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Episode Summary:

Join host Josh Ochs on the SmartSocial.com Podcast as he talks with Dr. Sherri N. Wilson, Director of Innovative Learning for Broward County Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about what it really takes to keep students safe in a fast-changing digital world.

Dr. Wilson explains why online issues like hidden DMs, TikTok challenges, and group text drama can quickly spill into school on Monday morning, and how strong relationships with students and families help schools respond early. She also shares practical guidance on screen time (including why it is not all negative), how parents can set guardrails without constant conflict, and why student voice matters when it comes to spotting risks online.

You will also hear how Broward is approaching AI with clear safeguards, including districtwide planning, student-informed guidelines, and careful vetting of tools to protect privacy and keep critical thinking front and center.

Become a Smart Social VIP (Very Informed Parents) Member: https://SmartSocial.com/vip

District Leaders: Schedule a free phone consultation to get ideas on how to protect your students in your community https://smartsocial.com/partner

Download the free Smart Social app: https://www.smartsocial.com/appdownload

Learn about the top 190+ popular teen apps: https://smartsocial.com/app-guide-parents-teachers/

View the top parental control software: https://smartsocial.com/parental-control-software/

The SmartSocial.com Podcast helps parents and educators to keep their kids safe on social media, so they can Shine Online™

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter

Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events

Episode Summary:

Host Josh Ochs welcomes Andrea Messick, Chief of Staff and Communications at Midland ISD, to discuss key digital safety challenges impacting schools and families, including group texts, disappearing messages on apps like Snapchat and Signal, and inappropriate content that surfaces off campus and disrupts school days. Messick shares how her experience as a district leader and single parent shapes her approach, including regularly checking her son’s phone. They emphasize adults modeling healthy online behavior, parents participating in kids’ screen time to understand content and algorithms, and setting consistent time limits for younger children. The episode also features teen perspectives on red flags with dangerous strangers online and offers practical alternatives to device “pacifiers,” like car-ride learning conversations and restaurant routines that build independence and communication skills.

Become a Smart Social VIP (Very Informed Parents) Member: https://SmartSocial.com/vip

District Leaders: Schedule a free phone consultation to get ideas on how to protect your students in your community https://smartsocial.com/partner

Download the free Smart Social app: https://www.smartsocial.com/appdownload

Learn about the top 190+ popular teen apps: https://smartsocial.com/app-guide-parents-teachers/

View the top parental control software: https://smartsocial.com/parental-control-software/

The SmartSocial.com Podcast helps parents and educators to keep their kids safe on social media, so they can Shine Online™

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter

Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs sits down with Dr. Dawn Ramseur, Assistant Superintendent in Hoke County Schools in central North Carolina, to talk about the real digital safety issues school leaders are seeing right now across 14 schools serving 8,500 students. Dr. Ramseur breaks down how hidden DMs, group texts, and repeated TikTok challenges can turn into school problems fast, especially when off campus behavior spills back into classrooms on Monday morning. She also explains what excessive screen time can look like in students day to day, including lack of sleep, impulsivity, irritability, anxiety, and trouble regulating emotions, and why constant notifications can chip away at attention and focus. Josh and Dr. Ramseur get practical about online reputation and digital footprints, including what it looks like to own a mistake, repair harm, and make better choices moving forward. You will also hear a student perspective on red flags when chatting with strangers online, plus Dr. Ramseur’s approach to using AI in schools with clear guardrails, strong prompting, reliability checks, and a firm boundary around protecting personal information. The conversation closes with realistic ways families and schools can work together, including device free meals, healthier bedtime routines, and keeping communication open so students stay safe and successful online.

Become a Smart Social VIP (Very Informed Parents) Member: https://SmartSocial.com/vip

District Leaders: Schedule a free phone consultation to get ideas on how to protect your students in your community https://smartsocial.com/partner

Download the free Smart Social app: https://www.smartsocial.com/appdownload

Learn about the top 190+ popular teen apps: https://smartsocial.com/app-guide-parents-teachers/

View the top parental control software: https://smartsocial.com/parental-control-software/

The SmartSocial.com Podcast helps parents and educators to keep their kids safe on social media, so they can Shine Online™