In the spring of 2020, ESJ's Student Services Department identified social media and technology as key contributors to student anxiety levels. Our teachers echo the sentiment and strive to incorporate technology in the classroom without losing connection to students and each other. We know technology is reaching students at younger and younger ages and it is important to include parents of children of all ages in these discussions. The Winston Family Technology and Teenagers grant has given the Episcopal community the opportunity to collaborate, educate, and explore the use of technology in and out of the classroom over the last three years.

Amy Burrows Perkins '92, Director of Student Services, and Tracy Jester, Dean of Students, were designated to take the lead and implement opportunities the grant could fund. Their first goal was to identify potential resources that may provide a better understanding of the digital age that influences ESJ students on a daily basis. 

    • ESJ partnered with Josh Ochs at Smart Social for the length of the grant, beginning in January of 2020. Smart Social's team is dedicated to teaching students and families how to use social media to make a positive impact and how to "Shine Online." Parents and students had free access to all content provided by Smart Social. The website provided families with the most up-to-date information on social media apps as well as the potential risks regarding privacy, security, and age-appropriate content. In addition, the grant supported VIP (Very Informed Parent) access for all Episcopal parents, providing access to a video library which contained courses on the most popular teen apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and even online gaming like Minecraft. 

 

    • Additional student activities, including Online Safety Training, Virtual Reality Distracted Driving Experience, and a Digital Field Day were other programs funded by the grant in 2020-2022. 

 

    • Freshman Seminar classes participated in a day dedicated to driving safety and digital relationships in the spring of 2021. One of the three stations focused on the hazards of distracted driving. Each student had the opportunity to participate in AT&T's "It Can Wait"  virtual driving experience. Students had a glimpse into what driving would be like when distracted by text messaging and other phone notifications. Another station, Digital Relationships, gave the students the opportunity to share their thoughts on various "What would you do?" hypothetical scenarios. Topics included sharing passwords, someone taking their picture without permission, and sharing sensitive information with others. 

 

    • Students are leading parts of the initiative. As part of Episcopal's Health, Safety, and Well-Being event in September 2021, students in grades six through 12 participated in a Digital Field Day. Members of the AIR Student Council led the following stations: Builders and Cyberbullies, Inclusion Bucketball, Resource Relay, and more. The focus of this event was inclusion, identifying student resources at ESJ, and for students to understand the impact of cyberbullying on a community. In addition, Nia Atcherson '23 hosted "Teen Talks" with Upper School students, using her participation in a program at Harvard called "Making Caring Common."

 

    • The Monique Burr Foundation provided facilitator programming for Real World Safety: Protecting Youth Online and Off. A Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Digital Safety Course. The partnership with the Monique Burr Foundation will be renewed for an additional three years and the Lower School campuses will offer Child Safety Matters programming for students and families.

 

    • New partnerships are planned with organizations such as The Social Institute, which will provide a 'gamified, online learning platform that empowers students to navigate their social world positively."

 

    • Parent programming series is planned for the 2022-2023 school year.

 

VIP Access on Smart Social

The Winston Family Foundation has provided Episcopal with a grant that covers VIP (Very Informed Parent) access to all of Smart Social's content. Because of this grant, you are now able to register for a VIP account free of charge!

To receive directions on creating a free VIP account, email [email protected]