Last year, the School Board approved several changes to ACPS policies regarding staff/student interactions. These policies impact online and classroom settings. Please take the time to make sure you are aware of the policy changes below.
Policy GAC: Employee Use of Social Media
Describes responsible and safe use of online social media technologies.
What to Know:
- Employees who utilize social media with students or in fulfilling ACPS responsibilities must disclose this annually on the ACPS Social Media Registry
- Social media use for classroom instruction or school-sponsored activities/groups must be pre-approved by the division.
- What governs appropriate conduct in the classroom applies online.
- Supervisors must have access to site passwords and content.
- No personally identifiable student information/images posted without appropriate consent. Find out how to check student photo and media permissions.
- No professional accounts/resources may be used in the political process.
Read the related regulation, GAC-R: ACPS Social Media Regulations.
Prohibits sexual harassment of a student or personnel, as well as any harassment based on:
- Race
- National origin
- Disability
- Religion
- Gender
- Gender Identity
- Gender Expression
- Sexual Orientation
Training to prevent harassment should be included in employee orientations, in-service training and student orientations.
What to Know:
This policy must:
- Be posted in prominent areas of each building in a location accessible to students, parents and school personnel
- Be included in the Employee & Student Handbook
- Be sent to parents of all students within the first 30 school days.
Read the related regulation, GB-R/GBA-R/JFHA-R: Procedures for Investigating Complaints of Discrimination and Harassment.
Policy GBAA/JHA: Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse
Requires personal contact between adults and students to be nonsexual, appropriate to the circumstances, and unambiguous in meaning. Adults should avoid the appearance of impropriety in their in-person and electronic interactions with students.
What to Know:
Sexual misconduct and abuse of students is prohibited and includes:
- Dating
- Making sexual advances
- Seeking romantic/sexual relationships
- Having conversations of a sexual nature not related to professional responsibilities
- Sexual contact
Adults must restrict one-on-one, electronic communications with individual students to ACPS accounts, systems and platforms.
Policy GBG/KE: Staff Participation in Political Activities and School Board Election Campaigns
Prohibits school time and school property from being used for partisan political purposes.
What to Know:
- Employees may not use ACPS resources to support/oppose a political candidate.
- Employees may not suggest that ACPS supports/opposes any political candidate.
- Employees may not distribute campaign material to students during school hours, unless in furtherance of curriculum objectives.
If you have questions about these policies, contact:
Chief Human Resources Officer (re: harassment, misconduct & political activities) at 703-619-8168, or the Chief Technology Officer (re: social media use) at elizabeth.hoover@acps.k12.va.us or call 703-619-8005.