SOCIAL MEDIA IN OUR SCHOOLS

Two special professional development opportunities related to student social media usage.

Oct. 15 – Cultivating Digital Wellness: Empowering Students in the Age of Social Media.  Presented by Devorah Heitner, a virtual workshop

Oct. 29 – Navigating the Legal Issues of Social Media and Technology Use in Schools

You may choose either workshop or choose both and receive a registration discount!

Cultivating Digital Wellness: Empowering Students in the Age of Social Media

A VIRTUAL half-day workshop presented by

Devorah Heitner

October 15, 2024

9:00am-12:00pm

Join Dr. Heitner to learn how to support students on issues related to sharing, privacy, and reputation. How can we help them figure out who they really are when everything can be shared and compared? What does it mean to be “famous” these days? How can we prepare all young people for the realities of having a searchable digital reputation? What can we do when explicit or hateful images and videos circulate in our communities via social media? 

This virtual workshop will support educators and school leaders in cultivating a positive culture of mentorship and digital wellness based on understanding the latest research on kids growing up in public. Rather than encourage students to be anxious that a misstep could cause them to be “canceled” or even jeopardize their admission to college, we can reframe the conversation about “digital footprint” to be a character-based conversation. School communities can shift the focus from threatening the consequences of a digital misstep so we can be proactive rather than reactive.  

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Participants will:

• Understand the new digital milestones kids are facing (first group chat, first cloud-based game, first phone)

• Understand the climate children, tweens and teens are facing in networked spaces from Roblox to Discord to TikTok and YouTube

• Learn to support mindful and consistent policies around digital culture and wellness for staff as well as students

• Connect their subject area to engaging students on issues of digital wellness, conflict resolution, reputation, character, empathy, etc.

• Build resources they can use in advisory sessions with students

• Create building blocks for responsible use agreements and classroom agreements

AUDIENCE

This workshop is ideal for teachers, APs, counselors, SEL team members, and principals.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER:  Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World and Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN Opinion. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. She is delighted to be raising her own teenager and she lives with her family in Chicagoland. You can follow her on Substack and on Instagram @devorahheitnerphd.

   A copy of Dr. Heitner’s book is included in the registration fee and will be mailed directly to the participant prior to the workshop.

Navigating the Legal Issues of Social Media and Technology Use in Schools 

A VIRTUAL HALF-DAY workshop presented by             

  DARCY KRIHA and CASSIE BLACK 

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

9:00am – 12:00pm

This online workshop will provide participants with an overview of the legal considerations regarding technology use by students and staff, both in an out of school. Participants will gain an understanding of Illinois and federal laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA), and Constitutional considerations. Additionally, this session will address the complex legal issues surrounding student use of technology, including cyberbullying and other inappropriate uses of technology, as well as educator use of social media in both their personal and professional lives. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to become more prevalent, participants will also learn school districts can proactively address its use in school by both students and staff.

Participants will:

• Understand the relevant State and federal laws and Constitutional considerations regarding student and staff technology use both in and out of school

• Understand when technology use outside of school can and should be addressed by the school

• Understand the legal considerations regarding the use of AI by students and staff

THIS WORKSHOP IS A HIGHLY INFORMATIVE SESSION ON A TIMELY TOPIC.  IT ALSO SERVES AS A GREAT FOLLOW UP PRESENTATION TO DR. HEITNER’S WORKSHOP,  CULTIVATING DIGITAL WELLNESS, on OCTOBER 15^TH.  (SEE REGISTRATION FOR DISCOUNT DETAILS)

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:

DARCY KRIHA, a partner with Kriha Boucek Law, has over 25 years of experience representing school districts across Illinois, Darcy’s practice is dedicated to representing boards of education and special education cooperatives. Her passion for serving clients with the utmost respect, coupled with her creative and collaborative resolutions, promotes her as a leader in the industry. Her work allows schools to focus on their important mission of educating children.  Darcy, along with her associates, present a series of legal breakfasts for the Midwest Principals’ Center, providing information/updates on critical legal issues faced by school leaders.

CASSIE BLACK, an associate with Kriha Boucek Law, has 17 years of experience in education as a school psychologist, assistant principal, director of student services, and assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and has worked with students and families from early childhood through high school.  Cassie has experience in a wide array of issues including special education, student discipline, and student rights and responsibilities. As a former educator, Cassie understands the needs of clients and is able to help arrive at student- centered solutions that blend best practices and legal requirements. She remains an educator today as an adjunct professor at Loyola University’s School of Education