Martin Public School officials are responding to a Facebook poster who indicated March 15 that a Tik Tok program on cell phones has been bullying local students.
A letter crafted this week, just before spring break, by Supt. Samantha Ball, K-12 Principal Kate Malinov and Assistant Principal Logan Curry, reported to district parents:
”At Martin Public Schools, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We value our partnership with families in ensuring that our children have positive experiences both in and out of school, as our continued collaboration is crucial to our students’ successes.
“Recently, we have become aware of concerns related to students’ use of social media outside of school hours, including platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. While social media can be a way for students to stay connected, it also presents challenges, including the potential for bullying, inappropriate content, and conflicts that may carry over into the school environment.
“As students are about to embark on spring break and are likely to access social media more frequently, we want to remind parents/guardians that we will investigate any reports of inappropriate conduct and will issue consequences when the school environment is impacted. We will follow the district’s policies and student handbooks when navigating through situations as they arise, as ALL of our students deserve to be treated with respect and fairness.
“We encourage you to have open conversations with your child about their social media use and to monitor their activity online. Here are a few ways you can support safe and responsible digital habits at home:
“• Set clear guidelines for screen time and social media use.
“• Check privacy settings to ensure your child’s accounts are secure.
“• Encourage respectful communication and discuss the impact of online interactions.”
- Report concerns about inappropriate behavior to the platform and to the school if it affects the learning environment.
- “Students and/or parents/guardians can report concerns by contacting a principal (emails listed below), a member of our mental health staff, or OK2SAY. o Kristin Evers, Mental Health Specialist, kristin.evers@martinpublicschools.org o Kayla Pagano, School Counselor, kayla.pagano@martinpublicschools.org Ally Bray, School Social Worker, ally.bray@martinpublicschools.org o OK2SAY: ok2say.com, text 652729 (OK2SAY), or call 855-565-2729 (8-555-OK2SAY)
- ”We appreciate your support in reinforcing positive digital citizenship and working with us to ensure that all students feel safe and respected. If you have any questions or need resources on navigating social media with your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us.”
