After recognizing the negative effects social media can have, Pearland ISD launched a new program in April to educate parents and students on proper online etiquette. Social Media THINK! was started to address such issues following the district’s third student suicide in five months.

While the suicides were not a direct result of social media, it was a common thread among them, PISD director of communications Kim Hocott said.

“We saw how social media can [affect] our students,” she said. “It can play a part positively [or] negatively.”

Natalie Fikac, PISD coordinator for guidance services, said she then began collecting data to evaluate the mental health needs of students in the district. Social media was one of the most widespread areas of concern.

“One way that we felt like we could make a difference on our campuses was to have a social media night and also to have some lessons that would be taught in addition by the teachers,” Fikac said.

PISD hosted about 85 people at Social Media Parent Night in May, where experts spoke on the negative consequences associated with online interaction. Hocott said the district plans on three to four similar presentations with varying topics during the 2015-16 school year. The first program is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the PISD Education Support Center, 1928 N. Main St., Pearland.

Toward the end of last school year, the district distributed informational booklets to students in grades 5-12, Fikac said. PISD also began sharing online safety tips through its social media accounts. Although the message remained the same on both platforms, Facebook posts were aimed at parents and Twitter posts targeted students.

“We actually used social media to attack the issue,” Hocott said.