SOUTH WHITLEY — Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, has recognized Whitko Community Schools as a Common Sense District.

Whitko Community Schools has demonstrated its commitment to taking a whole-community approach to preparing its students to use the immense power of digital media to explore, create, connect, and learn, while limiting the perils that exist in the online realm. Those potential pitfalls include plagiarism, loss of privacy and cyberbullying. The recognition acknowledges our district’s’ commitment creating a culture of digital learning and citizenship.

“We applaud the faculty and staff of Pierceton Elementary, South Whitley Elementary, and Whitko Jr/Sr High School for embracing digital citizenship as an important part of their students’ education,” said Liz Kline, vice president of , Education Programs with Common Sense Education. “Whitko Community Schools deserves high praise for giving its students the foundational skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21st-century workplace and participate ethically in society at large.”

Whitko Community Schools has been using Common Sense Education’s innovative and research-based digital citizenship resources, which were created in collaboration with Dr. Howard Gardner of the GoodPlay Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The resources teach students, educators, and parents tangible skills related to Internet safety, protecting online reputations and personal privacy, managing online relationships, and respecting creative copyright. The free resources are currently used in more than 90,000 classrooms nationwide.

“We’re honored to be recognized as a Common Sense District” said Whitko Superintendent Steve Clason. “By preparing our students to use technology safely and responsibly, we are providing them unlimited opportunities to maximize and personalize their learning.”

For more information about Whitko Community Schools, go to www.whitko.org/learnmore. To learn more about the criteria Whitko Community Schools met to become recognized as a Common Sense District, visit https://www.commonsense.org/education/recognition-districts.