For Pike Parents

Internet Safety

The Internet offers both great benefits and significant risks to students. The risks involve inappropriate disclosure of personal information, unwelcome contact with adults or peers, exposure to violence or pornography, and a host of other potential difficulties. The benefits come in the form of rich, interactive information about almost any topic they're interested in--freely available at online museums, encyclopedias, magazines, and many other venues.

Keeping students safe online isn't simple or easy. We believe that the best approach involves parents and teachers talking with students early and often about what they're doing online. To assist with those discussions, we've provided a variety of information on this Web site.

• An important component of using the Internet involves critically evaluating information. The library Web site has guidelines for determining Web site quality.
• Each month, our Director of Technology publishes a monthly technology newsletter, In Our Classrooms, that includes Internet safety information for parents.
• Our Upper School Internet Acceptable Use Policy is mailed to families with children in grades 6-9 each summer. Both parents and students must sign this policy and return it to school. We hope you'll also discuss this policy with your children; it's a great way to initiate a talk about what they're doing online. In Middle School, teachers discuss the Middle School Internet Acceptable Use Policy--a simpler set of guidelines--with students as the year unfolds.
• In addition, you can view our Internet Safety Presentation (Nov 2004) & Additional Resources.