Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson has announced that the ORR School District and Massachusetts Superintendency Union #55, working in collaboration with the Southcoast Public Health Collaborative (SCPHC), recently hosted keynote speaker Katie Greer for a series of internet-safety talks.
Throughout the school day on March 25, Greer gave a presentation to students and staff, grades 4-8 at Rochester Memorial School, Sippican Elementary School, Old Rochester Regional Jr. High School and Old Hammondtown Elementary School on internet safety.
During the evening, Greer gave her presentation “Social Media and Your Child’s Mental Health” to community members and families at the high school. The presentations covered internet trends, privacy and advice for creating a positive online experience, tailoring her discussions based on the age of the students. Greer spoke to families about navigating the digital landscape in a technology-driven society. She provided proactive initiatives to help keep their kids safe while using social media platforms.
“I was very pleased to work with Katie to set up the presentations at all of the schools,” Rochester Memorial School Assistant Principal Charles West said. “These kinds of discussions foster a welcoming environment for families to talk about internet safety and decision making in regards to social media.”
The partnership with SCPHC included Marion Public Health Nurse Lori A. Desmarais, RN, BSN, Mattapoisett Public Health Nurse Emily Field, MSN, RN, Rochester Public Health Nurse Connie Dolan, RN, and Olive Wicherski, MPH, Shared Services coordinator for the collaborative.
The SCPHC utilized funding from the Public Health Excellence Grant to welcome guest speakers such as Greer to the public schools. Hosting keynote speakers is beneficial in helping to inform the community about the impact of social media on the mental health of young people.
“By engaging experts who shed light on the impact of social media on mental health and overall well-being, we take proactive steps to educate and empower students to navigate these digital landscapes responsibly,” said Wicherski. “Through informed discourse and intervention, we strive to foster a healthier digital environment for our youth.”
“Although social media has afforded so many individuals a means to connect amid the last couple of years of social isolation (due to the pandemic), it has also been a root cause in the decline of mental health among adolescents and adults alike,” said Field. “Anxiety (linked to fear of missing out), depression, and the inability to see in person the potentially harmful effects of shared words and images – these are all ill effects of social media. The public health sector is grateful for dynamic speakers such as Katie Greer who remind each of us to navigate the social media world with caution and, more importantly, to keep dignity and respect at the forefront of our actions.”
“I’d like to thank the Southcoast Public Health Collaborative for working with us to put this wonderful event on,” Nelson said. “Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to host Katie and provide an opportunity to educate our students and school community on this important topic.”
“Katie gave engaging and informative presentations that were valuable to families navigating the internet with their children,” said ORR Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Shari Fedorowicz. “We’re grateful to have hosted her and believe that this was a great opportunity to educate the community and answer parents’ questions.”