Beginning on Monday, February 6 and continuing through Friday, February 10, all divisions celebrated Digital Kindness Week, which has been a key component of our digital awareness curriculum for several years. Each year, we dedicate time during this week for students to explore what it means to be good digital citizens. Girls in K-12th Grade took part in developmentally appropriate, grade-level discussions on the impact of social media on young women's lives and the issues of privacy, online safety, inclusiveness and cyberbullying.

As a precursor to Digital Kindness Week, the Middle and Upper Schools received a visit from speaker Max Stossel. An award-winning poet and filmmaker and founder/CEO of Social Awakening, Max spoke to our students about some of the specific ways technology is designed to be addictive and distracting. He highlighted how certain apps are impacting our minds and gave recommendations on how to address some of the challenges our students might be facing followed by an open Q&A session.

Then, on Monday, the Lower School discussed how our Core Values translate into the online world in a spirited Grizzly Gathering.

On Tuesday, the Middle School received a visit from an Upper School panel made up of Seniors. Throughout the Q&A panel, students discussed how technology use differs in the Upper School from the Middle School, how to navigate academic success with technological distractions and managing social media usage.

Throughout the week, the Counseling Department placed "Digital Kindness Challenge" cards on lunch tables for Lower School, Middle School and Upper School students prompting them to take positive action toward making the online space a kinder place.

Finally, on Friday, Middle School students spoke with our 5th Graders about their experience with technology in the Middle School through a roundtable discussion.

We encourage you to ask your child what she has been learning about this week as she is encouraged to reflect on her own digital habits and how she can contribute to a more positive online world.