Today's interactive, mobile, always-on media world is profoundly changing the nature of childhood-and the nature of education. Cell Phones, YouTube, Texting, Facebook, Google, iPods/iPads, Webkinz. The media and technology that run through the middle of our kids' lives is evolving at a dizzying pace.

And many of us, parents and teachers alike, struggle at times with how to guide our kids through the positives and negatives of this 24/7 media world.

That is why we are starting a new initiative at La Jolla Elementary to help parents and teachers gain the understanding, skills, and confidence to help our children grow and thrive in today's new media culture.

Our partner in this effort is Common Sense Media, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to help parents and educators stay informed and active in the media lives of children. Common Sense Media provides a wealth of practical guidance for parents on topics ranging from cyberbullying to the media's impact on girls' body image. And Common Sense Media is now making all of this information available to schools in the form of a parent education program. I encourage you to visit their Web site at www.commonsensemedia.org.

To kick off this initiative, we have invited Mike Lorion, General Manager of Education and Merve Lapus, Educational Program Mgr. of Common Sense Media to give a presentation to parents on Wed. Feb. 29 from 6-7pm, with a Question and Answer session to follow in the auditorium. This presentation will explore how media and technology impact the way children play, learn, and develop, with a focus on current trends affecting them at school and at home.  Parents will first learn about the current landscape of media and technology before looking specifically at the function of media in the lives of their children and the ethical responsibilities they have when interacting with them.  The presentation will then wrap up by addressing tips for parents to ensure that students are using digital media responsibly, avoiding its potential pitfalls, and benefiting from its many opportunities

We encourage you to attend this important and informative presentation.  

Raising and educating young people in today's 24/7 media environment is one of the most daunting challenges that parents and schools face. But we sincerely believe that by working together, we can raise a generation of kids who are smart, safe, and ethical creators and consumers of media.  

Child care will be provided.  

Thank you,  

Sigurd Kallhovde, and the Technology Committee