Canyons School District is launching a new series of monthly tips to assist families in reinforcing healthy technology habits and safeguarding children online. In celebration of Digital Citizenship Week, these resources aim to spark meaningful conversations around the dinner table regarding digital safety and responsibility.
The new tips will be featured in the District’s monthly CSD2U newsletter and displayed in the headers of school websites to ensure practical advice is easy for families to find. While Digital Citizenship Week serves as an opportunity for schools to celebrate these skills through activities like games and trivia, the district maintains that digital citizenship is a year-round priority woven into instruction.
In elementary and middle schools, students receive age-appropriate lessons through the Thrive Time curriculum, which is adapted from Common Sense Education to help students think critically and behave safely online. At the high school level, digital citizenship is integrated into technology-rich courses, with additional resources provided by teacher-librarians.
Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist Katie Gebhardt stated that the district wants students to be more than savvy technology users, but rather thoughtful digital citizens who know when to question what they see and how to use technology to make a positive difference. Gebhardt noted that parents are the most important partners in reinforcing these skills.
To support these efforts, the district provides various tools for parents, including a Family Connections webpage for digital citizenship fundamentals. Through the Technology Connect Portal, parents can review and adjust internet filtering settings on school-issued Chromebooks, view flagged search terms, and see Chromebook login times.
The district utilizes internet filtering technology to block inappropriate content on school devices, including when Chromebooks are used away from school. While teachers establish expectations and monitor activity during classroom instruction, the district emphasizes that building good digital habits also requires clear expectations and opportunities for children to practice making responsible choices at home.
