Kent Falcons News
Greetings Kent Community,
This week I write on a topic indirectly related to our work at school, yet critical to consider when raising children of Middle School age in 2021: supporting appropriate cell phone use and digital citizenship.
Just in the past three weeks alone, Kent teachers and administration have supported students in working though at least six social conflicts related to digital communication outside of school. These incidents have spanned across grade levels 5th through 8th. When digital communication outside of school starts to have an impact on students’ time while at school, it becomes our collective obligation to respond.
The issues that have recently come to our attention include videos being taken and shared without students’ permission, inappropriate and graphic photos shared widely on text threads, and cruel language willfully used and spread to describe peers. We attempt to address the effects of these scenarios when they impact our school day, and we have proactive lessons embedded within Life Skills curriculum, Advisory classes, and Expectation Talks to repeatedly and explicitly teach appropriate technology use and digital citizenship. Yet, social pressures and modeling from peers tends to influence behavior in ways that supersede lessons from school and home alike.
As parents/guardians raising children in the digital age, we have the responsibility to coach our children for success and safety in their digital lives. Please consider the following recommendations, adapted from Common Sense Media, regarding steps parents can take to support and monitor our children in digital space:
- Talk with your child about the ways they and their peers are using technology, and ask specific questions about recent ‘happenings’ online. Children should expect our curiosity about their digital lives as well as their analog lives.
- Privacy online is earned, and typically only when children are much older and more mature than middle schoolers. Know your child’s passwords, and set the expectation that you periodically check in with their online activity. There are simply far too many dangers online to allow children of this age free reign over online content and communication.
- Be ready to respond without judgement to what you discover in these conversations or through these regular ‘check ins’ with digital devices. Our kids engage with language and concepts online and through texts in ways they almost certainly would not in person. Rather than responding with shock and criticism, it will likely have greater impact and safer outcomes if you can listen and redirect with curiosity and empathy.
- Consider taking the Wait Until 8th pledge, and wait until your child is in 8th grade to provide them with a smartphone. While difficult to do, and not preferred among most of our children, this approach does make a lot of sense developmentally, and is gaining traction in communities like ours.
Thank you for your partnership in this complicated task of raising and educating our children in the 21st century.
Grant Althouse
Kent Principal
galthouse@kentfieldschools.org
Tuesday, October 5: Kent Site Council Meeting, 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 6: & KIK Kent Family Social, 1:15-3 p.m.
Thursday, October 14: Kent Picture Retake Day
Kent School Photos
You have the ability to order pictures online by visiting dorianstudio.com and searching for your school’s name. Your online order can be placed before and up to four (4) days after picture day.
Los padres pueden ordenar fotos en línea en dorianstudio.com buscando el nombre de su escuela. Su pedido en línea se puede realizar antes y hasta cuatro (4) días después del día de la foto.
After the 4-day grace period expires, a personalized access key will be sent home with picture delivery. A $7 shipping and handling fee will be added to all orders made with a personalized
access key and orders will ship directly to your home.
DESPUÉS DE QUE EXPIRE EL PERÍODO DE GRACIA DE 4 DÍAS: Un código de acceso personalizado le será enviado a su hogar con sus pedidos. Estas órdenes incluyen una tarifa de $7 de envío.
Questions?
Contact our Customer Advocate Team at support@dorianstudio.com or call (800) 826-3535.
Kent Cross-Country Meets
at Miller Creek………………………………………….……….…. Tues. 10/5 (4 p.m.)
at Kent…………………………………………………………….……… Thurs. 10/14 (4 p.m.)
at College of Marin Indian Valley Campus……….….Fri. 10/29 (4:15 p.m.)
Kent Flag Football Games
vs. Mark Day……………………………………Mon. 10/4 (4 p.m.)
vs. Davidson…………………………………….Mon. 10/11 (4 p.m.)
vs. Davidson………………………………......Thurs. 10/28 (4 p.m.)
vs. Lagunitas…………………………………..Thurs. 11/4 (3:45 p.m.)
Kent Volleyball Games
7th grade team at Hall……………………………………….Tues. 10/5 (4 p.m.)
8th grade team at Lagunitas……………………………Wed. 10/6 (4 p.m.)
7th grade team vs. West Marin………Tues. 10/12 (4 p.m.)
8th grade team at Miller Creek…………………….…Wed. 10/13 (4 p.m.)
7th grade team vs. White Hill……….…Wed. 10/20 (4 p.m.)
7th grade team vs. Del Mar………………Tues. 10/26 (4 p.m.)
8th grade team vs. Mark Day……………Wed. 10/27 (4 p.m.)
7th grade team at Miller Creek………………………….Tues. 11/2 (4 p.m.)
8th grade team at Davidson……………………………….Wed. 11/3 (4 p.m.)
7th grade team at Davidson……………………………….Tues. 11/9 (4 p.m.)
8th grade team vs. San Domenico……Wed. 11/10 (4 p.m.)
Volunteer Opportunities at Kent
Would you like to contribute to emergency preparedness at Kent?
- Please consider signing up to join a team of volunteers who will help to organize the materials for our student release process, in the event that we ever need to release students during the school day due to an emergency. Sign up for this team through this link!
Are you available in the mornings or afternoons to help keep our driveway safe?
- Please email the KSPTA Vice President of Kent, Katharine O’Brien (katobrien22@gmail.com) to sign up for a morning or afternoon slot to direct traffic during drop off/pick-up.