Noted Speaker on Cyber Safety at Weston Middle School Tonight

A noted speaker will give a talk this evening at Weston Middle School about one of the most pressing and topical issues facing parents and children today—cyber safety.

Dr. Elizabeth Englander, director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) and professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University, will present “Kids and the Internet: Cyber Issues All Parents Should Know” at 7 p.m. in the Amy Potter Center.

According to her website, Englander has spoken at hundreds of schools, colleges and conferences and has trained thousands of teachers, administrators, parents, community groups, and students on internet safety, cyberbullying and other related issues.

Deb Sullivan, chair of the Parent Education Committee of the Weston PTO, said Englander was asked to speak in Weston after an “informal poll” of parents on desired topics for educational forums revealed “everyone had kids and the internet high on their list.”

“Whether it was when to give kids access to the internet or a smartphone, how to explain its benefits or risks, or understanding how to best monitor online activity, it was clear that many parents wanted to learn more on the subject,” Sullivan said, adding that she saw Englander speak last summer and found she had “volumes of information to share.”

This event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Weston PTO, Weston Community Children’s Association (WCCA) and Wayland Children and Parents Association (WCPA). Check Weston Patch in the coming days for coverage of the event.