Ocean Township School District is dedicated to providing students with the skills necessary to be successful in school, at work and throughout life. The Internet has become a standard tool for 21st century instruction across all disciplines. It provides a variety of resources to our students that promote academic, social and emotional growth. In today’s digital world, students are able to access the Web from computers, tablets and smartphones with ease. Despite the many benefits of working Online, there are also many dangers. At school, we implement a variety of safety measures to protect our children from these risks, such as maintaining a secure network, setting content controls on student computers, and close monitoring and supervision.
Children who access the Internet without supervision may be exposed to inappropriate content. Search engines like Safe Search Kids and Google Junior can help decrease access to inappropriate content, but it will not eliminate it. The best way to ensure your child’s safety is to monitor his or her online activity. You have probably instructed your child not to talk to strangers, but what about the strangers he or she meets online? Try creating some rules for online safety, like you would for safety at home in your neighborhood.
- Set up your devices in family space, like the kitchen or living room
- Set time limits for daily usage
- Set a power-down time at which all electronics should be turned off
Please talk to your children about online safety. To help you with this conversation, we have provided the following resources:
- https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide
- A letter and parent guide provided from the United States Department of Justice, including the warning signs that your child might be at-risk.
- https://www.staysafeonline.org/
- Powered by the National Cyber Security Alliance, this website features information for parents on, “Raising Digital Citizens, Cyberbullying & Harassment, Parental Controls, and Gaming Tips”
- http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/
- Contains a number of interactive features for discussing dangers of online chatting, file sharing, mobile devices, safe-searches, digital footprint and more.
- http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/internet_safety.html#
- Our older students can access this online article with audio for tips on online safety.
- https://kids.usa.gov/online-safety/index.shtml
- A service from the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, part of the U.S. General Services Administration, that provides links to online safety games, quizzes and FAQs.
- http://www.inhope.org/gns/home.aspx
- INHOPE responds to criminally illegal content and activity. On this site, you can report illegal web content anonymously.
