The following message is from City School District of Albany Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter:
Dear Families:
Over the weekend, our school community suffered a devastating loss when one of our elementary students died accidentally at home. This apparently happened while the student was engaged in one of the many social media "challenges" that can be found online, activities that may seem fun and interesting to children but also are potentially dangerous -- and even potentially deadly.
This tragic event reminds us yet again about the critical need to help young people navigate and make sense of the proliferating volume of online content that many children can access anytime, anywhere.
Open, honest and safe communication is vital. We strongly encourage you to talk with your children at home about the very serious risks of participating in or attempting to copy any type of online challenge -- those that exist now, and those that inevitably are still to come.
- Listen to their thoughts and feelings.
- Help them understand the dangers of all online trends, and the potential consequences.
- Explain the physical dangers of these challenges in a way they can understand.
- Stress the importance of making safe decisions and reaching out to you or another trusted adult if they or a friend encounter concerning online content. Assure them they can reach out without fear of judgment.
- Be aware of, have access to and/or place restrictions on the social media they use, and the content they can view and access.
- Reinforce with your child that they can share with you anything they may hear or notice that doesn't seem right or safe, or makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or worried.
We are also providing the following resources to help you talk to your children at home about grief and the dangers of online challenges. In addition to the resources listed below, the district has free telehealth counseling services available for students.
- Grief Resources for Kids | Dougy Center
- The Importance of Remembrance
- Book: "When Someone Dies: A Children's Mindful How-to Guide on Grief and Loss"
- Kids & Screen Time: How to Use the 5 Cs of Media Guidance
- Dangerous Social Media Challenges: Understanding Their Appeal to Kids
- Keeping teens safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis and need immediate support, please call Mobile Crisis at (518) 292-5499.
You also can connect with your child's teacher, principal or another trusted staff member at school if you would like to discuss your child and how we can best support them during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Joseph Hochreiter
Superintendent