Elementary school updates:
    1.    Student-led conferences are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Students are leading the conferences. It is a good time for students to demonstrate their agency in their learning.

    2.    Spring break is next week—March 23 to March 31
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    3.    MAP testing is from April 22 to April 25.

    4.    Playday dates:

    •    May 21 for kindergarten and first grade

    •    May 22 for second grade and third grade

    •    May 23 for fourth grade and fifth grade


Living and learning in a digital age: Ben Summerton
    •    Momo is a viral hoax. There is no evidence that Momo exists except for the spread of fear that Momo possibly exists. The challenge is for us to discern know what is real and what isn’t real and not to jump on the very first Tweet or article that comes along.

    •    The internet can create change too. For example: #ClimateStrike #ClimateChangeStrike

    •    Screen time is not really the issue— it is about what students are doing with that screen time?

    •    Screen time denies so many possibilities to learn, to demonstrate attempts, or celebrate successes and failures.

    •    With technology, the expectations are a little blurred, behaviors are unknown and so the outcome is unpredictable.


Parents’ role is to help students navigate through technology. Roles and expectations are to be clear:

    •    Choices and alternatives should be offered. 

    •    Refrain from telling a kid what to do. 

    •    Use few words and wrap consequences in a loving blanket of empathy.

    •    “You create the outcome you deserve”


Digital family meeting
A digital family meeting can be influential. The role:
    •    Respectful sharing of control

    •    Development of self-discipline

    •    Listen in ways that invite listening

    •    Respectful sharing of responsibility

    •    Shared modeling of behavior


A digital family meeting should NOT be:
    •    A power struggle (Drill sergeant)

    •    Micromanagement of children (Helicopter)

    •    One-sided discussion (Drill sergeant, helicopter)

    •    Rules bound (Drill sergeant)

    •    Defined only by children’s behavior (Drill sergeant, helicopter)


A digital family meeting could be organized by these:
    •    Time boundaries

    •    When and where

    •    Digital world

    •    Responsibility

    •    Explore


An initiative intended to help parents negotiate online safety through mentoring their children in their online habits rather than controlling them through restrictions and strong arm threats of discipline:

An initiative developed by Kerri-Lee Beasley & Daniel Johnstone.