About EGUSD’s Digital Citizenship Initiative

The Elk Grove Unified School District is committed to supporting 21st century teaching and learning. Given the pace at which new technology tools emerge, the District recognized the need to implement a comprehensive program to teach the safe, effective and ethical use of digital age technologies to staff, students and parents. As a first step, in 2008, Elk Grove Unified formed the Digital Citizenship Task Force (previously known as the Internet Safety Task Force) and began designing a district-wide program. The Task Force addressed new issues and opportunities and assessed program progress.

We feel it is important to note the difference between citizens and digital citizens. As upstanding “citizens,” we need to participate positively in our physical communities – our schools, neighborhoods, cities, states, countries and the world. Likewise, as exemplary “digital citizens,” students and staff must learn how to participate positively in a variety of digital/cyber/online communities. It is only by developing a clear sense of both our rights and our responsibilities that we can become fully engaged, contributing “citizens” of all the communities in which we find ourselves.

All EGUSD schools teach digital citizenship and are in compliance with current legal mandates, such as the federal E-Rate/CIPA requirements. More importantly, through a commitment that all EGUSD students are firmly grounded in what it means to be active, contributing (digital) citizens, the EGUSD community is providing students with the skills required in a global economy, such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving. These are all skills that can be seamlessly integrated into the main themes of digital citizenship.

EGUSD Digital Citizenship Coordinators

Erica Swift and Kathleen Watt curate and maintain the EGUSD Digital Citizenship Website/Blog, with the purpose of ensuring that all EGUSD staff, students and parents have access to resources to understand what it means to be a fully engaged and contributing digital citizen.

Erica is a Technology Integration Support Specialist and Digital Citizenship Coordinator for the Elk Grove Unified School District. She is a 2024-2025 Common Sense Educator and Google Certified Educator Level 2. Erica supports teachers and students to meaningfully integrate technology in all curriculum areas. She is also a leader in promoting elementary STEM education within the Sacramento region.

Kathleen is an EGUSD Web Specialist and a Digital Citizenship Coordinator for the Elk Grove Unified School District. She is a 2024-2025 Common Sense Educator and has been recognized by NSPRA (National School Public Relations Association) and CALSPRA (California School Public Relations Association) for her logo creation, web design and school district initiative work. Kathleen supports district staff/departments, teachers and students on many web and graphic based projects. She also teaches a variety of digital citizenship topics.