Communication

The SMCPS Digital Media Team supports systemwide communication through video production, live streaming, photography, web services, social media management, and strategic messaging tools. Our goal is to help schools and departments share timely, accessible, and engaging content with families, staff, and the broader community—both online and off. From high-profile events to day-to-day updates, we’re here to elevate the voices and stories of St. Mary’s County Public Schools.

SMORE & School Messenger

Social Media

Community Communication Tools

Cognito Forms

Website Posts & Bulletin Boards

Phones & Printers

SMORE & School Messenger

Presented to school administrators in August 2025, this presentation covers getting started with SMORE and School Messenger.

You must be logged into an SMCPS Google account to view the presentation.

August 1, 2025 - School Communications

Social Media

Facebook

St. Mary’s County Public Schools maintains an active and professional presence on Facebook, with a dedicated page for each school, as well as the main SMCPS district page. The Digital Media Team manages these pages to ensure consistent branding, accessible content, and compliance with communication guidelines.

Schools are encouraged to request content for their school’s Facebook page using the Website Editing Ticket System. Event announcements, recognitions, and news updates are all welcome—if it’s important to your school community, we want to help you share it.

SMCPS maintains an official LinkedIn page to highlight professional accomplishments, systemwide initiatives, staff recognitions, and career opportunities. This platform allows us to share our story with a broader audience—including current employees, prospective applicants, and education professionals across the region.

We encourage all staff to connect with our St. Mary’s County Public Schools LinkedIn page using their personal or professional profiles. Engaging with our posts helps showcase the incredible work happening across our schools and strengthens our presence as a leading public education system in Maryland.

Instagram

We also maintain an official SMCPS Instagram account, used to highlight moments of joy, celebration, and student life from across the district. At this time, individual school Instagram accounts are not authorized, but featured content from your school can be submitted to the digital media team for possible inclusion on the main channel.

X (formerly Twitter)

Though SMCPS and each school also maintain a presence on X (formerly Twitter), we currently discourage active use of that platform due to changes in platform policies, reach limitations, and moderation concerns. Posts may be shared there periodically, but it is not a preferred method of communication.

📵 Platforms Not in Use 📵

To maintain focus, quality, and security, we do not currently support or maintain official SMCPS school accounts on TikTok, Snapchat, or Threads. These platforms may evolve, but at this time they are not part of our approved communication ecosystem.

Community Communication Tools

We support a wide range of platforms for family engagement, staff communication, and systemwide announcements:

S’more Newsletter Service – Used by schools and departments to share colorful, mobile-friendly digital newsletters with families and staff.

Peachjar – Our official flyer distribution service for school and community announcements, sent directly to parent inboxes and linked from school websites.

Schoology Messaging – Internal classroom and course communications between teachers, students, and guardians.

Home Access Center (HAC) – Where families can view attendance, report cards, schedules, and basic contact information.

SchoolMessenger – Our primary system for emergency alerts and time-sensitive communication, including weather closures, transportation delays, and critical updates.

If you're not sure which platform is best for your message, we’re happy to help you choose the right tool for your audience and goal.

Cognito Forms

Digital Forms & Surveys

SMCPS uses Cognito Forms as a secure, reliable platform for creating and managing digital forms and surveys. This tool is used across the system for a variety of purposes—including staff submissions, student and parent communication, official document collection, and community feedback.

Whether you're collecting field trip permissions, submitting professional development requests, or conducting a climate survey, Cognito Forms provides a flexible and accessible way to manage information efficiently.

The Digital Media Team is available to assist with:

Form creation and design
Conditional logic and workflow setup
Testing and publishing forms
Embedding forms on school websites

We also offer professional development sessions and 1:1 guidance for staff who want to learn how to build and maintain their own forms with confidence.

Need a form created or help refining one? Reach out—we’re here to help!

Website Posts & Bulletin Boards

A Finalsite Feature

Did you know you can use your school’s website to post live, dynamic, and timely updates?

We encourage all schools and departments to request a bulletin board be added to their homepage. These boards serve as mini newsfeeds—perfect for spotlighting events, recognitions, announcements, or deadline reminders.

You don’t need any website training to request a post!

Just use the Website Editing Ticket System, and we’ll take care of it for you.

If you’re interested in managing your own bulletin board posts, training is available. This is a great way to make your school website more engaging and current—while also improving communication with families who rely on your site for updates.

Phones & Printers

Phone & Fax

The DMT does not manage the Avaya phone systems or company faxes. For phone & fax assistance, you will need to contact ITS.

Printers & Printing

Printer repairs and upkeep is handled by ITS.

SMCPS has a printshop service available through supporting services.

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