Dear Parents,

Concern for your daughter’s safety and character is of paramount importance to everyone at Montrose School. The same principles we invoke to help students learn to make purposeful decisions in the classroom, on the playing field and in the real world, also apply to their interactions online.

It has recently come to our attention that many Montrose students have been posting detailed personal information on the website www.myspace.com. This website is a forum for people of all ages to trade messages, look at photographs and search for information. The web pages are accessible to everyone at any time and no login is necessary.

A number of students identify themselves in public forums online as Montrose students. This prompted us to emphasize the principles behind our Technology Terms of Use in a recent Common Homeroom. Technology at Montrose School is to be used for educational purposes only. While at the school, students are not permitted to access email, Instant Messenger or social networking sites. There are no exceptions to this rule, and accessing sites like www.myspace.com while at Montrose is a violation of their agreement to abide by the policies outlined in the Technology Terms of Use. Violations will result in detention, and repeated violations will result in further disciplinary action.

The way we use the Internet and other forms of electronic communication is what makes them useful or dangerous. Since the implications for personal safety, reputation and integrity extend well beyond the school, we ask you to give this matter even more attention at home. We encourage you to speak clearly with your daughter about Internet safety, online communication and personal responsibility. Key components of this conversation could include the following:

• Discuss the kinds of information that are acceptable and not acceptable in an online public forum. Ask them to think about the meaning of the screen names they choose for themselves. Remind them that the content they post is available to anyone with an internet connection. This should give students pause when choosing provocative screen names, posting photographs or personal statements. Being online doesn’t guarantee anonymity. Divulging name, town of residence and other identifying data puts your children’s safety at risk. This information can be misused for identity theft or cyberstalking. Sexual predators can use this information to engage your daughter in conversation and identify her whereabouts.

• Talk about the importance of integrity – being the same person in private as in public; saying what we mean, and meaning what we say; being accountable for the words we write and say as well as for our choices. The news is full of stories about the growing abuses taking place online -- bullying, harassment and assuming false identities. Remind your daughter that charity is a virtue that needs to be lived in all forms of communication.

• Ask your daughter how much time she spends online, where and when. Set ground rules for Internet use at home—time, location of computer, acceptable sites. Secure protection or a firewall on your home computer. Become familiar with the sites your daughter frequents and her reason for doing so.

• Challenge your daughter to think about the purposes of online communication and the responsibilities attached to using it. You may have policies and protocols you follow in your own profession. Share these with your daughters. Ask her to identify what she sees as the pros and cons of electronic communication. Ask her to list the ways it helps friendships, families, professionals. Ask her to identify the ways it can be abused and cause harm to another person’s feelings or reputation.

• Although it can seem fun and exciting to meet new people online, students should learn to foster a healthy skepticism and guardedness about the people they meet on the Internet. They are indeed strangers. There is no guarantee that the cute, seemingly great, sixteen year old guy online is really cute, really sixteen, or really a great guy.

• For more talking points and good practices, visit the website www.wiredsafety.org.

The number of influences vying to form your daughter’s mind and character has grown exponentially. Good judgment and moral purpose are crucial to her personal safety and well being. We hope these guidelines enable you to engage your daughter in a fruitful conversation. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Karen E. Bohlin
Head of School