Parents net digital citizenship tips at workshop

Digital citizenship is not just about staying safe online -- it is about learning to successfully and responsibly navigate the online world. On Feb. 13, the District 58 Education Foundation hosted a digital citizenship workshop as part of a continued effort to partner with families and support students.

The session was conducted by Melissa Hemzacek, MSW, an Internet safety specialist from the Illinois Attorney General's Office - High Tech Crimes Bureau. She emphasized the need for families and the community to support children by creating a positive digital culture. During the workshop, parents learned how they can help navigate, monitor and guide their student through social media, how to set limits and facilitate conversations with their children about digital safety, and the importance of setting -- and modeling -- healthy boundaries. By setting age-appropriate limits, such as no phone or device in the bedroom after bedtime, parents are helping to relieve their child's stress and anxiety and promoting pro-social behavior. 

Click here to view Hemzacek's presentation slides. 

Click here to view a short video featuring several of Hemzacek's tips for parents. 

Hemzacek suggested that parents talk to their children about what it means to know the people they are connecting with versus knowing of them -- or not knowing them at all. Typically child predators target children whose pages are open to the public and who have 600 or more online friends/followers, she said. Many students also post information on their pages or profiles, such as their school name and their hometown, that would make it very easy for them to be tracked down, she said.

Hemzacek discussed speaking with children about self-representation online -- the fact that everything that is posted contributes to a permanent digital footprint which may be searched later by college admissions officers and potential employers. Students should be just as cognizant of the perceptions created by their online behavior as they are about how they are perceived in person, she said.

She highlighted current trends and digital platforms, such as Kik, Ask.FM and OoVoo. Hemzacek suggested several options for staying up to date with the latest apps that children may be using. Parents can:

• Visit the app store on their device and check out the current list of the top free apps
• Set up Google Alerts related to "social networking and teens", which will push related news stories to their inboxes
• Ask their child what apps they and/or their friends are using

Hemzacek encouraged parents to start a conversation with their children about their online activities. This approach can lead to very positive outcomes not only by keeping the lines of communication open, but also by teaching children the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help them to make good decisions, she said.

"Educating them is the most protection that you can give them," Hemcazek said.

She also provided parents an overview of what she spoke to students about during assemblies at O'Neill and Herrick Feb. 13, which included cyberbullying and safe vs. risky online behaviors.

For information and resources on Internet safety, visit http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/children/internet.html.

New El Sierra principal appointed

Jason Lynde, who has served as principal of Herrick Middle School for five years, has been appointed to take the helm at El Sierra School. The School Board approved his appointment Feb. 10. He will replace Principal Lucille Carney, who is retiring at the end of this school year after nine years of service.

"I am absolutely thrilled to become the principal of El Sierra next year. It has always been a dream of mine to lead an elementary school," said Lynde, who has also served as Herrick's assistant principal and as a special education teacher.

Lynde earned an undergraduate degree in special education from Illinois State University, and a master's degree in educational leadership from Aurora University. He and his wife live in Downers Grove with their four children, the three oldest of whom attend District 58 schools.  

"Mr Lynde brings to the position a tremendous amount of experience as both a teacher and an educator. Interview teams were especially impressed by Mr. Lynde's extensive knowledge of best practices in education, his caring and supportive leadership style, his commitment to student-centered school leadership, and his focus on community building among students, staff and parents. I am confident that Mr. Lynde will be a wonderful addition to the El Sierra family," said District 58 Superintendent Kari Cremascoli.

Grove Children's Preschool enrollment now open 

Applications for tuition-based enrollment in District 58's Grove Children's Preschool program, with its established, research-based educational curriculum, are now available at all District 58 schools and on the District 58 website at www.dg58.org/preschool. Enrollment is open to all District 58 children who will be 3 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2014.

Applications for current/returning students will be accepted from February 17-21, applications for siblings/returning students will be accepted between February 24-28, and open applications will be accepted beginning March 3.

Class sessions are offered Tuesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday for the two-day program, or Tuesday through Friday for the four-day program. Classes take place at Henry Puffer School, 2220 Haddow Ave., and Indian Trail School, 6235 Stonewall Ave. The goal of the Grove Children's Preschool program is to meet the developmental and individual needs of all children in a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment, while promoting educational success through engaging and collaborative learning experiences.

Grove Children's Preschool is a blended program, meaning that tuition students, students identified as having special education needs, and students identified as being at risk for future academic difficulties due to cultural or socio-economic factors are taught in the same classroom. For more information on Grove Children's Preschool, including the 2014-15 guide to preschool application or to download the 2014-15 application form, visit www.dg58.org/preschool.