Island Park Public Schools

Academic Key for Report Cards, Grades K-8

Key for Effort, Work Habits and Personal Growth, Grades K-4

Key for Effort, Work Habits and Personal Growth, Grade 5

Key for Conduct/Citizenship and Work Habits, Grades 6-8

Key for Pre-Kindergarten Report Card

• Email Etiquette
• Email Etiquette: Spanish
• Get Net Wise
• i-Safe
• Net Nanny
• NetSmartz Workshop
• New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services: Internet Safety for Parents
• PBS FRONTLINE documentary, produced by Rachel Dretzin: Growing Up OnlineSafetyEd
• Viruses
• Viruses: Spanish
• WiredSafety

POPULAR SITES FOR STUDENTS:                         

• www.myspace.com – Social Networking Site - users create own website, post personal profiles, interact with others on site.

• www.facebook.com – Similar to Myspace.com

• www.livejournal.com – Blog site – users create free, online journals.   

INTERNET SAFETY SITES:

The following sites contain a wealth of information for parents and teens concerning Internet Safety; includes games, movies, and resources:

• www.isafe.org

• www.netsmartz.org

• www.getnetwise.org

• www.wiredsafety.org

• www.cyberpatrol.com

• www.NetNanny.com

How to Remove Personal Information from MySpace.com & AOL

1. MySpace.com
   
   Q. How do I cancel my MySpace Account?
    

                    If you wish to terminate your MySpace Account, start by clicking on “Home” in

                    the top navigation menu from any MySpace web page.  Once on your personal

                    home page, click on “Account Settings,” appearing in the upper left portion of

                    the page, next to your picture.  On the “Account Settings” page, click on the

                    “Cancel Account” link, found just above the “My Account Settings” box of

                    editable information. You will be brought to the “Cancel My Account” page.  On

                    this page, click on the “Cancel My Account” button. Your MySpace account has

                    now been deleted.
 

                    Keep in mind, canceling your MySpace account will PERMANENTLY REMOVE all

                    of your profile information from MySpace, including your photographs, comments, journals,

                    and your personal networks of friends.  This information cannot be restored.  You may

                    re-register your current email address after canceling, but you will need to rebuild your

                    personal network from scratch.

2. America Online (AOL)
    
3. How do I delete my AOL Member Profile?

       Go to AOL Member Directory and click to access your profile.  On the side, you will

       see a list of options.  One of these is “Clear Profile.”  Click on “Clear Profile,” and

       your profile will be removed.

1. 
   How do I block someone on IM?

       At the top of your AOL browser, click on the word “Safety” (not the safety icon).  Go to

       “IM Settings” and click on the “Privacy and Security” tab.  You will see a variety of

       options for IM, including blocking, and scanning IM’s for viruses.

1. 
   How do I change the safety and privacy settings?

       Again, click on the word “Safety” at the top of your browser.  In the drop-down menu,

       click on “Settings.”  A list containing access to all areas will appear.  For example, you

       can change settings for chatting, e-mails, IM, etc.  Choose which areas you would like to

       look at and change.   

          NOTE: Students should request assistance from their parent, guardian, or another trusted adult, when

          removing personal information and creating safety settings.  This handout was created by Miss Simon,

          District Social Worker, in response to student requests for knowledge of removing personal information

          from MySpace.com and AOL.  

          The information provided was obtained directly from MySpace.com and America Online in May 2006.

Social Networking Sites 

**The above information was obtained in September 2007 from the following web resources: CNET.com and Wikipedia.org

WHAT ARE SOCIAL NETWORKING (SN) SITES?

“Any site that allows people to communicate with people that they don't know, including dating sites, chatrooms, community sites, and bulletin boards.  A unique part of SN is not the ability to meet new people, but the ability to articulate and make visible one's social network.  Participants are not necessarily "networking" or looking to meet new people; instead, they are primarily communicating with people who are already a part of their extended social network, ranging from close friends to passing acquaintances.” (Boyd and Ellison.  Journal of Computer Mediated Communication.  2007. Obtained from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/ on September 11, 2007.) 

SN sites require creation of a profile upon joining.  The profile is generated using the answers to questions, which typically include descriptors such as age, sex, location, interests, and an open "about me" section. Most sites allow users to upload a photo to represent them.  Sites, such as MySpace, allow users to enhance their profiles by adding other multimedia content (music) or modifying their profile's look and feel. (Boyd and Ellison.  Journal of Computer Mediated Communication.  2007. Obtained from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/ on September 11, 2007.) 

WHAT ARE THE RISKS/BENEFITS TO USING THESE SITES?

RISKS:  Social Networking “profiles have been linked to many social problems, including: cyberbullying, cyberstalking, alcohol and drug abuse, hate crimes, planned school shootings, and suicide.  The biggest public concern centers on the potential vulnerability of youth to predators and pedophiles.”  (Hinduja, S. and Patchin, J.W.  From “MySpace: Personal Information of Adolescents on the Internet.”  Retrieved on September 11, 2007 from www.cyberbullying.us.)

BENEFITS: “Online interaction provides a venue to learn and refine the ability to exercise self-control, to relate with tolerance and respect to others’ viewpoints, and to enhance self-discovery and identity formation.”  It provides a place to remain in contact with friends and family regardless of spatial distance.  (Hinduja, S. and Patchin, J.W.  From “MySpace: Personal Information of Adolescents on the Internet.”  Retrieved on September 11, 2007 from www.cyberbullying.us.)

FAQ'S ABOUT CYBER BULLYING
Island Park Schools

1. What is cyber bullying?
   A.  Using the internet or other devices (i.e. cell phone) to harm or act meanly towards others.
2. What does a cyber bully do?
   A.  A cyber bully might send messages (e-mail, IM, text) to the victim, or post pictures, create websites, or write blogs about the victim, which are meant to be mean or embarrassing for the victim.      
3. Does pretending to be someone else on the internet in order to trick someone or play a joke on them count as cyber bullying?
   A. Absolutely!  Trying to trick someone is not a joke.
4. Can cyber bullies be punished?
   A.  Yes!  Some acts of cyber bullying violate criminal law:  Harassment and stalking, taking (and sharing) pictures of someone in a traditionally ‘private’ place (like a shower or locker room), threats of violence or coercion, and obscene or harassing calls or messages, may all violate criminal law.  These acts may result in legal consequences.

 
MORE CYBER BULLYING FAQS

1. When cyber bullying occurs outside of school, there is nothing the school can do to help, right?
   A.  False.  Students may be disciplined for conduct occurring outside of school that might endanger the health, safety, or welfare of students, or have a negative affect on learning.     
2. I am being cyber bullied.  What should I do?
   A.  Tell someone!  Don’t keep this a secret.  Don’t open or read messages by cyber bullies.  Keep these messages in a folder, unread, as they may be needed to take action in the future.