CAPISTRANO UNIFIED RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR
INTERNET SAFETY PROGRAMS
The Capistrano Unified School District was ranked amongst the top 100 safest districts in the nation for student use of the Internet, according to the Educational Safe Search Index, administered by Thinkronize Inc. CUSD attributes this distinction to its implementation of the netTrekker educational search tool, and dedication to train staff members, parents and students in Internet safety including academic integrity, age appropriateness, and overall safe use of technology.
In its second year of the implementation, CUSD ranks 39th, with only 5 California school districts recognized in the overall index. The netTrekker search tool has enabled the district to transform digital content into safe, valuable, custom designed resources for teachers and students. “Teachers are now using technology as a means to an end. It’s become a valuable resource to differentiate instruction, hold student attention, and bring meaningful learning into the classroom,” said Dr. Susan Holliday, Director of Educational Technology for the Capistrano Unified School District.
Students, in preparation for today’s society, need to be 21st century literate. They need to be able to find information, validate it, synthesize it, leverage it, communicate it, collaborate and problem solve with it; netTrekker provides the opportunity to practice these skills. Teachers have connected their students to opportunities that fundamentally shifted their academic experience through the use of netTrekker; not only are students better prepared for college but for life. “We are honored to have achieved this status,” notes Holliday. “With technology funding in California ranking 49th out of all 50 states, this is quite an accomplishment.”
