Internet Safety for Students:
A Team Effort
by Judy Chamberlain
How safe is your child when he or she is online? What should families know about the “stranger danger” that exists in chat rooms and on mySpace? How can text messaging be misused?
These are just a few of the questions that are of concern to the leadership team in the district as we plan our approach to what is loosely known as cyberbullying. It is not enough for us to depend on our own experience as teens; we need to find and share accurate information with staff, students, and patrons in the larger community.
As part of this effort, each family in the district has received a “tip sheet” to talk about with our students. This contains valuable information about using and sharing passwords, and about avoiding some key danger zones on the internet.
Next Fall, each of our students in elementary and middle school will participate in NetSmartz training sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of NE Kansas. This presentation addresses security (“I will ask my parents or guardian before sharing my personal information”) and safety (“I will tell an adult I trust if anything makes me feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused”) in ways that are tested with youngsters.
We are taking steps at school to prevent access to undesirable websites and to limit cell phones which can be used for text-messaging during school hours. We are happy to act as a resource if any patrons would like up to date information on ways to protect your child at home. Please contact me at the District Office for additional information.
