noted some posts that were full of misinformation and unflattering remarks. 

On August 2, 2011 I stood in the Eileen Perkins Media Center at the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School and took question after question from parents and community members until there were no more. The communication in which we engaged was much more authentic than the posts that have filled the aforementioned Facebook page. Questions asked were answered in real time, and without the benefit of asynchronous communication offered by sites such as Facebook - answers were given to moms and dads in a more immediate and genuine fashion.

While school district administrators will not be posting on Facebook anytime soon, you can find us here at Mahar in our new Combined Elementary and Secondary Central Office. Our school’s administrators have been and will continue to respond to your phone calls, your letters, your E-mails, and we are available to meet with you in person too. And, if you are reading this blog – don’t hesitate to post questions here.

The Regionalization of our school districts can be the most transformative educational movement that has taken place in our towns since the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School was built in the 1950’s. This effort can be the axis on which opportunities are built while resources are saved. I hope to be blogging more in the very near future about this topic, and your questions, concerns, or comments will provide me the opportunity to do just that. So please, post away!