Welcome to Walnut Hill Elementary! Let me introduce you to some of the amazing people here. There’s Rocky Parker, our principal; Zack Norman, a fifth-grade teacher; Aaron Spell Hyman, the school library media specialist; and Laura Peach, a teaching and learning consultant. Together, they work hard to make sure students learn about digital citizenship.
Digital citizenship is all about using technology and the internet safely and responsibly. At Walnut Hill, we believe it’s important for students to understand how to behave online, just like they do in real life. This helps them create a positive digital footprint, which is like leaving a good impression wherever they go online.
In our school, we use lessons from Common Sense Education to teach students about digital citizenship. These lessons help students learn how to use information correctly and safely. We want them to be curious but also smart about their online choices.
In Zack Norman’s fifth-grade class, students often talk about social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram. Instead of ignoring these conversations, Zack encourages students to discuss how they can stay safe online. This helps create a safe space for students to share and learn.
At Walnut Hill, everyone works together to make sure digital citizenship is a part of our school culture. Teachers, librarians, and even parents are involved. We have special training days where teachers learn how to teach digital citizenship, and we also share information with parents through newsletters and events.
We partner with different school programs to make sure everyone is on the same page. This helps students learn to be respectful, responsible, and safe, both online and offline. Our technology values are part of every classroom, so students understand the importance of being good digital citizens.
One of our biggest achievements is making sure all students graduate with a basic understanding of digital citizenship. Schools that do a great job are recognized as Common Sense schools, which is a big honor. We celebrate our successes and keep working to improve.
If other schools want to start teaching digital citizenship, we suggest finding enthusiastic teachers to lead the way. It’s important to have a plan and use resources like Common Sense Education to guide the process. Each school is unique, so flexibility is key.
We believe that teaching digital citizenship is not just a one-time thing. It’s something we will continue to do because it’s important for every generation to be better prepared for the future. By being responsible digital citizens, students can stay safe online and make the world a better place.
Create a Digital Citizenship Poster: Use paper, markers, and crayons to create a poster that shows how to be a good digital citizen. Think about the rules you follow online and draw pictures or write words that explain these rules. Hang your poster in your classroom or at home to remind everyone how to stay safe and respectful online.
Role-Playing Scenarios: With a friend or family member, act out different online scenarios. For example, pretend someone sends you a mean message or asks for your personal information. Discuss how you would handle these situations and what a good digital citizen would do. This will help you practice making smart choices online.
Family Digital Citizenship Discussion: Have a conversation with your family about digital citizenship. Ask them how they stay safe online and share what you’ve learned at school. Together, come up with a list of family rules for using the internet and social media. This will help everyone in your family be responsible digital citizens.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided transcript:
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My name is Rocky Parker, and I’m the principal at Walnut Hill Elementary.
My name is Zack Norman, and I’m a fifth-grade teacher here at Walnut Hill.
My name is Aaron Spell Hyman, and I am the school library media specialist at Walnut Hill Elementary. I also help with the Technology Committee.
I’m Laura Peach, the teaching and learning consultant for library services at Omaha Public Schools.
Sheryl Logan is the superintendent of Omaha Public Schools.
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Digital citizenship is an important part of our school because establishing a school-wide culture around technology is a crucial foundation for every student. We know that our students, especially those in upper middle school and early high school, are engaging with social media. We want to ensure they’re curious but also safe and making sound decisions that help them build a positive digital footprint. In today’s world, information literacy is digital literacy, so we need to ensure that students understand how to use information accurately, ethically, and responsibly.
Building relationships is one of the most important things in my classroom. Instead of ignoring the fact that my fifth graders are likely using social media, I engage them in conversations about it. For example, if I hear them talking about Snapchat or Instagram, I ask how they are being safe or if they have considered certain aspects. This creates a safe space for discussion.
At Walnut Hill, we ensure that the Common Sense Education lessons are taught throughout the year, and each teacher uses language that aligns with our values. We are making it a safe place for students to practice being online so that when they’re ready for the real world, they’ll already have these skills in place.
Anytime you’re going to lift any sort of initiative, you need to put your best people forward and have a cheerleader who is optimistic and enthusiastic about the subject matter. We are doing a lot of important things in our schools, and if you don’t have a true believer who supports that work, you likely will not be successful.
What Common Sense has really done well for us is provide constant curriculum materials and resources that we can easily put in the hands of our teachers to deliver digital citizenship content. The biggest challenge to implementing any curriculum across a large district is the capacity of the people delivering that information. For me, it’s about leveling expectations regarding the skills of those who will deliver the curriculum and addressing the challenges of implementing digital citizenship.
At a district level, to support digital citizenship and Common Sense Education, we ensure that Common Sense lessons are included in our curriculum documents and shared with all librarians and teachers. We have also integrated it into our professional development and training for librarians to understand what Common Sense Education entails and how they can best use it.
Partnering with other initiatives at our school has been crucial to ensure that digital citizenship is a focus. We work with the MTS SB Committee, which focuses on behavior and academics, to ensure that the whole school shares a vision and common language. This helps ensure that students are being respectful, responsible, and safe in every environment and classroom.
The technology values we have at our school are tied into this, making it natural for every teacher to discuss being a digital citizen, regardless of the classroom. We have curriculum in-service days where teachers receive training on Common Sense components. We also have Microsoft Innovative Educators who can deliver content to their schools through specialized learning community groups.
We encourage librarians to go above and beyond the minimum required lessons for Common Sense so that their schools can become recognized as Common Sense schools. Many schools in our district are on board with this initiative. We also use Common Sense resources in our parent education efforts through events like parent-teacher conferences and open houses, engaging parents in digital citizenship issues, especially with our youngest learners.
We find that our kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade students benefit from including their parents in the education process. We communicate with parents through newsletters, handouts, family nights, and social media.
Part of my role as a CEO is to stay ahead of trends so that our young people are prepared for what the world will expect them to know and do.
Some of our greatest achievements in implementing digital citizenship include raising awareness of its importance and integrating it into various curricular areas, including the library, to serve all students K-12. Our librarians are excited about the Common Sense Education components we’ve integrated into their curriculum.
Being able to say that all of our students graduate with a basic understanding of digital citizenship is a significant achievement. Schools that have received Common Sense recognition have been recognized for their efforts in this area, which is a key accomplishment for those communities.
I celebrate everything about our culture, including digital citizenship, by modeling how I engage and encouraging young people to do the same. If I were to advise another district on implementing digital citizenship curriculum, I would suggest starting with those who are willing to get on board—your early adopters—and giving schools the autonomy to implement in their own way.
Provide the curriculum and let them run with it, as each school has a unique flavor. Flexibility in delivery is essential; it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. We need to learn and grow together.
If I were advising another district, I would recommend choosing your cheerleader wisely, getting your superintendent on board, and having a clear plan with milestones. I would encourage them to utilize the Common Sense content, as the resources are ready for teacher use and can be embedded into curriculum guides aligned with standards.
Ultimately, every generation wants the next to be better, and that is part of our challenge—not just teaching them but also modeling responsible digital citizenship ourselves. We need ethical digital citizens who can stay safe online, and Common Sense provides us with the tools to achieve this.
I don’t see Common Sense Education as just an initiative; it’s something we do and will continue to do indefinitely.
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