Hello OCRS families,
In following up to the Weekly Parent Update that I sent on Sunday, there has been quite a bit in the news lately about technology, inappropriate content (specifically the "MOMO Challenge"), and how to keep children safe. We have noticed in school how the videos that students watch online, the messages that students send, and the games that students play online can cause distractions in the classroom. Whether it's students talking about the latest scary internet meme, mimicking an inappropriate video, or getting into arguments over mean text messages that were sent after school, our students are often discussing these things when at school. Unfortunately, this often distracts them from their learning or makes it difficult for other students to learn.
Linked below is some information and resources that may be helpful to families to when discussing things that kids might see on the internet, like the "MOMO Challenge". While these resources certainly aren't the only information available to families, they may be a good place to start.
- Common Sense Media also has quite a bit of resources and articles for families around online safety at https://www.commonsensemedia.org/privacy-and-internet-safety
- The National Online Safety group in the United Kingdown also has some safety information specific to the "MOMO Challenge" at https://nationalonlinesafety.com/resources/platform-guides/momo-online-safety-guide-for-parents/