Dolan Provides Bullying, Facebook Status Updates

With a deadline approaching for her annual review, Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan briefed members on her progress to fulfilling during a meeting Tuesday evening.

Dolan informed members she had met goals to produce more anti-bullying programs and communication programs, including social media. The BOE set the two goals, drawing from the recently passed , during a meeting in January. Dolan needed to complete the goals by the end of April for her annual review, which is typically conducted after the annual school election, which will occur next week. Tuesday was the last BOE meeting before the election.

In the area of communication, Dolan said her staff has developed a prototype for the district’s planned Facebook fan page. The BOE identified the Facebook page as an important component of the district’s communication plan during the January goal setting meeting. In addition, Dolan said she has developed a prototype for a Twitter policy for the school system. Dolan did not discuss details of the two plans, which are due to be considered by the BOE’s policy committee during a meeting next week.

“We are trying to take advantage of changes in technology,” Dolan said.

Last month, Dolan that among the areas related to social media policy she was exploring included privacy settings for users and protection of students. During past board meetings, BOE members had expressed concern that the board could use the fan page to take data from users. Dolan said in March that she was talking to other school districts with a Facebook page, including Princeton, along with representatives of the New Jersey School Boards Association.

Dolan touted several other public relations initiatives the school system has undertaken this year, including the “Focus on Education” program produced by the school system and aired during the district’s dedicated portion of TV-36. The programs, hosted by Dolan and board members, and featuring district staff, have included presentations on athletics, guidance, the arts, extracurricular activities and technology. Dolan also said the public relations activities have included placing several videos on the school system’s homepage, including one on the proposed school budget, along with two of the television programs and a presentation on student nutrition and stress.

BOE member Gary McCready, who was attending his last meeting, indicated that he would like to see the system include video of selected portions of BOE meetings on the website. He said this would include the presentations the board makes during meetings. He also said he would like to see the award presentation videos aired on the website along with TV-36.

Dolan addressed the awards ceremonies, saying it would need to be explored due to privacy concerns parents may have with the video being aired on TV-36 and the website.

In the area of bullying prevention, Dolan reviewed a series of presentations made to parents and students, along with staff education activities over the course of the year. These included several community programs, including the presentations, the and the November speech by the father of teenager who after being cyberbullied.

Community Presentations on Bullying and Wellness

Dolan connected her two goals together, saying that the district has made a priority to air the various presentations on TV-36.

“It was an area where we worked to get the information out,” she said.

Dolan said that district administrators had three training sessions on bullying prevention and student wellness, starting in July, with faculty receiving training at after school meetings and in-service days. She said this included a review of district policies and instruction in recent research on the subject. She indicated that 58 district staffers attended conferences on bullying prevention research.

Dolan said the district has also incorporated character education research into other areas of the curriculum, including lessons on language arts, science and social studies.

Board members expressed support for Dolan’s work in both areas of the plan, noting that she had followed district plans in developing programs.

“It touched on all parts of the mission statement,” BOE President Julia Walker said.