With thousands of tweets per minute and a steadily increasing number of users, Twitter has become a social media phenomenon. Almost everyone has a Twitter; from friends, to neighbors, and now, even principals. Recently, Langley’s own principal, Matthew Ragone, created a Twitter account and joined the ever growing number of users.
After creating his account Ragone has already gained over one hundred followers. He was inspired to create this account from an article he read about a principle in the Midwest who had created a Twitter account of his own. According to Ragone, the principal’s Twitter had “changed the principle’s life” and so he too was inspired to put social media to good use.
Twitter, more than the PA or the morning announcements, has provided a good means of communication for Ragone. This enables him to reach out to students faster.
“I try to go on the PA or the announcements to reach students and it’s hard to get to them…now I can see why people have their nose in these devices all the time. It’s just another way of communicating, that’s all it really ought to be,” said Ragone.
Through his utilization of Twitter, Ragone has posted words of encouragement, important updates, and school events right from his phone. With this easy accessibility to Twitter though, he is feeling the pull of social media.
Sophomore Sarah Swenson said that Ragone’s Twitter allows students to “stay updated and be aware of things going on at school.”
Junior Sarah Salem added, “I think it’s a really good thing when teachers can further a connection with students, so I support it!”
In the future Ragone does not plan to expand his social media participation to Facebook or Instagram.
“The pros are that you’re using a form of communication students receive really well; they do it all the time so you can reach them instantly. The cons are that instant communication is not always good. People can rush to conclusions before full information is out,” said Ragone.