In this new digital age, school districts need to have active and lively social media sites to keep their communities engaged and up-to-date. Farmington Public Schools (FPS) in Oakland County, Michigan, does have an Internet presence—but is it very effective?
A quick glance across the platforms shows that FPS favors Facebook and Twitter (now X), using Instagram and YouTube occasionally. They post frequently enough to stay in view, but much of what they share feels utilitarian, not necessarily entertaining. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—good for families looking for updates—but it short of creating stronger community connection.
Facebook: Reliable but Unremarkable
The FPS Facebook page is the most active of the three sites, posting nearly every day. Posts vary from reminders of school events, board meetings, and students’ achievements. Posting frequency is excellent, but the majority of posts are plain flyers or links with no personality. A case in point is this recent posting praising FPS’s robotics teams—a well-deserved shoutout, but the graphics are bland and text-heavy. It gets the job done, but it’ll not interrupt you in mid-scroll.
Instagram: Sparsely and Underutilized
While Instagram is a significant source for reaching younger readers and parents too, FPS’ Instagram presence is fairly dormant. Posts are scarce and fail to leverage the visual creativity that Instagram thrives on. A recent photo of students participating in Read Across America doesn’t tap into the full potential of the site—no Stories, no Reels, and barely any hashtags to increase exposure. There’s clear potential here, but it’s largely being untapped.
YouTube: Informative but Inconsistent
FPS also has a YouTube channel, where it uploads board meetings, student performances, and event coverage. While some of the content, like this Superintendent’s Update, is informative and professionally done, the uploads are sporadic and mostly formal. There isn’t much in the way of behind-the-scenes videos, student features, or storytelling that could enliven the platform.
Twitter/X: Timely, but Dry On Twitter (previously X), the school district sends rapid tweets updates and tweets school news. It is a good live announcement tool, like this school closure announcement, but lacks media-enabled material or reader engagement. It is not using space to engage more with polls, replies, or even emphasizing student voices.
Final Thoughts Overall, Farmington Public Schools has a strong online presence with an emphasis on information over interaction. The accounts are getting the job done, especially for parents looking for updates, but they could be so much more with a little creativity. More student voices, more interactive posts, and more uniform visuals across platforms could make FPS’ social media functional to fantastic.
