Glencoe schools, parents talk tech in collab with Screen Sanity

The modern impact of technology, including potential dangers, brought dozens of Glencoe parents together Monday evening.

Glencoe District 35 in partnership with Screen Sanity hosted a Parent Night, a workshop and discussion on how to best steward technology — primarily smartphones and social media — for children.

Betty Weir, the district’s director of professional learning, is charged with providing engagement and educational opportunities for district families. She said feedback from parents and D35 educators showed technology was top of mind. So when she was connected with Hannah Pickett, a Glencoe parent who works with Screen Sanity, a partnership didn’t take long.

“(I thought) this is exactly fitting the need and the conversation we need to have,” Weir said.

Thirty-four district parents participated in the event, which featured a mix of advice- and data-filled videos and group discussions.

Ashley Conrad has two children at D35’s South School, and another in preschool. She said managing a child’s technology usage is “uncharted territory” and she wants to be as prepared as she can be.

“I hear from family members and friends with older children … that they are kind of learning as they go, and I don’t want to learn as I go, because I feel like that’s setting yourself up to make a lot of avoidable mistakes,” she said.

Some of the tips for parents included setting a good example of responsible tech use by turning off phone notifications, deleting unnecessary apps and wearing a smartwatch, which provides a less interruptive way to interact with messages.

Screen Sanity suggests as children are introduced to technology parents consider installing an internet filter, monitoring social media usage, using kid-focused products (a growing market) and maintaining device-free zones, such as bedrooms and tables.

Conrad found value in the tips in the videos but found comfort in the presence and perspectives of her peers. She said responsible management of technology is a community effort, as parents balance safety concerns and social concerns, such as a negative stigma that may come with a child not having a smartphone.

Addressing the issue together was a common theme of the night and of Screen Sanity programming.

“We are hearing questions about how to balance it,” Weir said. ” … A lot of parents feel forced into getting a smartphone (for their kids), but there are a lot of parents who think, ‘gosh, I don’t want to do this but I feel like I’m the only one.’ Part of the idea is that it needs to be a community conversation so we can attack it together.”

Pickett, Weir and District Superintendent Dr. Catherine Wang spent time working with parents and answering questions, either about the Screen Sanity program or the district’s involvement with students and technology.

Wang said the district is in the midst of a screen audit to better keep tabs on how technology is used in the classroom. She said the audit is looking at the type and purpose of tech that is used, as well as the amount of time students spend using it.

District 35 purchased Screen Sanity’s Parent Night Kit, which lasts for six months, according to the Screen Sanity website. Weir said thanks to the positive turnout Monday, she hopes to hold another similar event later this school year.

“I am very pleased with the turnout,” she said. “… It is great to see so many people willing to come out and give an hour and a half of their time to talk about this.” 

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