‘Threats can come from unexpected places’: School hosts workshop on social media safety | In Class column

IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Academy of St. Dorothy in Old Town recently hosted a workshop for parents and students on social media and internet safety.

“Our children are growing up with devices in their hands, and it’s clear to all of us who interact with students on a daily basis that it impacts them in profound ways,” said Sister Sharon McCarthy, the principal of the school. “We are constantly looking for ways to arm our Academy of St. Dorothy school community with information to protect the kids and help them thrive, and social media safety certainly appears to be the most pressing need in 2023.”

Assemblyman Mike Reilly, who presented the workshop, spoke about the threats facing students today.

“Knowledge and communication are the most important weapons parents and guardians have in their arsenal,” explained Reilly, who is a presenter for the Center for Educational Innovation’s Digital Citizenship and Cyberbullying. “Although many parents think they are closely monitoring their children’s actions online, many children find ways around surveillance. From calculator apps that hide photos and video games with in-game messaging, threats can come from unexpected places. Keeping lines of communication open with your kids, monitoring their behavior and offering them a safe space to share is vital.”

He covered topics for parents such as: strategies for keeping children safe on the internet; how to identify social media platforms students are using; the different types and methods of cyberbullying; how to access support and available interventions.