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Internet Safety |
Internet Safety
Students and parents/guardians are primarily responsible for the appropriate and ethical use of technology, especially in the home. Holy Cross School does rely on a filtering system to establish parameters for the appropriate use of the Internet within our building and classrooms. Holy Cross provides access to computers and the Internet so that students may enhance their education here. It is understood that the use of the Internet and related technologies is a privilege and it must be in support of their education and research. We do reserve the right to impose consequences for inappropriate behavior that involves our school. Remember today's parents also must monitor the use of cell phones and items such as the Wii, Nintendo DS systems, Xbox, ipod touches, etc. which all have access to the Internet! Know that the following guidelines pertain to all devices that access the Internet.
Parents
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one to two hours a day of screen time. This includes computers, hand held devices (ipods, DS, cell phones, PSP, etc), television, and game systems (Wii, XBox360, Playstation, GameCube).
When your children use screens, encourage them to talk to you about what they read and see on the Internet without the fear of punishment. Also, place the computer in a common room, not a child's bedroom.
Children of any age need their parents to establish clear guidelines about Internet use. Establish a set of rules that you and your child can agree on. Then post the rules above the computer or in another common space.
Insist that your children not share personal information in e-mail,
chat rooms, message boards, blogs, social networking sites, or other places online.
Check out your child's favorite websites to make sure they are age appropriate and share the values that you are teaching your child. Do not allow your children to access sites that you have not approved. Know their screen names and passwords.
Sites such as FACEBOOK and MYSPACE are not for children. In fact, both state you must be 13 to use these sites. Don't push your children to grow up before their time. Once they are old enough, make sure you are a "friend" to them so you can monitor their activity on these sites. Teach them what is appropriate to post as far as personal information and pictures. Nothing is private on the Internet and nothing is ever truly deleted. What a student posts now can have a negative impact later in life. These sites can also be a place for cyber bullying. Parents be alert!
Use family safety tools as a companion to parental guidance. Internet filtering software can help automate limitations on content and contact.
More information is available at:
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm
Netsmartz Workshop
Netsmartz Workshop is designed to keep children and teens safe on the Internet. It is a great source of information for parents. Here you can learn about online safety, the Internet, and the web. It will help with your questions about the online world. Plus, it provides the information needed to have some good discussions with your children. This site has a section for parents, educators, children, teens, and law enforcement. There are some powerful videos too. Check them all out.
