Online Safety & Cyberbullying

Holy Spirit School Bullying Policy

Bullying Reporting Form with instructions

Online Safety

With social networking becoming a mainstay of modern daily lives, it is important to be aware of the many issues which can arise from an age of global digital communication. Safety issues, privacy concerns, and cyberbullying have become an unfortunate part of online technology. These are just a few links that provide a wealth of information on how to protect yourself and your family from possible stalkers, criminal activity, and potential cyber threats.

Kik Messenger and Instagram ~ A Dangerous Combination

From tech blogger "HighTechDad: Where Technology and Fatherhood Collide" ~ Parents Beware: Instagram and Kik Messenger are a Dangerous Combination & What Social Dangers to Check For

Be Web Smart - Kids and Instagram

Be Web Smart is a web site offering articles, tips, guidance and reviews for parents who want to keep their families safe and productive online.

Parents Guide to Facebook

Designed to help parents understand what Facebook is and how to use it safely.

Yahoo Safely

Discusses how to make smart and safer choices online.

Google Family Safety Center

Helpful advice from Google & their partners to keep your family safe online.

NetSmartzKids

An interactive, educational program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) that provides age-appropriate resources to help teach children how to be safer on- and offline.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is the repeated harassment by texting, instant messaging, email and other electronic forms of communication. Messages are intended to be abusive, hurtful, degrading, or embarrassing to the victims. Here are a few tips to address cyberbullying from our No Bully workshops that were held at Holy Spirit School. No Bully is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) non-profit. Its mission is to bring innovative, long-term solutions to school bullying, harassment and violence.

Establish a respectful environment at home. Parents who use physical power and inconsistent consquences tend to create children who rely on power to get their way.

Be mindful of how you talk about others in front of your child. If you gossip or put down others, you are teaching your children to do the same.

Have a conversation with your teen about social networking sites and the effect of posting false words, rumors and hurtful images. If you teen wants to join a social networking site, establish a rule that you have full access, and ask that they restrict access only to friends.

Teach your child how to protect their anonymity e.g. always use a screen name, do not respond to insults or threats, do not give out personal details such as your last name, date of birth, your school, the dangers of phishing.

Do not give ANYONE your password (not even your best friend), so that no one can pretend to be you online.

Discuss with your child the responsibilities that come with social networking privileges e.g. what to post, what not to post.

Respect others. Do not participate in cyberbullying, flaming, posting anything online that you would not say or show face to face.

Give your child the assurance that you will not pull their internet privileges if they seek your help.

Go over your house rules and consequences for misuse.

Additional Resources