Junior League of Summit launches i-SAFE, a program to promote cyber safety in schools
by Independent Press Thursday July 09, 2009, 10:36 AM
SUMMIT -- At the end of June, The Junior League of Summit launched its newest project, i-SAFE, with a Summit City Hall breakfast. i-SAFE is an international not-for-profit that promotes cyber safety.
The Junior League of Summit is partnering with i-SAFE and schools within its service area of Berkeley Heights, Chatham, New Providence, and Summit as part of its new focus: Connecting and Protecting Generation TXT: Promoting the Safe and Inventive Uses of Technology.
More than 25 service-area administrators, including superintendents, principals and technology directors attended the June breakfast. The program began with a welcome by League president Samantha Ekert, who gave a brief history of how the JLS selected i-SAFE, and project co-chairs introduced the components of i-SAFE, emphasizing how the program is designed for teachers, students, parents, and law enforcement.
The League describes i-SAFE as a flexible learning tool that can be woven into the school curriculum. Language Arts studies can include a unit on intellectual property; character education can include the cyber bullying unit. Other internet safety topics, including learning to protect children against cyber predators, can be taught within the health curriculum. The learning modules are age and grade appropriate.
Teachers can choose learning modules on Cyber Communities, Online Personal Safety, Cyber Security, Cyber Predator Identification, Intellectual Property and Effective Outreach. Parents can learn tools to protect their families while on-line.
Students learning about cyber safety can do so on-line, via webcasts, or within their classrooms. i-SAFE also offers scripted assemblies for schools. Mentoring is promoted through the Community Outreach program as older students teach what they've learned through i-SAFE to younger students. Students are assessed before and after the modules to measure learning and to ensure the lessons are successful.
The Junior League of Summit reports that representatives from four local school districts are interested in learning more or implementing i-SAFE programs in their schools. Students in the districts could benefit from the i-SAFE curriculum as early as the fall semester.
The Junior League of Summit is a nonprofit, charitable and educational organization of women who are committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Call the League office at 908-273-7349 or visit jlsummit.org.