Social Media word cloud
 
In the last ten years, digital technologies have reshaped many aspects of our lives. These changes have transformed the way we access information, communicate, and solve problems. The FutureForward Chromebook program was implemented to help modernize instructional practices, but the changes being created by technology are bigger than the classroom.

IDEA Center High School wants to partner with our families to help our students navigate and thrive in this new world. We know that social media, gaming, and other online programs create new parenting and community challenges.

To help guide our students, the Grossmont Union High School District has implemented a digital citizenship component to the ninth grade technology graduation requirement. Additionally, the Chromebooks issued to all students are filtered for inappropriate content at school and at home.

While these measures help create awareness of potential issues and limit what students can access on their Chromebook, cell phone apps can pose potential risks. Some concerns include:

  • Unless a family adds internet restrictions to their cell phone plan for an additional charge or use the parental controls built into the phone's operating system, anyone with a data plan can access almost anything on the web. Please contact your cell phone service provider (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) if you have questions.

  • Numerous iPhone and Android Apps allow hidden, anonymous, and random text and video chat (see resources below).

  • In national surveys, a majority of teens report being cyberbullied through apps, text messages, and social media platforms.

Your student's physical and emotional safety is one of our top priorities. Below you will find several resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics related to media use. We encourage you to review these articles and keep an open dialogue with your student about safe technology use.

Social Media apps for parents