Smartphones, tablets and computers are on many “wish lists” this time of year. According to PC Magazine, tablets are the most requested gift for tweens and teens this holiday season. That makes this the perfect time for parents to talk with their children about technology and responsible social media use. Children need to know that whatever they post exists forever, regardless of whether they delete the message or not. College admissions offices, potential employers and police can all monitor your social media use. Children should learn now that bad choices or reckless social media behavior can have very real and lasting consequences.

Virginia Beach City Public Schools wants to help our students and families understand what it means to be a responsible digital citizen. We’re launching a new awareness campaign Be Social. Be Smart. Be Safe. We’ll be talking about digital citizenship in our schools and we will share resources with families through email and social media postings. Be sure to “like” VBSchools on Facebook and follow @vbschools on Twitter and Instagram for timely information and tips. And, just as students return to school from winter break, we’ll launch a dedicated Be Social. Be Smart. Be Safe webpage on vbschools.com.

This week, a tip sheet for families was sent out through an Alert Now email. It is posted here as well. We encourage you to share this information with your family and talk about the important role we all have in using technology and social media wisely.