Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Robert Sormani, the superintendent of Manor ISD, about the challenges and strategies of keeping students safe on social media. They discuss topics like the inappropriate filming of students in crisis, the influence of social media on student behavior, and the ...
Jul 24, 2025•26 min•Ep. 643
Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing online threats to kids today. In this episode, we unpack how predators build trust with teens, the red flag messages every parent should know, and why so many victims never speak up until it's too late. With thousands of cases reported and lives lost, this is a conversation every parent needs to hear. Learn how to spot the signs and support your child through even the toughest online situations.
Jul 23, 2025•4 min•Ep. 644
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs interviews Fred Van Ranken, Superintendent of Newton Public Schools in Kansas, to discuss strategies for keeping students safe online. They emphasize the importance of teaching kids how to think critically rather than relying solely on policies and regulations. The episode ad...
Jul 22, 2025•24 min•Ep. 642
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Curtis Finch, Superintendent of Deer Valley Unified School District in Arizona, about the challenges parents face in keeping their kids safe online. They discuss the appropriate age for children to access the internet, the importance of setting boundaries...
Jul 21, 2025•24 min•Ep. 640
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Andrew J. Sanko, the superintendent of the Council Rock School District in suburban Philadelphia. They discuss how technology impacts students across various age groups and emphasize the importance of parental guidance in digital use. Superintendent Dr. S...
Jul 18, 2025•22 min•Ep. 639
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast's District Talk segment, host Josh Ochs interviews Ms. Norma Martinez, Superintendent of the Centralia School District in North Orange County, California. They discuss the challenges parents face in keeping up with evolving apps and digital safety for their children. Ms. Martinez shares...
Jul 17, 2025•26 min•Ep. 638
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events This episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast features an in-depth interview with Will Pierce, Superintendent of 27 J Schools. The discussion revolves around the importance of engaging both parents and students to navigate the complexities of social media and digital tools. Pierce emphasizes the need for schools to adopt a learning po...
Jul 17, 2025•20 min•Ep. 637
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil, Superintendent of Uniondale Union Free School District, discusses the vital topic of keeping students safe on social media with the SmartSocial podcast. The conversation covers the impacts of technology on youth socialization, the gender-specific effects of social media, and the significance of parental gu...
Jul 11, 2025•16 min•Ep. 636
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, Dr. R. Terrell Yarbrough, Superintendent of Harlem Consolidated School District 122, discusses the integration of cell phones and AI in education. Dr. Yarbrough emphasizes the importance of teaching students how to use technology responsibly and incorporating it positively into the lea...
Jul 09, 2025•18 min•Ep. 635
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Superintendent Dr. Trent Bowers of Worthington City Schools shares how his district prioritizes student safety and success in a fast-moving digital world. With over 10,000 students under his care—and as a father of three—Dr. Bowers offers practical insights for parents navigating scree...
Jul 07, 2025•21 min•Ep. 634
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Parents, Google’s Gemini AI for Kids might already be turned on for your child’s account. It’s designed to help with questions, but it can also feel like a “friend” to young kids and share wrong information. This episode breaks down what parents need to know about Gemini for Kids, how to adjust your Family Link settings, and how to ...
Jul 03, 2025•4 min•Ep. 633
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Superintendent Daniel Sullivan of Colchester Public Schools discusses the challenges and trends related to social media and technology use among students. The conversation covers the impact of digital devices on social-emotional and interpersonal skills, the role of parents in monitori...
Jul 02, 2025•20 min•Ep. 632
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, we host Dr. Brad Mason, Superintendent of Whittier City School District, as he discusses the critical importance of keeping children safe in a fast-paced digital world. The conversation covers the role of technology in children's lives, the dangers of online strangers, trends in studen...
Jun 25, 2025•19 min•Ep. 630
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs interviews Dr. Marie Robinson, Superintendent of Bangor School Department in Maine, discussing digital safety and parent engagement. They explore the challenges students face in a digital age, including social media, AI misuse, and cyberbullying. Dr. Robinson shares insi...
Jun 25, 2025•21 min•Ep. 629
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter On this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Kenny Rodrequez, Superintendent of Schools in Grandview, Missouri. They discuss the challenges parents and school leaders face in keeping kids safe online amidst rapidly evolving technology. The discussion highlights the increased impact of social media, AI, and digital engagement on students' lives, emphasizing the paramount impo...
Jun 24, 2025•20 min•Ep. 626
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Dr. Dale Herl, Superintendent of the Independence Missouri School District, discusses the challenges and strategies of keeping students safe in a digital world. Dr. Herl shares insights on the implementation of cell phone usage policies in schools, the importance of parent engagement, ...
Jun 24, 2025•21 min•Ep. 628
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Join Josh Ochs as he interviews Dr. Kellen Adams, Superintendent of USD 453 Leavenworth, on the SmartSocial.com Podcast. They discuss key strategies for keeping students safe online, managing screen time addiction, and fostering healthy communication between parents and children in the digital age. Superintendent Adams shares valuab...
Jun 23, 2025•24 min•Ep. 625
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, we dive into the complex world of digital boundaries for students and the disruptions they cause in schools. We feature an engaging conversation with Laurie Barron, Superintendent of Evergreen School District in Montana, and Melissa Hardman, Special Services Director, as they discuss t...
Jun 23, 2025•31 min•Ep. 627
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Today’s AI tools can do more than analyze text. They can scan an image and instantly identify where it was taken—even if there’s no tag or caption. In this Josh Talk, we explore how easy it’s become to trace a student’s location from a simple photo, and why that should matter to every parent and educator. Whether it’s a selfie outsi...
Jun 19, 2025•4 min•Ep. 624
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Oaks interviews Mark Odsather, the Superintendent of Pleasant View School District in California, about innovative strategies to keep students safe on social media. They discuss the importance of teaching kids to use technology responsibly by giving them agency and building strong...
Jun 18, 2025•14 min•Ep. 622
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Join Dr. Thomas McBryde, Jr., superintendent of Hackensack Public Schools in New Jersey, as he discusses the increasing mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm, that students face due to digital interactions and social media. This episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast highlights the necessary measures b...
Jun 18, 2025•20 min•Ep. 623
Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the Smart Social.com podcast, Josh Ochs interviews Dr. John Barile, the Superintendent of Brookfield Public Schools, to discuss key strategies for keeping students safe and successful in a digital age. They explore how parents can set boundaries and expectations for their kids online, highlight the challenges of s...
Jun 11, 2025•23 min•Ep. 620
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, G. Elgin Card, Superintendent of Princeton City School District, joins the show to discuss the challenges and solutions for keeping students safe in a fast-paced digital world. With approximately 6,000 students, the Princeton City School District implements various policies to monitor ...
Jun 10, 2025•20 min•Ep. 618
Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events What does online exclusion really feel like for kids—and how can parents and educators help? In this Josh Talk, we explore the emotional impact of being left out online. Whether it's being ghosted in a group chat or seeing a party they weren’t invited to, these digital moments can affect a child's self-esteem. Josh shares practical ways to: Recognize when your child is quietly hurting Reframe online rejection and model healt...
Jun 06, 2025•3 min•Ep. 619
martsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, we feature Dr. Ann-Marie Foucault, Superintendent of St. Michael-Albertville School District. We discuss the importance of communicating the 'why' to students, building trust, and collaborating with parents to keep students safe in the digital world. Dr. Foucault shares insights on the district’s approach to managing technology, including their balance...
Jun 05, 2025•27 min•Ep. 617
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Summer break is just around the corner… and suddenly, you’re the cruise director of your home. From planning activities and prepping snacks to managing screen time, even the most organized parents can feel overwhelmed. But what if AI could help? In this Josh Talk, we'll show you how tools like ChatGPT can help you create flexible da...
May 30, 2025•4 min•Ep. 616
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, we dive into strategies for promoting safe and productive social media use among students. Join Josh and district leaders, including Ogden School District Superintendent Luke Rasmussen and Executive Director of Student Achievement Adam McMickell, as they discuss the importance of paren...
May 30, 2025•33 min•Ep. 615
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events What happens when “privacy” becomes the one thing standing between your child and an online predator? In this episode, we unpack why giving teens too much freedom online can have dangerous consequences. From grooming tactics on popular platforms like Snapchat, Discord, and Roblox, to the rise of coordinated predator groups like 764,...
May 30, 2025•5 min•Ep. 614
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events What happens when AI can copy your child’s face, voice, and personality—without them ever knowing? In this episode, we dive into the release of Google Veo, a powerful new tool that makes it easier than ever to create deepfake videos that look frighteningly real. These aren’t just harmless digital illusions. They’re convincing enough...
May 22, 2025•5 min•Ep. 613
Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Join the SmartSocial.com podcast as we speak with Dr. Gyimah Whitaker, the Superintendent of the City Schools of Decatur in Georgia, about the importance of parent participation in student activities and strategies for digital education. Dr. Whitaker discusses the impact of screen time on student behavior and academic success, and s...
May 15, 2025•27 min•Ep. 612
