School has own hashtag for social media

While there is no requirement for participation, plenty of Washington School District students are keeping their friends and families up to date on the latest developments using social media to spread their school spirit.

Washington Schools Superintendent Jeff Dicks proudly shows all the latest Twitter posts that end with the hashtag: ?#washpride.? Going through the Twitter division of the posts, he showed areas where students, teachers and administration had posted photos or videos of the school district?s events. Dicks explained the hashtag separates the posts so people can search specifically for items they want to find.

?They established the washpride hashtag last year,? Dicks said. ?It is pertinent information from the whole district.?

On the readout, principal Adam Miller had posted photos of last night?s cross-country meet, principal Curt Mayer posted seventh-grade football at Mt. Pleasant, and high school ag teacher Duane VanWinkle posted class projects. There were also a few posts Dicks had added himself.

Dicks said the information is mobile and can be picked up with a cell phone. He said the hashtag allows anyone to follow it and to post to it. Some teachers in the district give extra credit for students to post pictures of themselves at a school event showing support. The social media network allows people posting to add up to 140 characters per post, called ?tweets.?

?Everyone is really starting to post more and more,? he said. ?It?s a great communications tool; more and more teachers are doing it, and kids can participate.?

He said since coming to the district, he had not seen any case where someone posted something inappropriate. Dicks said the Twitter feed is uncensored and a portrait of how society actually is.

?People plugged into it appreciate the ability to participate in the bigger conversation and it?s pertinent to them ? this is theirs,? Dicks said. ?The hashtag name says, ?Let?s not be boasting about silly stuff. This is Washpride.??

Dicks said students are also moving on to Snapchat and Instagram.