Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals:

Digital Citizenship Week: October 16–20, 2023

When technology is ever-present in our personal and professional lives, digital wellness becomes increasingly important. During Digital Citizenship Week (October 16–20, 2023), you have the opportunity to engage with our carefully curated resources and partake in daily conversations to further explore best practices for safe, responsible, and meaningful technology use in school, at home, and in the real world.

As we embark on a week full of digital citizenship conversations and lessons, we align with the spirit of the California Department of Education’s (CDE’s) Mental Health Support Initiative (please see the CDE Mental Health Support web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/ts-mentalhealthsupport.asp) and the responsibility to strike a digital balance for people of all ages. Visit the CDE Digital Citizenship web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/et/dc/index.asp for more information.

Equally important is the need to heighten our cyber resilience. At the CDE, we support programs such as KnowBe4 to educate and remind us how to maintain vigilance against phishing and scams, to establish strong passwords, and protect ourselves from malicious cyber activity. We must model personal digital safety and call upon our students to do the same, particularly as emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence permeate our lives.

We must proactively mitigate risks while meaningfully integrating technology within our schools and workplaces. Simultaneously, we adhere to a growth mindset as lifelong learners to embrace the technological advancements that propel us forward in achieving the CDE mission to “prepare students to live, work, and thrive in a multicultural, multilingual, and highly connected world.”

Join me in supporting digital citizenship with balance and safety, not only this week but every day!

If you have any questions, please contact Kristina Mattis, Digital Equity Broadband Coordinator, Information and Technology Branch, at digitalequity@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction