BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow school administrators held a focus group to look at how the district can get the most out of current technology while keeping students safe on the Internet.

At the Oct. 3 meeting, community members and educators gave input on the question, “How do we teach our students to be responsible users of 21st century technology?”

The session included about 30 people. School Board Chairman Pansy Bloomfield said Bow school officials left knowing it was time to make some changes.

“We concluded that the policy needs a few modifications in order to be applicable,” she said. “We need to go to each school and see what is acceptable for different grade levels. This (meeting) is a beginning.”

Bow resident Susan Hatem attended the forum to learn about the policy and give input on how she feels her four kids can be kept safe while maximizing the resources available.

“I do think the policy needs some change. In order to be competent on the Internet, kids should be taught and know how to use some of the interactive aspects of it,” said Hatem. “They can do some research and get information, but not participate in methods to learn from other people around the world.”

Finding that middle ground is something Bloomfield knows will be tricky.

“We want to find as much balance as is comfortable with the community,” she said. “There needs to be a safe, manageable and age-appropriate access education focus. The trick is implementation.”

Following the meeting, administrators will be going back to each school to find the best way to let students explore while being safe – a crucial aspect to Hatem.

“It’s very important to keep them safe,” she said. “There should be age-appropriate control protecting younger kids from themselves. They could easily give out information that could provide a risk. You want to protect middle school kids from cyber-bullying and things like that. Middle school kids are more vulnerable to that.”

High schoolers are getting older, reaching toward adulthood, she said.

“They need to be protected some while also learning to use the tools responsibly,” said Hatem.

The focus group involved an explanation of the current policy,  including two different levels of Internet filtering. However, in some cases, the filtering is at such a high level that students have no access to Web sites that aren’t necessarily inappropriate.

Those at the meeting, which was led by a facilitator, were then split into smaller groups and given different roles. Parents, faculty members and a few students were on hand to give input on a variety of levels.

Bloomfield stressed how important community involvement is as the process continues and  to find the best method that will not take time away from teachers.

Despite the good attndance at the meeting, there was always room for more.

“I wish more people had been there, and I think it’s important to keep people informed on the progress we’re making,” said Hatem.