Dear Bolinas-Stinson School Families,
Earlier this week, a parent brought to my attention a concern about an internet threat directed at children. The parent wanted to reach out to me and other parents to alert us about potential threats and inappropriate content children may be inadvertently exposed to online. I followed up this conversation by researching more information about protecting children online and discussed effective teaching strategies with staff when using technology in the classroom.
We are focusing on building digital literacy and digital citizenship skills with students in grades K-8. Homeroom teachers use Common Sense Media Educational lessons and information with their students to help develop the critical skills necessary to effectively navigate our digitally driven world.
Designed and developed in partnership with Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education -- and guided by research with thousands of educators -- each digital citizenship lesson takes on real challenges and digital dilemmas that students face today, giving them the skills they need to succeed as digital learners, leaders, and citizens tomorrow. Click on the following link to read about the latest research behind our curriculum - Teaching Digital Citizens in Today’s World.1
I strongly encourage all parents to become familiar with the online resource, Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org). This is the best resource for providing tips, reviews, guidance, and information on all types of media for parents. This website is an invaluable tool for parents to stay informed and connected to how their child interacts with all types of media. Check out this timely article by Caroline Knorr,
Parents’ Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls - Do you need parental controls? What are the options? Do they really work? Here's everything you need to know about the wide array of parental control solutions, from OS settings to monitoring apps to network hardware.2
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Michelle Stephens
Bolinas-Stinson School Principal
1 Project Zero. (2019). Teaching Digital Citizens in Today’s World. Retrieved March 10, 2019, from https://www.commonsense.org/ed... 2 Knorr, C. (2019, February 27). Parents’ Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls. Common Sense Media.org/blog/parents. Retrieved March 10, 2019, from https://www.commonsensemedia.o...