KINGS PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
180 Lawrence Road, Room 208
Kings Park, New York 11754
631-269-3310 FAX 631-269-0750
www.kpcsd.org
Timothy T. Eagen, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Natalie
JohnDoyle
Craig
Administrator for
Assistant Superintendent
for
Pupil Personnel Services
Personnel and Administrative Services

Ralph J. Cartisano, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
and Instruction

Judy Bishop
Danielle Colby-Rooney,
Ed.D.
Executive
Assistant
Administrator
for
To the Superintendent
Pupil Personnel Services

Shannon L. Meehan, C.P.A.

School Business Administrator

November 9, 2015

Dear Parents and Guardians:

I recently had a parent come to see me about what he described as "a serious problem." By the end of the
conversation I came to understand that from this parent's perspective, my "serious problem" was that if I
did not overturn a student suspension that he was going to News 12. Yes, WE do have a serious
problem. However, from my perspective it is that our young people are carrying mini computers in their
back pockets that are both unfiltered and largely unsupervised. This is a shared problem, and more than
just an issue of one student, one decision, or one suspension.
Just last week, two stories surfaced - one in Texas and the other in Colorado. Both stories are
heartbreaking and involve young people and problematic use of mobile devices. This is not simply a Kings
Park issue, but rather a more global issue. The good news is that this is an issue that we can address
together as a community.
The administration has fielded several inquiries this week regarding various social media posts, images,
and student suspensions. Due to confidentiality reasons, I will not be providing any additional information
regarding these events. However, the purpose of this letter is to continue a very different conversation both
at home and at school so that we may work together to ensure that these are the last events of this type in
Kings Park.
I call the generation of young people in our schools today the "iGeneration." They have grown up in a
world of iPhones, mobile devices, and apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snap Chat. While this is a world
that they are very familiar with, this is a foreign world for many adults. Many of our children are using
mobile devices and social media in perfectly safe, normal, and educational ways. However, some of our
children are engaging in problematic behavior. For example, did you know that there are more than seven
(7) different apps that can be downloaded for the purpose of concealing pictures and video on a mobile
device? Some of these apps even allow for password protection. One has an icon that makes it appear as a
calculator. All of these apps are designed to conceal images from adults.
Recent research reports indicate that teens spend more than seven hours per day consuming electronic
media. The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues,
attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. They conduct public opinion polling, demographic
research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. They are one of the leading
research groups in the area of teen technology use. Under the heading of Reading, Learning, and Growing

Together, please consider reading the following PEW article, and consider having a conversation with
your child about their social media and technology use.
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
As we investigate incidents in our schools, by far the number one place where young people tell us that
they charge and store their electronic devices is in their bedroom. Some students have shared with us that
they sleep with their phone under their pillow. This is dangerous and very problematic. The best advice
that I was given a few years ago was to create a family electronic device charging station. At night before
bed, all devices go to the family charging station. Something to consider
The thing that deeply upsets me is that very few, if any, of our students district-wide reported any recent
problematic behaviors to an adult. This I find troubling. There is a law on the books called the 911 Good
Samaritan Law, where a person cannot be arrested for calling 911 if they are with someone in immediate
need of attention. My goal over the next few months is to work with our principals and parents to get the
word out that we need our young people to be good citizens and report problematic behavior to an adult. In
most cases, no school discipline would result for the reporter/upstander. On the contrary, the young person
would certainly be rewarded for helping to make Kings Park a safer place to live and go to school.
The district is committed to continuing to educate students in school about the potential consequences for
problematic online behavior. As I indicated in my previous letter, our focus this year has been on the
acronym THINK. I am sharing this with you again so that you can reinforce this message at home.

As always, I thank you for your help and support as we continue to learn and grow together.
Sincerely,

Timothy T. Eagen, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools