Empowering Parents Through Tech Talks

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Beginning next week, we are excited to announce our upcoming series of Junior School Family Tech Talks, led by Ariana Debreuil, our ADST (Applied Design, Skills and Technologies) Specialist. 

These sessions are designed to help Junior School parents navigate the evolving landscape of technology and its influence on their children’s education and social interactions.

What are the Family Tech Talks?

Last year, SJS ran hands-on workshops for parents to adjust settings on their children’s devices and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

This fall’s Family Tech Talks will build on those sessions, providing even deeper insights. Parents will have the opportunity to engage in issues like screen time management, social media use and age-appropriate online activities. “The goal is to empower parents with the information they need to make proactive decisions about their child’s technology use,” Ariana explains. “It’s about creating a partnership between parents and the school, so that together, we can ensure students have the tools they need to make smart, safe choices online.”

“It’s about creating a partnership between parents and the school, so that together, we can ensure students have the tools they need to make smart, safe choices online.”

The talks will be broken down by age groups—Kindergarten to Grade 1, Grades 2 and 3, and Grades 4 and 5—to ensure each discussion is relevant to the specific needs and challenges of each developmental level.

The first Tech Talk will be held Friday, October 18 at 8:30 AM in the Senior School Learning Commons, focusing on technology use in Grades 4 and 5. Parents are encouraged to bring their children’s devices, such as iPads, so they can work hands-on with Ariana and other staff to set up family-friendly safety settings and explore device management techniques together.

The Grades 2 and 3 session is scheduled for November 1, with the Kindergarten to Grade 1 session taking place on November 22.

Why Digital Citizenship Matters

At SJS, one of our strategic initiatives is teaching digital citizenship—an integral skill for students in today’s hyper-connected world. Digital citizenship is more than just understanding how to use technology; it’s about developing responsible habits, maintaining online safety and using technology as active creators and learners, and not just as passive consumers.

An exciting development in this area is that the Junior School is introducing a robotics team to further foster active technology skills in a collaborative setting. This initiative aims to engage students in engineering, coding and robotics in a structured and supportive environment.

Discover More

On October 24, the school also welcomes back Hannah Beach for an online session around the responsible use of cellphones. Details about that event can be found in this article.

SJS News
SJS News
SJS News keeps you up-to-date with all of the exciting things happening at St. John's School (SJS) in Kitsilano, Vancouver.

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