Communications

The MRSD Communications Handbook is provided to help Monomoy administrators, staff, and teachers find the information and guidelines they need regarding communication with families, document and graphics preparation, social media, branding, media relations, and more. For any general questions about the district’s communications, please contact Community Engagement Coordinator Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu. 

MRSD uses the Finalsite platform for our website. There is a main district site, as well as a site for each school. Administrators and department heads have the ability to edit and update their sections/pages. Training will be provided as needed. Please send all requests for updates, training needs, or questions about the website to Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu.  In order to maintain consistency, oversight, and conform to best practices, it’s important that all school information be hosted on the official MRSD website, and not on outside website providers (such as Google sites, Wix, etc.).

MRSD uses the Blackboard Communications MassNotifications system to communicate with families. This program is integrated with the MRSD website and syncs its contact data from Aspen. Blackboard MassNotifications allows users to send messages to families via email, phone, text, the Monomoy app, and social media. 

• When using our MassNotifications system, standard messages to families should always be sent both via email and the Monomoy app. It’s also good practice to send a text/SMS that families should look for the message in their email or app. Email messages often get caught in spam, and these steps help ensure that all families get the communications and information they need. Sample language for the text/SMS: Please check your email or the Monomoy app for a message from ____/a message about ____. Since all MRSD text messages are sent via the same number, please include the school in your text so that families with multiple students are clear on which building the message is from. It can also be helpful to include a link in your test if sending a newsletter, sign-up form, or other online asset.
• Individual judgment will determine the other methods used -- i.e., it’s wise to reserve robo-calls only for urgent or time-sensitive messages.
• It's also a good idea to cc yourself on messages so that you have a copy for your records.
• In general, do not use Blackboard’s functionality to post to Facebook, Twitter, or website, unless it is a true emergency (except for buildings/departments that have their own Twitter accounts). Similarly, do not use the Alert function unless it is a true emergency.
• When sending messages, be sure to use the Languages function in Blackboard Communications to enable recipients to read the message translated into their preferred language. This is a very important step to ensure equitable access for all families.
• Avoid using PDFs as the primary means of sharing information, as they are not translatable, mobile-friendly, or accessible. All information should be in the body of the email, or linked to our website or a Smore newsletter for more lengthy information.
• If you often have an administrative assistant or other staffer send messages on your behalf, it's generally wise to use the Sign In As feature so the messages come from you, as principal or administrator. The other option is sending the message from the School Contact account for your building.
• Joy Jordan is able to send messages on anyone’s behalf, if needed.
• Holly Thyng handles all contact data listed in Blackboard since it directly syncs with Aspen - if you have questions about recipient data sets or groups, please contact her at hthyng@monomoy.edu.
   

MRSD uses Smore, an online tool used to send email newsletters with drag and drop templates, which is integrated into Blackboard Communications.

Each school should plan to send one email newsletter per week during the regular school year. Links to all newsletters will be posted on that school’s website under News. If a building has a social media account, it is recommended that you share a copy of your email newsletter there.

The Monomoy app is a free tool to help users connect with MRSD and our schools. The app features news updates, messages, calendars, directory information, and more. It can be downloaded from the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.

We love having photos and videos of students and being able to share those with our families and community! If you take photos or videos of school events, field trips, activities, daily classroom life, sporting events, special projects, and more, please send to Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu to add to the MRSD Photo Library. These photos may be used on social media, on our website, and in internal publications.

If you are looking for photos from a past event or activity, please contact Joy and she can search through the MRSD Photo Library. 

When it comes to photos of students, please ensure that classroom teachers and front office staff are aware of the students who are on the No Photo list. Ideally, those taking photos will be mindful of that and simply avoid including them in photos, as that’s the safest and easiest way to ensure that photos of those students aren’t shared. To find out the media/photo release status for individual students, locate the student in Aspen and check the Alerts column.
 

In order to better reach all stakeholders and share district and school news, events, and announcements, MRSD has an official presence on the following platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn. There is a Twitter/X account, however the decision has been made to discontinue participation in that platform district-wide.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monomoyregion/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monomoyschools/

• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@monomoyschools

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/monomoy-regional-school-district 

There are also other affiliated or independent social media accounts, operated by principals, parent groups, teachers, clubs, sports teams, and more. 

NOTE: In order to better understand the various associated social media accounts in use, employees, coaches, club advisors, and/or student representatives who have created or want to create a social media account to represent Monomoy Regional School District as part of their role should complete the form linked here. This includes accounts for classes, teams, clubs, grade levels, etc., but not personal profile accounts. If you have any questions, please email Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu.

If you have photos, events, projects, or other information you would like shared on social media, please forward to Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu for consideration with a brief sentence identifying the content/event/etc.

Best practices: See more information here on best practices for managing a school-related social media account.

Excerpted from MRSD Staff Handbook
The lines between public and private, personal and professional are blurred in the digital world. Staff should be aware that private postings intended for just friends are potentially seen by others in the district including parents and community members. Ultimately, staff are responsible for adhering to the School Committee’s policy on Staff Conduct (file: GBEB). All staff “will conduct themselves in a manner that not only reflects credit to the school systems but also sets forth a model worthy of emulation by students.”

Staff Guidelines:
When contributing online, do not post confidential student information. Teachers serve as online moderators when content is contributed by students in the course of an assignment. No addresses or phone numbers should appear on school-based social media. When uploading digital pictures or avatars that represent yourself, make sure you select an appropriate image. Images reflect on your professionalism.

All communication between staff and students should be on a professional basis. Extracurricular advisors and/or coaches wishing to establish a social media platform must do so by using a Monomoy Regional School District email address. In such cases, the password will be provided to the district in a manner it prescribes. All contact and messages by extracurricular advisors and/or coaches with group/team members shall be sent to more than one member (i.e., captains, officers), except messages concerning medical or academic privacy matters, in which case the messages will be copied to the school principal and/or the athletic director. Before posting photos and videos, parental authorization must be obtained. Authorization to utilize a colleague's image must also be obtained.
 

When you have a document or flyer that you would like to send out to families -- whether to promote a special event in your building, share an announcement or reminder, or provide other information -- please remember to include the following:

• The title of the event/item
• Include the Who, What, Where, When, and Why
• Be sure to indicate which school is sending out the information
• Remember to address questions parents and caregivers might have: What do I do to sign up? Who do I contact with a question?
• Also, keep in mind whether your document is for physical distribution, electronic distribution, or both. Most flyers and notifications are sent electronically. 
• Only use QR codes for posters or flyers that will be printed. For any flyers that will be shared electronically, be sure to include the direct link to registration or more information.  QR codes are difficult to access from a mobile phone or computer and are suited only for printed materials. 

When scheduling an event, please check the MRSD calendar on the website to avoid any potential conflicts (keeping in mind that many families have students in multiple buildings). It’s also best practice to avoid scheduling school events that will conflict with School Committee meetings.

For assistance in designing, creating, and/or distributing flyers to families, or in coordinating school events, contact Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu.

Outside Flyer Distribution Requests
As a reminder, if an outside group or organization would like to distribute materials to your students or post information in your building, they should be directed to Joy Jordan in Central Office to obtain approval for their request. 
 

If you or someone in your building would like coverage for a performance, event, classroom project, etc., please have them complete the form linked here. This form can also be found online under Staff Resources → Communications → Publicity Request Form. If a member of the media reaches out to you for a story, quote, etc., please include Joy Jordan (jjordan@monomoy.edu) on the communications, or you are welcome to hand over to Joy to coordinate.

Here are the Monomoy logos in a few formats - if you do not find the format you need here, please email Joy Jordan at jjordan@monomoy.edu. It is important to use our official logos without modifications in order to maintain Monomoy's brand identity.