EGUSD Digital Citizenship

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EGUSD Digital Citizenship

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From Digital Citizenship Week to Media Literacy Week

Posted by  on Thursday, October 24th 2019     

Every October, we look forward to showcasing how EGUSD students are celebrating Digital Citizenship Week. This year, students at Joseph Kerr Middle School got a head start on #DigCitWeek with a guest speaker. Students from Roy Herburger Elementary School attended the annual Stand Up, Speak Out Against Bullying Rally.

Joseph Kerr Middle School – Social Media Safety Assembly

JKMS Activites Director, Chris Perris, invited us to attend a parent night assembly organized by Principal, Zachary Cheney. Principal Cheney responded to a need to address social media issues with the Kerr community.

“In searching for information we could share with our student and parent community about social media safety, I came across Ed Peisner and AB 1542 (Jordan’s Law) and am glad I did.  I invited Ed to come speak to our parent community and was so pleased with his presentation and the positive response from our parents that I asked him to return to speak to our students.  Ed’s message is personal, moving, and timely as we seek to teach our young people the implications and ramifications of their actions on social media and using digital devices like smart phones.  We are in a social media crisis in our schools and people like Ed help to equip students to better understand how to navigate and respond to it.” – Zachary Cheney, Principal

As a follow-up, we reached out to invite students from JKMS to share takeaways from the recent assembly with Ed Peisner, Organization for Social Media Safety (SMS). 

Photo: JKMS student assembly with Ed Peisner

8th grade student Hadlee Gray stepped up as our guest blogger to recap the assembly: 

Most of the students at our school thought the assembly was just going to be a long lecture, but Ed Peisner’s assembly was different. Mr. Peisner started with a personal story about an attack on his son Jordan – that kids posted all over the internet to be “popular.” He shared his son’s tragic story because he wants students, not just at Joseph Kerr, but students all around the country to know how destructive online acts can be. He shared stories, gave percentages, and connected with many students as to why these acts aren’t right. 

Mr Peisner went into great detail about the law that he wrote that is now known as California – AB 1542 – AKA Jordan’s Law. He explained that the law states if you record a fight, then you can get in trouble with law enforcement. Many students at Kerr did not know of the law and now understand the possible consequences of posting student fights online. 

I asked students and teachers how they felt about Ed Pesiner’s assembly. Here are some of their thoughts: 

“I think kids now have a better understanding that there can be legal consequences for filming and posting student fights online. As teachers we need to continue to teach responsible use of social media.” ~ Chris Perris, teacher/Activities Director

“The most meaningful part of the assembly was learning about the dangers and what can happen using social media wrong.” ~ Adam B., student

“I left the assembly with lots of information about social media I didn’t know before.” ~ Stella D., student

“After listening to Ed Peisner speaking about being addicted to our phones, I did not use my phone for a day. I learned that phones aren’t just for pleasure, we also need them for communication.” ~ Isabella L., student

As you can see, Ed Peisner’s story affected many students at Joseph Kerr. We hope that students at other schools will also be able to attend his assembly. He made a very positive impact and students are starting to think about what he said before using social media. 

***
Thank you, Hadlee, for capturing the event through your write up.

For our recap of the JKMS parent night with Ed Peisner, visit our May 2019 post.

Roy Herburger Elementary School – Students Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying Youth Rally

Photo: Students from EGUSD, SCUSD, SJUSD and NUSD listening to guest speakers. 

We had the opportunity to attend this past Wednesday’s 7th Annual Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying Youth Rally at the California Museum’s Unity Center with 6th grade students from Roy Herburger.

Stand Up Speak Out Against Bullying Event - Lieutenant Stephen Moore, Sacramento Police Department

Photo: Lieutenant Stephen Moore, Sacramento Police Department

The Unity Center is a dedicated space for celebrating California’s “diverse people, customs and cultures.” The annual rally has been a long-time priority for Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. His coalition brings together Sacramento school districts to educate students on the importance of taking a stand against bullying/cyberbullying and all forms of intolerance.

Photo: Students interacting with one of the Unity Center exhibits.

Through the center’s interactive media exhibits, advocacy tools and educational programs, students are empowered to be Unity Activists, exercising their rights and standing up for the rights of others.

Below are a few takeaways from the day shared by Herburger students:

“At the anti-bully rally, hearing the stories of people who got bullied really changed my perspective about bullying.” – Nathaniel P.

“My favorite part was hearing the rapper and all the other speeches about people’s lives.” – Anthony L.

“I loved the speeches and performances. The stations we got to go to were also really fun!” – Sophia C.

“What really stood out to me was when the people were talking about how bullying does not make you cool.” – Zachary A.

“The speeches were my favorite part because they were inspirational!” – Neha B.

Thank you, Herburger teachers, for sharing your students’ thoughts.

When students step up to confront bullying in all its forms, online and in person, they can change the culture and climate of their schools and communities, and, in the process extend Digital Citizenship activities and lessons from a week-long event to a year-long commitment.

Digital Citizenship Week is followed by another important annual event: Media Literacy Week. Because media literacy is an overarching and integral component of digital citizenship, we wanted to share some resources and a challenge from KQED: 

Media Literacy for Elementary Students

Medial Literacy for Middle and High School Students

Media Literacy for Teachers:

If you have #DigCitWeek or #MediaLiteracyWeek activities or events from your school to share, please leave us a comment.

 

category: Assemblies, Bullying, Campaigns, Cyberbullying, DigCit News, Media Literacy, Student Voice
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Social Media, Cyberbullying and the Role of the Bystander – Change Is Coming

Posted by  on Thursday, May 30th 2019     

Throughout history, the role of the bystander has been attributed to inciting countless bad things. Today, bystanders are involved in most cyberbullying incidents – with no consequences for their actions or lack of action. Change is coming. We recently attended a Parent Night presentation at Joseph Kerr Middle School (JKMS) from the Organization for Social Media Safety (SMS). We were happy to meet some of the parents, PTA members, JKMS staff and leadership students in attendance.

Joseph Kerr Middle School Social Media Safety Parent Night

Ed Peisner, a father, who founded SMS in 2017, opened his presentation with a short video to explain the organization’s mission.

In response to the 2017 vicious, debilitating attack on his son Jordan, which was filmed by the attacker’s friend and then uploaded to social media (Snapchat), Ed took action. In addition to forming the SMS, he dedicated himself to working with public policy. Within the year, and in collaboration with California Assemblymember Matt Dababneh, Ed spearheaded the passing of AB 1542, AKA Jordan’s Law. The law makes it a criminal offense to deliberately record an attack for the purpose of posting it on social media, and, in some cases, the person filming and posting the video (bystanders) could also be charged.

Ed Peisner from The Organization for Social Media Safety

Peisner views AB 1542 as a step forward for change. But he’s not stopping there. He is currently working on “groundbreaking social media safety legislation at the state level and with local school boards on enhancing social media safety policies.”

In Jordan’s case, only the perpetrator, who did not even know Jordan, was charged with a crime.  The bystanders, including the young woman partnering with the perpetrator to film the attack, were not charged. Typically the perpetrators commit the act of bullying/cyberbullying and recording/posting to social media for the purpose of gaining “likes”, more important to them than the consequences of their actions.  Without the bystanders, the attack on Jordan would likely not have happened. It is because of bystanders that history all too often repeats itself.

We recommend visiting the SMS website and signing up for their newsletter. We’re also following the organization on Facebook and Twitter to help keep on top of the ever-changing social media issues that impact the lives and safety of our students and their families.

We look forward to next year’s student rally at JKMS with Ed Peisner and enthusiastically support the work and goals of SMS:

“SMS is the nation’s first non-profit that serves as a consumer protection organization focused solely on social media safety. SMS protects families from all social media-related dangers including cyberbullying, violence, hate speech, human trafficking, and propaganda through innovative educational programming, legislative and regulatory advocacy, and technology development.” 

Cyberbullying Prevention – 5 Things Parents Can Do
  • Help your child be an upstander — not a bystander. Children are hesitant to get involved, in case the bully turns their sights on them. But there are ways to allow your child to work behind the scenes to reach out to the victim, get an adult involved, and prevent more cruel behavior.
  • Teach your child empathy. Nothing drives home a point faster than walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. If children truly understand what someone else is going through, they’re less likely to bully someone — or passively witness others being bullied.
  • Help children understand the line between funny and cruel. Children’s online communication is often purposely ambiguous or accidentally cruel — both of which can lead to misunderstandings. If drama starts brewing, ask your child to call or speak face to face with his/her friend to clear it up.
  • Make sure they talk to someone (even if it’s not you). As children enter the middle school years, their circle of friends and trusted adults widens. Children need a responsible adult to confide in — their school counselor, their music teacher, even the parent of a friend. Talk to your children about who they can go to if trouble is brewing.
  • Show your child how to stop cyberbullying. Tell children not to respond or retaliate. Not feeding the bully can stop the cycle. And — if anything does happen — save the evidence.

Source: Common Sense

Top Social Media Safety Tips
  • Keep your social media pages on private. Double check they are on private.
  • Turn off geo-tagging on your social media posts.
  • Do not let your teen “friend” people they do not directly know. Teens should NEVER make plans to meet someone they met on social media.
  • Report inappropriate content (bullying, hate speech, obscenity) to the social media platform AND block the poster, while still saving the evidence.

Source: Organization for Social Media Safety (SMS)

For more cyberbullying and social media information and resources, please visit the cyberbullying  and social media 101 pages of our website.

category: Bullying, Cyberbullying, DigCit News, Events, Parents, Social Media Apps
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EGUSD Educators #DigCitCommit for #DigCitWeek

Posted by  on Tuesday, October 23rd 2018     

Educators throughout Elk Grove Unified guided and supported students through numerous #DigCitWeek activities. Some of the activities represent projects that students will continue their involvement in throughout the school year, while other activities were specifically inspired by the October 15-19 Digital Citizenship Week timeframe.

As you can see from the samples below, elementary, middle and high school students and staff celebrated this national event.

Harriet Eddy Students attend SF Google Headquarters

Harriet Eddy and Katherine Albiani Middle Schools – #ICANHELP

At many of our middle schools, students have attended or will be attending, #ICANHELP rallies. #ICANHELP is a national organization dedicated to helping tweens and teens use social media for good. At Harriet Eddy MS, a team of students recently traveled to San Francisco Google Headquarters to participate in a day where “world changers, transformation seekers, and positivity makers” met to celebrate student voice and digital leadership. #digital4good

“During my time at the #digital4good workshop, I learned many new things and was inspired in different ways.  I learned that it’s extremely important to be smart and have a positive presence online… During our gathering I thought to myself on how I could bring the positivity kids have brought to their schools, to mine. One example I thought about was sticky noting teachers cars and doors with positive things along with starting a club at our school to overall just spread #digital4good.  This workshop also inspired me to bring good to my school because when I saw all the amazing things kids have done to create a better environment, I believed that if they did what I never imagined possible,  I must be able to do it too.  Overall the gathering for #digital4good was an amazing experience and showed me many different stories.” – Beck, 8th Grade – HEMS

Roy Herburger and Sierra Enterprise Elementary Schools – Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying Youth Rally

We had the opportunity to attend this past Wednesday’s 6th Annual Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying Youth Rally at the California Museum’s Unity Center with students from Roy Herburger and Sierra Enterprise Elementary Schools.

The Unity Center is a dedicated space for celebrating California’s “diverse people, customs and cultures.” The annual rally has been a long-time priority for Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. His coalition brings together Sacramento school districts to educate students on the importance of taking a stand against bullying/cyberbullying and all forms of intolerance.

EGUSD Students line up to get into the CA Museum Unity Center

Students are greeted by Museum docents as they enter the Unity Center. 

Through the center’s interactive media exhibits, advocacy tools and educational programs, visitors are empowered to be Unity Activists, exercising their rights and standing up for the rights of others.

Sierra Enterprise Students at the CA Museum Unity Center

Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying Youth Rally

Students from Sierra Enterprise Elementary shared their takeaways from the day…

“It doesn’t matter whether you are black, white, Asian, Arab, Hispanic, gay, straight, bi, Christian, atheist, Muslim, Jewish, skinny, fat, tall, short, male, female, where you live, who you live with, what you like to do, or anything in between – I don’t care, as long as you’re a good person, we’ll get along just fine.”  – Miricah, 6th Grade

“The most important thing I learned was that anyone and everyone can make a difference.” – Teresa, 6th Grade

“I learned how important it is to stand up and speak out against bullying. Be kind and treat each other with respect.” – Faith, 6th Grade

“Being there made me think that I’m lucky to be in the school I’m in because in my school they teach all of us how to be kind. I’m glad my school is bullying free.” – Karol, 6th Grade

Markofer Elementary Mustang News – Video Creation

We’ve long recognized that the most powerful teaching method is students teaching students, especially around issues of bullying/cyberbullying. The 6th Grade Morning News Team at Markofer Elementary have stepped up, focusing on digital citizenship themes, to produce a set of videos available to their classmates and beyond via their YouTube channel. Although Markofer teacher Tammy Null is a master at making the best of what equipment she has gathered, her in-classroom studio was given a needed upgrade this year with a SEVA grant through SECC – Our local Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium.

One of the topics Markofer students addressed for #DigCitWeek was the importance of building a positive digital footprint.

Joseph Kerr Middle School – #DigCitWeek Daily Discussion/Action Starters and Video Creation
Joseph Kerr Middle School students participated in daily discussions based on digital/global topics provided by Activities Director Chris Perris.

  • Monday – The Power of a Positive Post: Take a minute to tell us why #JKMSRocks
  • Trustworthy Tuesday: Take some time and do legitimate research online on something that interests you or one of your friends. Use a reliable news source and tell someone about it.

Fake News

  • World Wide Wednesday:  Learn about a problem going on in the world currently and think of ways you could contribute to ending it and if possible put that idea into action.
  • Think It Over Thursday: Take only 5 minutes out of your day and learn about some of the positives and negatives of social media to help keep you out of trouble.
  • Fab Friday: Leave one of your friends a message telling them how good of a person they are and what they mean to you.

JKMS Leadership students, under Chris’s supervision, took things one step further. They decided to take on rumors and fake news as a topic for their upcoming short film. Below is a behind the scenes photo – we will be posting a link once their editing is completed.

JKMS Leadership Students

Herman Leimbach Elementary – VoiceThread
The Make Your Mark VoiceThread is from a group of 2nd graders, who reflected on the Peter H. Reynolds’ award-winning story The Dot by creating their own Dot stories, using Google Slides as their drafting board and then importing the slides into a VoiceThread – and in the process, began building a positive digital footprint for their ePortfolios. The students also put into practice, with no prompting from Computer Resource Teacher (CRT) Cathe Petuya, how to respectfully comment and add to an online conversation.

Maeola Beitzel and Irene B. West Computer Labs – Student Activities
CRT Ken Lagomarsino taught Betizel students grade-level appropriate “Quick-Start Activities” from Common Sense, providing every student the opportunity to earn – and proudly display – their  “Digital Passport and Digital Compass” badges.

Fourth grade students at Irene B. West had the opportunity to participate in Google’s Interland Challenge during CRT Uyen Villa’s computer lab sessions.  

Every student in grades 3-6 explored the four interactive worlds in Interland and earned their certificates, proving themselves to Be Internet Awesome!  Each land focuses on a fundamental skill that is key to becoming good digital citizens.

  • Kind Kingdom – It’s Cool to Be Kind
  • Reality River – Don’t Fall for Fake
  • Mindful Mountain – Share with Care
  • Tower of Treasure – Secure Your Secrets

Uyen’s students shared a few thoughts about what they learned in the Interland Challenge.

“In Interland, I learned to be kind to everyone and help make the internet a better place by reporting bullying or teasing.  I also learned to stay safe online by not telling private information to strangers and to watch out for scams, fake messages, and other suspicious looking games and websites online.”  – Leiann May, 4th Grade

“I have learned it’s important to have a strong password. The Kind Land also taught me it’s important to be kind and not a bully.”– Bao, 4th Grade

Monterey Trail High School – Media Literacy
Media literacy was the focus over at MTHS for #DigCitWeek, with librarian Karin Ledford leading the charge. Each day of the week, she provided teachers with links to lessons and resources by sending out a daily template with a media literacy Word/Phrase of the Day, an Article of the Day, a Video of the Day, a Fake Website of the Day and a Fake News Story of the Day for teachers to pull from to use in their classrooms.

Media Literacy at MTHS Google Doc

Las Flores – Staff Training/Copyright
An email from teacher Joan Siddens reminded us that it’s not just students who need to be aware of digital citizenship issues and resources. Teachers also need training. With fake news being front and center, and cyberbullying on the rise, we all need to be teaching and practicing good digital citizenship. Joan reached out to us for permission to pull some content from our copyright/fair use and media literacy resources to use in her presentation for an upcoming staff meeting.

Las Flores Staff Training on Copyright

We at Elk Grove Unified celebrated another successful Digital Citizenship Week. We were happy to share (boast about) good things happening at our schools during a recent national webinar sponsored by EdWeb, Common Sense and ISTE that we participated in as presenters. As we shared specific examples of #DigCit in action, people from all over the world joined in the chatroom, leaving very positive comments and praising our teachers for the work they do. Participating in the Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying Youth Rally was the high point of #DigCitWeek for us and reinforced our #DigCitCommit for the 2018-19 school year.

category: Assemblies, Bullying, Common Sense Media, Cyberbullying, DigCit News, digital footprint, ISTE, Media Literacy, Student Voice, Upstanders
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Digital Citizenship Week: Oct.15-19

Posted by  on Monday, October 1st 2018     

Digital Citizenship Week

All of our EGUSD Digital Citizenship Site Coordinators have been busy submitting their site implementation plans for the 2018-19 school year. We are looking forward to showcasing what our schools do to celebrate Digital Citizenship Week, part of National Bullying Prevention Month. We are also excited by a recent invitation from EdWeb, Common Sense and ISTE to participate in their national webinar highlighting digital citizenship week activities.

We invite you to explore some of the below resources, which may inspire you to try something new during Digital Citizenship Week.

California Department of Education

The California Department of Education, in collaboration with Common Sense Media and the California State legislature, will celebrate Digital Citizenship Week: October 15-19, 2018. This celebration will continue to emphasize ongoing efforts to empower students in the areas of critical thinking, online safety, and responsible use of technology at school and at home.

This year’s topics include:

  1. Online Privacy
  2. Media/Online Literacy
  3. Anti-Bullying
  4. Positive Online Communities/Digital Leadership

The CDE’s weekly plan of events for Digital Citizenship Week provides links to Common Sense Media Lessons for educators and family resource/activity links in both English and Spanish. You can download the Digital Citizenship Weekly Plan from their website.
Note: The CDE’s weekly plan links to the old Common Sense lessons for grades 3-5. The pages have warning messages letting users know that they have updated their curriculum for grades 3-5, with links to the new lessons. Be sure you use the new/updated lessons. The updated curriculum addresses these six topics: Media Balance & Well-Being; Privacy & Security; Digital Footprint & Identity; Relationships & Communication; Cyberbullying, Digital Drama & Hate Speech; and News & Media Literacy.

Common Sense Media – Digital Citizenship Week

What’s New?
In the eight years since Common Sense launched their K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum, they’ve responded to educator needs and concerns related to the rapidly changing digital landscape. We’re pleased to announce a significant update to their curriculum built on new research with Harvard’s Project Zero to make sure educators have the best resources to prepare today’s students for success. “Whether you’re new to our curriculum or have been using it for years, we think you’ll be excited to learn more.” – Common Sense Media

The updated Common Sense K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum will be released in phases over the course of the 2018–2019 school year. Here’s when you can expect the lessons to launch.

  • August 15: Grades 3–5 lessons are available now
  • January: Grades 6–8 lessons launch.
  • Fall 2019: Grades K–2 and 9–12 lessons launch.

Learn more about the new updates to the curriculum on CSM’s website.

Digital Passport:
September 25, 2018 – The Digital Passport™ update is here! CSM’s award-winning suite of interactive games for grades 3–5 is now easier to use and even includes Mix-n-Mash, a great resource for a lesson on copyright/creative credit.

Students remix media content to create a new creative piece. Along the way, they give proper credit to the artists whose images and sound clips they use.

Students will:

  • Learn about copyright, credit, and plagiarism and apply their knowledge to their own creative work.
  • Reflect on the ethical importance of giving credit to others for their work.
  • Determine how to receive credit for their digital creations.

Twitter

Educators – Are you following #DigCit on Twitter?

Following Twitter hashtags such as #DigCit will bring up collective resources and conversations. If you would like to delve into digital citizenship issues via a Professional Learning Network (PLN), Twitter is a great starting point.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

At ISTE 2018, ISTE CEO Richard Culatta challenged every educator to commit to doing one thing to push digital citizenship to the forefront for every student by sharing their commitment with #DigCitCommit. Many educators took up the challenge and shared their plans on social media. Be sure to follow the #DigCitCommit hashtag.

ISTE Article (September 28, 2018) 4 ways to fuel your #DigCitCommit – By Lauren Villaluz and Vanessa Monterosa

Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying

Stand Up Speak Out Poster

In 2011, OCA Sacramento and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (now Mayor Steinberg) founded the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Tolerance. The Coalition’s signature event is the Stand Up Speak Out! Annual Anti-Bullying Rally during National Bullying Prevention Month (October).  Elk Grove Unified students from Roy Herburger Elementary and Sierra Enterprise Elementary will participate in the youth rally.  This year’s event takes place at the California Museum – Unity Center.

Stand Up Speak Out! 6th Annual Youth Rally
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
CA Museum – Unity Center
1020 O Street, Downtown Sacramento

Download the Flyer

We’ve included lots of great resources for you to explore. As always, if you have additional resources to share, please leave a comment below.

category: Bullying, Campaigns, Common Sense Media, DigCit News, Events, ISTE, Student Voice
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EGUSD Students Stand Up and Speak Out Against Bullying

Posted by  on Wednesday, November 1st 2017     

Students from several of our EGUSD schools (Monterey Trail High School and Roy Herburger Elementary School) took the pledge to “Stand Up Speak Out” against bullying at the California Museum’s Unity Center as part of October’s National Bullying Prevention Month and Digital Citizenship Week celebrations.

Stand Up Speak Out Youth Rally - CA Museum - Unity Center

“The Unity Center at the California Museum celebrates the state’s diverse people, customs and cultures. Initiated in 1999 in response to a series of Northern California hate crimes, the Center’s interactive multimedia exhibits highlight leaders in the state’s rich civil rights history and encourage visitors to find common ground while embracing their own individuality.”

Stand Up Speak Out Against Bullying Event - CA Museum - Unity Center

We reached out to the 6th grade team of teachers at Roy Herburger to get their thoughts on the Rally and invited them to share some of their students takeaway messages from the event.

Mrs. Katsandres and her 6th grade class:

“The Stand-Up, Speak Out rally resonated with my students. They were touched by the stories they heard, enjoyed touring the Unity exhibit, and spending time with people that encouraged them to be who they are.” -Mrs. Katsandres

“I appreciated the presenters for telling us about their troubles with bullying. It is a very brave thing to do. I hope and believe that what they do will stop bullying in all ways. Cyber-bullying, publicly bullying and all different types of bullying will stop!” -Genevieve

“I thought that it was a very fun and educational field trip. I learned that you should still be yourself even if you are bullied. From hearing stories about those who were bullied, it inspired me to stand up to bullying. Overall, this field trip was very fun and very inspiring.” -Vy

“It was a very nice experience to hear other people’s thoughts about bullying and how we can prevent it from happening. I liked having a group of people stand up against bullying. I also liked how it taught others to stand up against bullying too! Participating in the anti-bullying rally was fun and I hope others stand up against bullying too.” -Angela

“I enjoyed taking a tour of the Unity room and also enjoyed the presentations.” -Marco

“I love this event because I know that bullying affects many lives and this helps stop it. I also like how other people shared their stories of bullying. If anyone at the rally has been bullied, they would know how to get through it.” -Stuart

“The anti-bullying rally was a really good field trip! I enjoyed listening to other people’s stories of being bullied. I recommend people go to the Stand-Up, Speak Out rally field trip.” -Kyle

Ms. Callaway’s 6th grade class:

“I feel that the field trip was an amazing experience.  I felt like the speeches people gave about how bullying affected their lives were very inspirational and was able to spread positivity to the audience.” -Jesse

“I absolutely love this event.  I was so thankful to attend.  I have been bullied before and right now some of my best friends are really hurting from bullying and depression, so I was very glad to also get things for them.  Thank you again.” -Anatolia

“The rally was very interesting overall.  Everyone seemed supportive and I grew more confident to express myself.  When someone teased my friend, I was able to stand up for her and stop the bully.” -Mary

Ms. Topete and Ms. Berry’s 6th graders:

“I thought it was very good because it showed me that people stand up against bullying and help the people who are being bullied.” -Gabriel

“ What I really enjoyed about the Bullying Rally is how many things are there for you to get help from.” -Seerat

“What I liked about the event is how we got to listen to other people’s stories.” -Mikayla

“I was inspired to help stop bullying. Thanks for inspiring others in my school. I loved it.” -Bekha

Students explore the new 4,000 square foot gallery celebrating California’s diverse people, customs and cultures.

CA Museum Unity Center - EGUSD Students

The Unity Center features interactive exhibits and engaging educational programs exploring California’s rich civil rights history.

Stand Up Speak Out Youth Rally Against Bullying - CA Museum - Unity Center

Students participate in an exhibit encouraging visitors to take an active stance against hate, intolerance and bullying.

We had the pleasure of joining Marielle Tsukamoto for the event. Marielle has been a huge part of our EGUSD Time of Remembrance Project. We invite educators across the globe to share the interviews and resources posted to the Time of Remembrance website with their students. It is our hope that through the living voices of survivors and witnesses of World War II and the Vietnam War, students will gain an understanding of the common threads that connect the exclusion and forced removal of any group of people – and the importance of standing up and speaking out for the rights of all citizens.

EGUSD students attending Stand Up Speak Out Against Bullying event at CA Museum - Unity Center

During Marielle’s interview, she shares her perspective on the impact of the internment years on her family and the Florin community during and following the war years – along with memories of “unsung heroes.”

“Having the Stand Up Speak Out Against Bullying Rally hosted by the CA Museum – Unity Center was especially inspiring for me,” said Marielle. “Empowering youth to speak out against the bullying of any group is truly a way to bring about positive change in any and all communities.”

We look forward to following up on the impact of this year’s Rally with the students who attended. This is our 5th year attending the Stand Up Speak Out Again Bullying Rally and every year is memorable and a call to action.

CA Museum Unity Center - Herburger Elementary School students

category: Bullying, Cyberbullying, Events, Student Pledges, Student Voice, Upstanders
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Digital Citizenship Week: Oct. 16-20

Posted by  on Thursday, October 5th 2017     

Digital Citizenship Week - October 16-20

All of our EGUSD Digital Citizenship Site Coordinators have been busy submitting their site implementation plans for the new school year and it’s refreshing to see changes that incorporate some of the new Common Sense Media and Google Be Internet Awesome materials we blogged about last month. We are looking forward to showcasing what our schools do to celebrate National Bullying Prevention Month and Digital Citizenship Week. Below we’ve listed some resources to ignite conversations and actions. We invite you to explore something new during Digital Citizenship Week.

California Department of Education

The California Department of Education, in collaboration with Common Sense Media and the California State legislature, will celebrate Digital Citizenship Week October 16-20, 2017. This celebration will continue ongoing efforts to teach students how to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world. 

This years’ topics include:

  1. Evaluating Sources/Fake News
  2. Social media
  3. Smart Device use
  4. Positive online presence

The CDE’s weekly plan of events for Digital Citizenship Week provides links to Common Sense Media Lessons for educators and family resource/activity links in both English and Spanish. You can download the Digital Citizenship Weekly Plan from their website. 

State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Educational Resources, Activities for 2017 CDE Digital Citizenship Week

“More than ever, it is crucial that our students and their families have the knowledge and tools to safely navigate the digital world we live in today,” Torlakson said. “The CDE and our partners have put together a curriculum of instruction addressing online security, privacy, cyberbullying, sourcing, verifying news sources, and other ways to make smart, safe, and ethical digital choices.”

Common Sense Media – Get Dig Cit-Ready

Common Sense Media rolled out their Get Dig Cit-Ready Campaign for Digital Citizenship Week a few days ago.

“Internet safety? Creative copyright? Fake news? With so many topics on your “to teach” list that go above and beyond the core curriculum, it’s essential to have a game plan.”

Common Sense Media Get Dig Cit-Ready Graphic

Share Your #DigCitMoment

There’s a chance for a #digcitmoment in your classroom every single day – Common Sense Media invites you to submit your story!

Twitter

Educators – Are you following #DigCit on Twitter?

Following Twitter hashtags such as #DigCit will bring up collective resources and conversations. If you would like to delve into digital citizenship issues via a Professional Learning Network (PLN), Twitter is a great starting point.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

#ISTEChat

#ISTEChat is back Oct 19th! Join Dr. Marialice BFX Curran to discuss the new #digcit with @mbfxc and @digcitkids!

#ISTEChat

Share the ISTE Infographic: Citizenship in the Digital Age on your classroom blog or website. See how the characteristics of a good citizen parallel — and differ from — those of a good digital citizen.

Download the ISTE – free digital citizenship guide
9 ways to enhance students’ safety, creativity and empathy.
Note: You will need to fill out a form to get your free guide.

CUE SF: Digital Citizenship Educator Night at Clever!

Network with other educators passionate about preparing our students with Digital Citizenship skills from around the Bay Area.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM PDT
Clever
1263 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

“Join CUE SF for their Digital Citizenship Educator Night at Clever and learn about an exciting lineup of tools and resources to prepare educators for Digital Citizenship Week!  In partnership with Clever and San Francisco Unified School District’s Department of Technology, CUE SF will be hosting resources and demos from Common Sense Education, Nearpod, iCanHelp, Everfi and even some fun videos and resources from Flocabulary!”

Register through Eventbrite

Stand Up Speak Out! Against Bullying

Interested in attending something more local to the Elk Grove/Sacramento area?

Stand Up Speak Out Event Poster

October is National Bullying Month and Cyberbullying is a key component. You are invited to join multiple districts, including EGUSD, at the 5th Annual Youth Rally. The previous year’s youth rallies took place on the steps of the California State Capitol; this year the event has moved to the California Museum – Unity Center.

Stand Up Speak Out! 5th Annual Youth Rally
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
CA Museum – Unity Center
1020 O Street, Downtown Sacramento

Download the Flyer

Know Your Apps

Video chat and anonymous apps are being used by most teens with access to a mobile device. Have you heard of Housechat, Sarahah or TBH?
Visit the EGUSD Digital Citizenship Social Media 101 page to familiarize yourself with the apps our students/children are using. Let us know if you have an app to add – because it’s difficult to keep up as new ones arrive in the app stores weekly.

EGUSD Digital Kids, Digital Classrooms Saturday Seminar

We are currently working on developing a workshop for our EGUSD Digital Kids, Digital Classrooms – Saturday Seminar on January 27, 2018, that focuses on Teaching Media Literacy – Evaluating Sources/Fake News. We look forward to this opportunity to share resources, best practices and frequently asked questions on a very current topic in digital citizenship. We agree with the stance that CA State Legislature has recently crafted regarding the importance of media literacy.

“Media literacy means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and use media and encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship.”

Be on the lookout for our workshop once registration opens.

We realize this is a lengthy post, but with so many great resources, we wanted to post them in one place. As always, if you have additional resources to share, please leave a comment below.

category: Bullying, Campaigns, Common Sense Media, DigCit News, Events, Infographic, Parents, Student Voice
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Defining Bullying and Cyberbullying

Posted by  on Tuesday, February 21st 2017     

“Isn’t ‘cyberbullying’ just another form of ‘bullying’? Why label it as a separate issue?”

We have been asked this question a number of times. And, yes, we agree that cyberbullying is a form of bullying. Ideally, there would not be a need to add “cyber” in front of “bullying.” However, based on regional, community and school events we have attended in the past few years regarding “cyberbullying,” we believe it is important to continue to make the distinction. While anonymity is difficult in a physical setting, typically online, students falsely assume they can remain anonymous and therefore will not be held accountable for anything they post/upload. For this reason something that perhaps would have never been an issue face-to-face, becomes one. Images or video are often altered using editing tools and then uploaded to YouTube, spreading the reach far beyond school hours and school grounds. 

With the ever-increasing availability of new social media apps and options, our students need explicit instruction on the safe, responsible, and ethical use of technology, both within and beyond the school day. In the short time EGUSD has been a Google Apps for Education/G Suite district, the teaching of digital citizenship has been steadily shifting from a stand-alone topic, often taught in a computer lab or during advisory period, to an integral part of the core curriculum. Across grade levels and subject areas, as students connect for online discussions and collaborative projects, teachers make use of teachable moments to address, for instance, a mean-spirited or mocking comment towards another student’s contribution – and in the process, possibly prevent an online incident from escalating into a face-to-face confrontation. More often than not, when a student is the target of cyberbullying (via texting, Instagram, SnapChat, YouTube, etc.), he or she is also bullied before, during, and/or after the school day. 

Below are some cyberbullying tactics (from Internet Safety 101: Cyberbullying) commonly used on social media.

Cyberbullying Tactics 

  • Cyberstalking: Posting or sending unwanted or intimidating messages, which may include threats
  • Cyberthreats: Remarks on the Internet threatening or implying violent behavior, displaying suicidal tendencies
  • Exclusion: Deliberately excluding someone from an online group
  • Flaming: Online fights where scornful and offensive messages are posted on websites, forums, or blogs
  • Gossip: Posting or sending cruel gossip to damage a person’s reputation and relationships with friends, family, and acquaintances
  • Harassment: Repeatedly posting or sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages
  • Impersonation: Breaking into someone’s e-mail or other online account and sending messages that will cause embarrassment or damage to the person’s reputation and affect his or her relationship with others
  • Outing and Trickery: Tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, which is then shared online

Whether a bullying incident happens in the cafeteria or online, the damage to a student’s well-being and the negative impact on the school culture can have far-reaching consequences. We appreciate that many of our favorite go-to resources on bullying, such as StopBullying.gov, also recognize both the differences and the connecting threads between bullying and cyberbullying.

We can not stress enough the importance and benefits of students, staff, and families coming together to confront all forms of bullying. In addition to student-led initiatives, school-wide campaigns, and teacher-guided discussions specifically targeting bullying/cyberbullying, we also value the power of story to change hearts, minds and behaviors. A movie, a book, or a YouTube video that introduces empathy and compassion can serve as an antidote to bullying and can often resonate with students far beyond the impact of a structured lesson. Stories from a school cafeteria or soccer field demonstrate in very real ways the difference a small group can make when they choose to use their school sites and/or social media to promote positivity and kindness.

 

Yes, cyberbullying is different from bullying, yet the two are interrelated, often inseparable, and continue to be equally serious issues. We are constantly on the lookout for resources to empower students to recognize and to speak out against both.

We welcome any resources you might recommend adding to our website. Please let us know by leaving a comment.

category: Bullying, Cyberbullying, Empathy, SEL
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4th Annual Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally

Posted by  on Monday, October 24th 2016     

We were proud to see students from Roy Herburger Elementary School and Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School actively participating at the October 19 Stand Up, Speak Up! Rally at the State Capitol. We also appreciate the dedication and commitment of EGUSD Board President Bobbie Singh-Allen as a key organizer for the event.

Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally

This is the fourth year local elementary and middle school students have come together to learn about the harmful effects of bullying, particularly through social media – and to be inspired to take action. The Elk Grove Unified Positive Youth Development hosted one of the booths with bullying prevention materials/giveaways.

EGUSD Positive Youth Development Team

At the Wall of Pledge booth, students were encouraged to add their own tips on bullying prevention.

Pledge Wall

An hour into the event, the students were asked to gather at the foot of the Capitol’s North Steps to listen to the speakers. Each speaker spoke passionately about the fact that bullying is preventable – but requires students to take the lead. At the close of the speeches, Bobbie Singh-Allen called on all students to Stand Up, Speak Out! against bullying by taking a pledge.

Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally

Edward Harris Middle School Principal Charles Amey summed up the event: “Bullying is a serious issue. Bringing students to the Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally confirms the importance of the topic and the need for students to take action at their own schools.”

Ed Harris Students at Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally

The October Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally is hosted by the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Tolerance and is Sacramento’s contribution to National Bullying Prevention Month.

Herburger student at Stand Up, Speak Out! Rally talking to reporter

It was inspiring to hear our students speak to reporters (such as the above student from Roy Herburger), cameramen, and community members on the need to address bullying – not only in October, but every month of the year.

 

category: Bullying, Events
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#UnfollowBullying at KAMS

Posted by  on Tuesday, February 23rd 2016     

Last week was #UnfollowBullying week at Katherine Albiani Middle School. The district-wide #UnfollowBullying student-led anti-cyberbullying campaign launched back in 2012 and staff and students at KAMS have continued to host a #UnfollowBullying week each year for the past 4 years.

KAMS - #UnfollowBullying Pledge Drive

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KAMS-#UnfollowBullying Art Show

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KAMS students took a stand against cyberbullying by participating in a week of activities and promotions that included a #UnfollowBullying art show, pledge drive and a visit from the Breakaway Tour (see below) and radio station 107.9 the end, for a successful lunch time event that the students really enjoyed.

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“The Breakaway Tour is a Youth Enlightenment program created by award winning recording artists “Rey y Kaye” in the fall of 2011. Rey y Kaye have been excellent role models throughout their musical career. Being from Sacramento, CA –  the group wanted to give back to the community in a way that would be not only fun, but beneficial as well. Through the Breakaway Tour, Rey y Kaye inspire and encourage students to set goals and believe in themselves. Reassuring students that anything in life is possible and if they can dream it they can achieve it.” Source: http://www.thebreakawaytour.com/about-us.html

All KAMS students have participated in ‘Internet Safety/Digital Citizenship’ lessons through their Social Science classes this year. The activities and lessons focused on Internet safety, cyberbullying, and building a positive digital footprint – All part of EGUSD’s 4 Main Themes of Digital Citizenship.

KAMS #UnfollowBullying week is the perfect way to bring everything together. Challenging students to stand up and speak out against cyberbullying and sharing resources with families through School Loop reminding everyone that digital drama is not cool!

Common Sense Media’s  – Comprehensive parent guide includes everything families need to know about cyberbullying, organized by age groups.

Way to go KAMS!

category: Bullying, Student Pledges
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#AddUpstander to the Dictionary!

Posted by  on Friday, November 20th 2015     

A shout out to The Bully Project for recognizing the need to address the role of the bystander and the importance of promoting upstanders. We agree with their position that although “Bullying Prevention Month might be over… the fight to raise awareness around bullying continues.”

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Image Source: #AddUpstander – Change.org

Throughout history, in current events, and across playgrounds, when a bystander finds the courage to stand up and speak out for themselves and/or for others, change happens. Being an upstander can be as simple as standing next to a person that is being bullied, refusing to forward a mean-spirited text message or photo, or having the courage to directly confront a bully.

Upstanders can have a huge impact. According to #AddUpstander – Change.org, “Research shows that over 50% of the time, when an upstander intervenes, a bullying situation is stopped in less than 10 seconds. So, imagine how many more upstanders, and how much less bullying there could be if the word was in the dictionary!”

We agree that it is high time Merriam Webster and Oxford English Dictionary add “upstander.” Given that “bystander” has been a recognized word for decades, “upstander” needs to be formally recognized as a word:

Upstander n.  A person who chooses to take positive action in situations where individuals are being harmed or in the face of injustice in society.”

upstander

Please join the movement and spread the word to #AddUpstander to the dictionary. We look forward to the day when our spellchecker will no longer put the squiggly red line under “upstander.”

As always, if you have upstander stories to share, please leave them via commenting. We especially welcome stories of students as upstanders. Those are the stories we love to see featured on the Upstanders Not Bystanders VoiceThread.

category: Bullying, Upstanders
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