Olympia Middle School

Article Time! How Colleges Use Kids' Social Media Feeds. Learn how what you post can hurt - and help - the admissions process. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-colleges-use-kids-social-media-feeds

OMS students and staff created a display to spotlight our favorite books and authors. #ThankfulForBooks #ReadersAreLeaders

Adjustments for OMS Sports on Thursday 11/19 7th and 8th grade boys basketball contact day is cancelled. 6th-8th grade volleyball contact day is on in the MS Gym. Chess is having practice.

OMS Cancellations for 11/18 7th Grade Girls Basketball Contact Day is cancelled. MS Dance practice at West is also cancelled for today.

What mark will you leave on the world? What is your “purpose”? How can you foster an online identity for yourself that supports and drives forward this purpose? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRkhkO4fKAg&feature=youtu.be

😲 WOW! Our Virtual Angel Tree is off to an amazing start! In FIVE days, all of our students were sponsored, and we have raised nearly $1,000 dollars towards helping those in our community! Every dollar donated to the Angel Tree will go towards Spartan Council, which helps OUR families and OUR children who need it most. Families who have lost their housing due to a fire, electricity/water bills that have been shut off due to hard times, and food/clothing needed for students who would otherwise go without are all examples of how Spartan Council helps our community. Our students may be sponsored, but your donation still means the world to other Spartans in need. Watch the progress & donate today @ https://www.olympia.org/o/district/page/nhs-angel-trees Thank you! 🎄💙🎄

Did you 👂!? The Olympia community is making the ⛄ season bright through the awesome 👼🎄 event put on by Spartan Council and NHS! #SponsorASpartan today 📆! bit.ly/olyAngelTree20

Video: bit.ly/Oly2DFV3 Lots of students are exploring and developing their own identities, and they often do this online and on social media. Some kids use multiple accounts, each for a different audience, but with this, what’s real and what’s unrealistic can often get blurred. In this video, your kids can hear other teens talk about the ins and outs of presenting themselves to others online, and consider what it means to “be yourself” in digital spaces.

The Middle School Volleyball program will have 3 additional contact days for 6th-8th graders in the OMS gym. Monday, November 16th Thursday, November 19th Monday, November 23rd

Help! My Kid Wants to Use Social Media! Get your child, and yourself, ready for the next step with these conversation starters. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/help-my-kid-wants-to-use-social-media

Our Virtual Angel Tree event is off to a great start; we already have a few students who will have a brighter holiday this season! Learn more and #SponsorASpartan today! bit.ly/olyAngelTree20

Instagram, Middle School, and Digital Citizenship! "Forming an identity is a big part of being a middle schooler. Most students are working it out through experimentation, with plenty of awkward missteps and mistakes along the way. It's a normal, natural part of growing up. But in the age of social media, this part of adolescence can be tough -- both for kids to navigate and for adults to understand. New social media platforms come and go, often with features designed to captivate young users right in the midst of figuring out just who they are." Read more about how teachers use classroom lessons to teach about online identity: https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/instagram-middle-school-and-digital-citizenship

Post, Comment, & Upload Responsibly! As teens start sharing content and engaging with others online, it's vital to understand what they're leaving behind and what they might reveal. Help guide kids toward creating the kind of footprint they can be proud of @ bit.ly/Oly2DF

Video: bit.ly/OlyDFV1 Many kids are already posting and sharing information about themselves. But in a world where oversharing might seem like the norm, it’s important for kids to think about their digital footprints. Listen to what these teens have to say about sharing on social media. Are you making the right sharing decisions?

Every day, teens engage with countless images and videos that have been edited or digitally altered. But are your kids aware of, or have they thought deeply about, disinformation online, including the phenomenon of deepfake videos? For more information about this new media manipulation method, check out the following video. It has never been more important for our students to think critically about the media they consume and identities they see online. https://youtu.be/OUSworJiRWg For more information, and some wonderful discussion points to talk over with your kids after watching the video, check out this lesson: https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/are-deepfake-videos-a-threat-to-democracy

#DigCit! In a time of 24/7 connectivity, do the benefits of online sharing outweigh the risks? In Nov. our digital citizenship focus will be on the topic of Digital Footprint & Identity. Look for posts throughout the month to use as discussion points with your family!

My kid seems addicted to her phone. What do I do? It may seem like your kid is addicted (and may even "feel" addicted) to the phone, but it's more likely normal teen behavior. Read more: bit.ly/Oly_QA1

How to Set Screen Rules That Stick Easy tips for limiting kids' computer, TV, game, and movie time. | Caroline Knorr | 2/21/2019 https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-to-set-screen-rules-that-stick

Do you multitask in front of your kids? Check out that and other solutions to help your child reduce multitasking during homework time: https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/parenttip/PT_6WaysToStopMultitasking-new.mp4

Concerned about your kid's digital life? Here are five signs that they have a healthy relationship with screens: https://d1pmarobgdhgjx.cloudfront.net/parenttip/PT_5_Healthy_Relationships.mp4