Tyrrell Middle SchoolParent Information NightOctober 6th, 2015

PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTOctober 6th, 20156:00pm - 8:00pm

6:00pm-6:40pm Presentation in the Auditorium- Guidance (Lynch, Buzzelli, Salustro) & Media Teacher (Sara Tedesco)- Cyberbullying, Naviance, Website, PowerSchool

6:50pm-8:00pm UA Classroom Visits (Tech. Ed, FCS, ART, Music, Phys. Ed)- 10 minute presentations by grade level- Parents will start at their assigned location and rotate to each Unified Arts Classroom after a brief ten minute presentation.- Groups are by grade and in alphabetical order by last name. o 6th Grade A-M Tech Ed. - Room 403 (Mirto)o 6th Grade N-Z FCS - Room 400 (Weber)o 7th Grade A-M Art - Room 405 (Kelsey)o 7th Grade N-Z Music - Room 501 (Jones & Regimbald)o 8th Grade (All Parents) Phys. Ed – Gymnasium (VanOrmer, Gargano, Krusewski) **Pam Conway from Project Explore will also be available to meet with parents

Wolcott Public Schools Website

www.wolcottps.org

Main parts

➔ Left Navigation menus ➔ Latest news➔ District News➔ Highlights➔ Calendar

Website Did you know?

❏ Morning Announcements❏ Google Classroom❏ Teacher Pages and Emails❏ Library Card Catalog❏ Athletics

Introduction to Student Support Services

Mrs. BuzzelliMrs. Salustro

Mr. Lynch

TMS School Counselors

What is a School Counselor?● Someone to help your child at school● We listen to their problems and try to help

● Friend troubles/fights● Family issues

● Proactive instruction● Career exploration/ Social Emotional Support/ Academic

support● Our role and goal is to help your child in any way we

can!

What is a School Counselor?Areas of

Counseling● Academic● Personal/Social● Careers

Types of Counseling

● Individual● Small Group● Large Group

Individual Planning Sessions

● 2 times a year

● 10-15 minutes● We will discuss: Academics, Careers, How

student is doing

ConfidentialityWe keep everything between us and your

child unless they tell us:• They want to hurt themselves• They are being hurt by someone else• They are going to hurt someone else

Our main goal is to keep your child safe!

How To Reach Us● Email is best!

● Ebuzzelli@wolcottps.org● Mlynch@wolcottps.org● Wsalustro@wolcottps.org

● Phone calls:

● Call main office, Press “0” and ask receptionist to ask for us. Please leave message with receptionist if we are not available

NavianceStudent Success Plans

Connecting Learning & Life“Naviance is a comprehensive college and career readiness solution for middle and high schools that helps align student strengths and interests to post-secondary goals, and improve student outcomes.” (http://www.naviance.com/)

● Naviance is a web based tool the counselors use with students throughout middle and high school.

● Topics include: Individual Needs Assessments, Goal Setting, Learning Styles, Career exploration, and Career and Interests surveys.

● All the information is saved for students to access at any time.

Introduction to PowerSchool

PowerSchool● Getting to PowerSchool: www.Wolcottps.org● Parents Tab on Right

PowerSchool● PowerSchool Link

PowerSchool● Username (confidential ID)● Password● If you have issues with log in, contact wpssupport@wolcottps.org

PowerSchoolParent View

Robert Elizabeth

PowerSchool● Navigating the Parent Portal:

Each of the icons located on the left navigation banner of the PowerSchool Portal will provide information about your child

You can return to the home screen at any time by clicking on the PowerSchool logo

PowerSchool● Grades are “clickable” – click on grade to see list of assignments, tests, etc. that make

up grade

Robert Elizabeth

PowerSchool● Class Score Detail is an opportunity to see what assignments your child may be

missing or have turned in late● If assignment is in blue, opportunity to click on it to see more information

PowerSchool● To email your student’s teacher, simply click on their name (in blue) on any of the

screens.

Robert Elizabeth

PowerSchoolAttendance History: ● TMS takes attendance each day during 1st Period. ● The Attendance History window lists each class, but refer to 1st Period to determine

the days your child was absent or tardy.

Robert Elizabeth

PowerSchoolAttendance History: ● Description of attendance codes at the bottom of the Attendance

History window. ● A=Absent● B=Absent/Callin, etc.

● If your child is absent, you must call the school

PowerSchoolEmail Notifications: ● To sign up for automatic email reports

PowerSchoolAs a suggestion, set email notifications for:

“Detailed reports showing all assignment scores for each class”

Set frequency to either “Once a week” or “Once every two weeks”

FYI: Reports are sent on Monday mornings

PowerSchool● InfoSnap:

At beginning of year, back to school forms (emergency contact form, medical form, etc.) are located here

The World of Social Media Social Media & Your Child-

A Parent’s GuideTyrrell Middle School

School Counseling Department

What is Social Media?

Social media is the interaction among people in which they create, share or exchange information and ideas in virtual

online communities and networks.

A few Social Media Statistics….

• A 2010 study by the University of Maryland suggested that social media services may be addictive.

• Social-mobile rules: 60% or so of social media time is spent not on desktop computers but on smartphones and tablets.

• Teens use their cellphones to text - an average of 60 times a day!

• There are 1.2 billion users per day!

• More than a third of recent marriages in the USA started online . However, 1 in 5 divorces have been blamed on Facebook!

Why Social Media?• Easy• Fun/entertaining • Sometimes faceless• Fast/immediacy• Frequency• Reaches multitudes of people• Cost/Free• Constantly updating/adding (NEW types- gaming!)

Criticism of Social Media

• Can Negatively Affects relationships

– Exclusiveness– Can choose friends and choose to exclude others

• Inequality

• Trustworthiness

– Too much faith put into what is read and seen online?– Where is the information coming from?

Criticism of Social Media, cont’d• Children- tend not to think for themselves anymore

• Ownership & credibility

– Is the information true?– Who is behind the screen making that judgment?

• Privacy

– Where does your personal information go?– Who has access to your information?

~Popular among school age kids~The good, the bad and the …what did my kid do?!

• Facebook• Instagram• YouTube• Snap Chat• Kik• Vine• Pheed

Let’s take a closer look!http://www.commonsensemedia.org/search

Facebook

Facebook- is a popular social-networking site. Users connect with people of their choosing, either privately or publicly, in which they can then communicate with. They can see various aspects of what they post. Users also can play games, watch videos, decorate their pages, post and tag photos, share favorite product information, "like" favorite celebrities and social causes, and more. Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- For ages 13+- Available in several App stores- Quick and easy way to share information about

yourself- Way to communicate with others all over the world- Link to pages and organizations- Can post pictures, videos, locations- Ability to block others- Default privacy notices for ages 13-17

- Shows every activity of posts from the day you joined

- Confusion with privacy settings, especially with new updates; have to change individually

- Will track locations if not set otherwise- Lots of ads for games and off site

businesses/apps- Graph search that enables business to see

your interests based on your posts and listed interests- SPAM

Kik (and other messaging Apps)

Kik - is an app-based alternative to standard texting, as well as, a social networking app

for smartphones

Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- Suggested for ages 17+- Available in many App stores- Do not have to have cell phone to use, available with Ipod

touch- Quick and easy way to communicate that is not linked to

phone messaging system; People use to avoid texting costs on phone plans

- Offers swift text messaging service & allows users to share photos, sketches, voice messages

- users can download other apps with more features, such as video and a sketchpad

- users can see if their messages have been read by the recipients, which is a nice touch

- Commendable support forum & safety features to help with cybersafety

- User names and profiles not clear- Unclear about texting people individually, with

groups, and within a social networking environment

- Major issue with sexting, profanity, pornography- Easily linked to other social media (Instagram)- Lack of control/policing- Top site for pedophiles, predators and fake

personas

Snapchat

Snapchat- a messaging app used to send photos to friends. Once viewed, the photo self-destructs in a matter of seconds.How Snapchat works

– Snap a picture and select a friend or group of friends to send it to. (They must also use Snapchat to receive the picture.) When sending, you choose how long the picture will be available for viewing, from 1 to 10 seconds. When your friend receives the “snap” they must press and hold to view the picture. After the time is up, the picture is no longer available.

Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- For ages 13+- Available in several App stores- Do not have to have cell phone to use, available with Ipod

touch- Quick and easy way to share pictures- Ability to block others- Notifications sent if a screenshot is taken

- Creates false sense of security of sending pictures without consequences

- Prone for Impulsive sharing- Rise in trend of lack of inhibitions- Always traceable- Lead to sexting, explicit actions

Instagram

Instagram - is an app used to take, edit, enhance and post photos and videos. Contains enhancement tools to add borders, effects, text to media. Used for individual purposes as well as to promote businesses, events, locations.

Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- For ages 13+- Available in several App stores- Quick and easy way to share pictures and videos- Ability to block others and/or accept friends- Compatible/easily linked to other social medias- Easy report system

- Some items must be purchased to use- Some mature content- Photos posted here are public- Photos may have location information linked

to them- Easily linked to other medias - Tagging may unknowingly occur and show up

on other medias

Twitter

Twitter- is a “microblogging” and social media app. The service allows users to post brief, 140-character messages -- called “tweets” -- and follow their friends' activities through the web, IM, or cell phones.

Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- For ages 13+- Available in several App stores- instant updates on posts- Users can choose to keep their tweets private and individually

approve followers- users can limit their exposure to ads and promos - Do not have to have cell phone to use, available with Ipod touch- Quick and easy way to share pictures- Users can choose to post their location along with each Tweet

or not

- safety, privacy, and lasting digital footprint- Anything you upload to the Internet -- including Twitter

updates -- can linger in cyberspace for a long time- while you can remove Tweets, your followers can still

read what you wrote until it's gone- increasingly being used as a promotional tool for

products and celebrities,

Vine

Vine- is a social media app. Like Instagram for pictures, Vine is for videos. It allows users to share all forms of digital content — links, images, videos, audio files and live stream events. Posts are limited to 420 characters. Users can create short, looping videos that can be instantly shared. Vine has only been around for a few years, but has risen to #1 in the app store.

Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- For ages 17+- Available in several App stores- Quick and easy way to share videos- Broad range of topics

- Mature content that is accessible to all viewers

- Innocent searches can bring up explicit topics(sex, drugs, offensive language, nudity, etc.)

- Easy to bypass age requirement

Pheed

Pheed- is like Instagram for videos. It allows users to share all forms of digital content — links, images, videos, audio files and live stream events. Posts are limited to 420 characters.

Pro’s Con’s

- Free app- For ages 13+- Available in several App stores- Do not have to have cell phone to use, available

with Ipod touch- Quick and easy way to share pictures- Ability to block others

- Creates false sense of security of sending pictures without consequences

- Impulsive sharing- Lack of inhibitions- Always traceable- Lead to sexting

..and many more (now and in the future!)

Online Safety TipsYou can’t monitor your child all the time, but here are a few daily tips.

• Keep your computer in a central location in the home.

• Create a game plan for technology– Set a time for no access to technology Ex. Off after 9:00– Charge in parents room or central location overnight– No internet between particular hours

• Become a net savvy parent!– Check out the sites ahead of time

Online Safety Tips, cont’d

• Content blockers and filters are great tools to use with younger kids.

• Consider tracking software for older teenagers.

• Remember that not all adult sites post an industry rating that can be identified by blocker, filter, or tracker software.

• Nothing can replace your involvement and supervision.

• Keep a list of your child’s passwords. Phone, computer, and apps.

• Encourage Digital Citizenship!

Steps To Take If Your Child Is Being Cyberbullied

★ Children may avoid telling their parents when things happen online or offline.

★ Most importantly parents need to be supportive during this time.

If you find that your child is being bullied:

❏ Report the incident within the application first, and/or block the person.❏ Let the school know so the school counselor, teachers, and administrators can keep an eye out

for in-school bullying and how your child is handling things.❏ Give constant support and love, helping them to feel secure.❏ Should your child become depressed and withdrawn, consider a professional therapist,

counselor, or psychologist.❏ Be vigilant checking your child’s internet and phone use.

Steps To Take If Your Child Is Being Cyberbullied, cont’d

❏ Your actions have to escalate as the threat and hurt to your child does. ★ Consider...is your child at risk of physical harm or assault?★ How are they handling the attacks emotionally?

❏ If there is any indication that personal contact information has been posted online, or any threats are made to your child:★ You must run, do not walk to your local law enforcement. ★ Let the school know.★ Take a print-out of all instances of cyberbullying to show them.

Helpful Sites• Tips for parents

– http://www.parentfurther.com/technology-media/online-safety?gclid=CLnTurSax70CFchFMgodZFgA9g– http://www.internetsafety.com/internet-safety-tips-for-parents.php – http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide – https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/internet-safety-tips-for-elementary-school-kids– http://www.ncpc.org/topics/internet-safety/tips-for-parents– http://www.staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/for-parents/raising-digital-citizens – http://www.bewebsmart.com/app-review/appcertain-adds-curfew-mode/ – http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/pages/Talking-to-Kids-and-Teens-About-

Social-Media-and-Sexting.aspx

• Kids Internet Safety site– http://ilearntechnology.com/?p=2941 – http://www.netsmartz.org/internetsafety

Helpful Sites, cont’d• Specific Social Media concerns

Snap chathttp://www.parentfurther.com/blog/snapchat-and-teenagers

Kikhttp://www.bewebsmart.com/internet-safety/is-kik-okay-for-kids/ http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/parents-need-to-know-about-kik

Instagramhttp://www.bewebsmart.com/social-media/kids-and-instagram/

http://www.bewebsmart.com/mobile-devices-tablets/not-all-apps-are-for-kids/http://www.commonsensemedia.org/search/kik

References • http://outthinkgroup.com/tips/the-6-types-of-social-media

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media