SEPAC, Special Education Parent Advisory Committee of Millburn Township sponsored this amazing event the other day. SEPAC is a state mandated parent advisory group that the district has appointed 11 or so people to represent the different schools and programs within the district. I serve as the representative for the Hartshorn Elementary School, and am happy to do so.
The event that was planned was just another fine example of how great this community truly is!
The speaker was Srgt. Tom Rich, a New Jersey police officer and Internet safety expert. He focused on the social media activities our children are engaging in and the problems they can cause. He also covered how parents can protect themselves and their children, as well as how these forms of communication can be used positively, moderation, and safely.
Here’s a testimonial from one of our own Millburn teachers:
"In case anyone is interested in this workshop but unsure if they should attend, I recently attended a workshop in Livingston that Tom Rich participated in and I thought he was very informative and helpful. The speed at which technology is changing and the young age at which children are using social media is unbelievable. He talked about social media sites that I had never heard of (but my 6th grader had!) If you have a chance to see him speak, it is well worth it!"
The best take aways for this event for me, were that our district actually has a program in place that educate our children on cyber bullying already. Minecraft has chat rooms. There is an app for texting on an iPod. Some sites let you post information anonymously. Posting pictures of naked body parts and sharing that photograph could be considered a criminal offense, and the person could actually be placed on the national registry of sex offenders for life. Instagram has a location finding part of it's application that can place your exact address. Once you put it out into the internet world, it is out there FOREVER! Set Facebook settings to prevent stalking.
Summary, its important be educated and have an open line of communication with our children. It was requested that this speaker come again, but directly speak with the children. I will certainly blast if that happens!
Find more info about Tom Rich at his website www.AlwaysConnected.com
Find more info about me at my website www.RealShortHills.com
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