Guest Blogger: Bonnie Birdsall

Dear Families,
I am excited to announce that we have our first Guest Blogger on on classroom blog. The first guest is Bonnie Birdsdall, our school's Technology Specialist.
Thank you Bonnie to contributing to our blog. We hope you will post again.

The Appropriate Use of School Email

We are incredibly fortunate in Williston to be able to provide all of our students with their own email account. It’s not something you’ll find in all schools. Our teachers work with students about the ethical and acceptable use of email for educational purposes. Our students- as young as kindergarten in some cases- are using email to build upon their literacy skills. They send emails to one another, to their teachers, and to parents- all helping them to strengthen reading and writing skills. Yes, students test the rules and limits and learn in the process.

Students are taught about ‘netiquette’- using good manners online. It’s the same as using good manners offline and face to face. We’re kind and respectful. They are also taught that email is a privilege and should be used for educational purposes. This is a part of the continual learning process. Therefore- we have a request to make: Please do not use the school email account to send your child jokes or funny videos. Remind extended family members of this as well. Instead, if you email your children at school - ask them what they’re learning, ask them to describe what they’re doing in math or what book(s) they’re reading. But please don’t use the school email account for entertainment purposes. We are all role models in our children’s lives. Help us deliver the right message about how we spend our time at school and becoming positive digital citizens.

Feel free to review the CSSU Acceptable Use Policy with your child.

I welcome your thoughts and feedback, and your support.
Bonnie Birdsall, Technology Integration Specialist bbirdsall@cssu.org