When you wake up with 8 inches of snow in your driveway, or go to bed worrying about the overnight weather, our SAU has established a list of outlets for the announcement of snow days. This list was prudently circulated yesterday by press release. This time, though, there is a new twist.
For those who want the very earliest announcement about school cancellation, follow Superintendent Metzler’s Twitter feed – not Timberlane’s Twitter feed.
The press release says in part, “Earliest announcements will be made through Twitter. Those wishing to receive Twitter announcements may do so by subscribing to Twitter; twitter.com/SuptSAU55.”
Timberlane’s Twitter address is: twitter.com/TimberlaneRSD.
I have a suggestion. How about using my blog as the earliest announcement media location?
Clearly, we need some protocol about the protocol. Do we want employees enhancing their social media profile as part of their professional duties?
You can be sure I will never have the opportunity to bring this up at a school board meeting because the chairman has imposed a hard stop to meetings at 10:30 pm, extended only to complete the most pressing topics. It was ostensibly imposed to end long meetings, but it was really imposed to prevent “Other Business” topics and “Reports of the School Board” which are regular agenda items now never addressed. Since the chairman will not include agenda topics from me, especially ones that might result in some direction to our superintendent, there is no way for a dissenting board member to ask for discussion of runaway advisory committee propagation, the use of press releases to inform the board of important business, the superintendent’s use of social media, and so on. School board meetings are all for show and have no substance. And please do not think profundity is going on behind the scenes. What you see, is what there is.
Snow Day Announcements Press Release: SNWDYS2015-2016
timberlaneandsandown 
I’m quite sure that lots of discussion goes on behind the scenes, but not all SB members are privy to it.
Donna, as you know, Dr. Metzler is the Superintendent of the Hampstead School District as well as Timberlane. While Hampstead is decidedly smaller, the nuance of announcing that our district is closed via the SAU 55 channel vice the Timberlane channel is appreciated, as many within our district do not follow the Timberlane feed.
Thank you for bringing this point up, Jason. I would suggest that Hampstead have its own Twitter account just as does Timberlane – neither of which should have the superintendent’s face smiling back at us.
I think there is a very real possibility that you’re reading too much into the Twitter feed aspect. Notice that the feed’s username is @SuptSAU55. It’s a very generic handle/username. It could very well be a twitter feed that was created for the position that is currently held by Dr. Metzler, with the intention of passing the feed credentials down to the next Superintendent, whenever that may be. I could see your point if the feed was specific to him, as opposed to specific to the position. I just feel you’re overthinking on this in an attempt to make an issue out of a non-issue.
Happy Holidays
Do we want employees enhancing their social media profile as part of their professional duties?
Do we want our elected officials enhancing their social media profile as part of their professional duties? How’s your social media profile these days?
You sure pick the most interesting things to get upset about.
Interesting that you don’t see a difference between an elected official and a public employee. The cult of personality should belong exclusively to politicians.