Communications

Open communication with the district's students, parents, patrons and the public in general is essential for the school district to operate effectively. The district will make a systematic effort to communicate with the public using social media, newsletters, student handbooks, local media, and the district's website.

#WEareSJSD - Be one of the first to know what's going on at SJSD. Follow the St. Joseph School District on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

SJSD Mobile App

Receive school cancellation notifications directly to your mobile phone. Have all your updates and calendars in one place. Go to your Google Play or iTunes store and search “St. Joseph School District” for the free app. Then choose which school(s) to receive notifications and updates from. 

SJSD Channel 13

SJSD-TV can be be viewed on St. Joseph SuddenLink Cable TV Channel 13. St. Joseph School District sporting events, plays, choir and band concerts, awards assemblies and special events are often featured. Program schedules can be found on Channel 13 or on SJSD's website. You can also view lunch schedules, school news, and District announcements (including school dismissals due to weather) on Channel 13.

SJSD staff may submit news, announcements, or video programs for viewing on Channel 13. Email John Morris or call 816-671-4008 to request that your video be broadcast on Channel 13. 

SchoolMessenger

The district uses SchoolMessenger Communicate as its mass notification system. Through Communicate the district and individual schools can send emails, phone calls, and text messages. Please keep your contact information up-to-date with your student's school to ensure that you receive messages. 

It is the policy of the St. Joseph School District to work cooperatively with the news media for coverage of issues and events involving the school district, its students or staff. However, the SJSD is dedicated to providing all students with a safe, learning environment without unnecessary interruptions. Therefore, the following administrative guidelines are in effect for all SJSD campuses:

• The Director of Communications, Eileen Houston-Stewart, should be contacted when a reporter would like to visit a district facility or interview a district employee.
• The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be the official spokesperson for the district.
• Reporters and/or photographers are required to check in to the school office prior to beginning an authorized interview on campus.
• District employees are prohibited from participating in media interviews unless given permission by the superintendent or designee. 
• The district prohibits the use of video or audio recording equipment on district property or at district activities by outside entities without permission from the superintendent or designee unless otherwise authorized by law.
• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is followed at all times.

St. Joseph School District social media pages are moderated, and all comments are reviewed by the District’s Communications Office. The District encourages interaction from social media users but is not responsible for comments made by visitors to the page. Comments posted also do not in any way reflect the opinions or policies of the district.

People making comments on the page are requested to show respect for their fellow users by ensuring the discussion remains civil, especially since many social media platforms allow individuals 13 and over to join. Comments are also subject to Terms of Use and Code of Conduct of each social media platform.

Remember that your name and photo will be seen next to your comment, visible to anyone who visits the page.

We reserve the right, but assume no obligation, to remove comments that are racist, sexist, abusive, profane, violent, obscene, spam, that advocate illegal activity, contain falsehoods or are wildly off-topic, or that libel, incite, threaten or make ad hominem attacks on students, employees, guests or other individuals. We also do not permit messages selling products or promoting commercial, political or other ventures.

To ensure exchanges that are informative, respectful of diverse viewpoints and lawful, we will not allow comments that are or include:

• Off Topic. We will delete comments not related to the subject of the page entries.
• Spam. Comments focused on selling a product or service will not be posted.
• Personal Attacks. If you disagree with a post, we'd like to hear from you.
• We ask that you refrain from personal attacks or being disrespectful of others. 
• Illegal. Laws that govern use of copyrights, trade secrets, etc., will be followed.
• Language. Comments including but not limited to: profane or provocative language, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive or derogatory content, threats, obscene or sexually explicit language will be deleted.
• Links to outside websites. We will not allow fans to include links to websites for any purpose.
• From an unverified individual or business.

Users should utilize the “Report” links when they find abusive content.

SJSD students and staff are governed by the district's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) when using school owned technology or equipment.

If you have questions about any of the St. Joseph School District social media pages, please e-mail communications@sjsd.k12.mo.us