Our students are avid technology users, and while they think they know everything about technology, there are many ways that we can teach them about safety and using the Internet wisely.  Safety issues such as online predators, computer viruses, and cyberbullying are a few of the issues that are discussed in technology class.  Please discuss with your children the issues of privacy online, securing passwords, treating others with respect online and how to protect their identity.  Below are some sites for your reference, please contact me if you have any questions. 

Child Safety on the Information Highway  from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Netsmartz.org An additional site from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  This site has activities and information for parents, teens, educators and young children.  The videos are great and help to get the safety theme through to kids.   

SafetyTips from MySpace.com  The website MySpace.com, a social networking site, has posted tips for parents.  Children under the age of  14 should not have a myspace account.  This link also gives you a link to remove your child's profile from MySpace and gives additional links on Internet Safety.

A MySpace Cheat Sheet for Parents  A Question and answer site from the Technology magazine "Wired".

U.S. Department of Education on Identity Theft  Adults and students use the Internet to shop, make social contacts and put their personal information online.  This site will help you understand the dangers and the ways to protect yourself from Identity fraud.

Office of the Attorney General - Megan's Law - This website has a link to a sex offender locator site.  While specific information is not made public, it is a good way to show students that danger does indeed exist close to home.