Wakulla County Schools Offer iLANDS of Safety for Kids Online

First Free, Safe Children’s Website

SafeWave LLC, creators of iLAND5.com , a new children’s internet safety network, announced today that the Wakulla County school system has taken a proactive role in offering the secure network to their student body.

Last year the Wakulla County school system joined the Attorney General’s cyber safety program and is now delivering that commitment within the school walls to protect their students on line. Florida is among a long list of Attorney Generals nationwide who look favorably on this solution to protect children on line. iLAND5.com was launched just a little over a year ago and currently has schools in four states, and children as far away as the UK as part of their secure network.

iLAND5.com is the only free network to offer children ages 5-18, five, age appropriate “iLANDS” to explore fun and educational games, enjoy protected socializing with other children their age, homework help, art and many other activities.

Unique to iLAND5.com is the security process that requires a school’s verification of the child’s age and identity to access the website. Predators cannot pose as children on iLAND5.com . Once on their age appropriate iLAND, children can’t be exposed to undesirable material or conversations. The iLANDS are monitored by filters and “eyes on” to prevent bullying or other unwelcome advances. Additionally, links taking children off the secured iLANDS are not available. They are safe on their iLAND, free to play, explore, learn and interact with other children their age worldwide at home and in school.

{sidebar id=1}“We welcome this partnership to help our schools overcome the threats that sites like MySpace pose, particularly cyber bullying which is also a disruptive force in their education” says Alan K. Rosier, Director for Technology Services Wakulla County School Board. Mr. Rosier was instrumental in bringing the iLAND5 network to the four elementary schools in the Wakulla County School system. “The internet is an important part of a child’s learning, but we must protect them from the unsavory side of the internet” says Mr. Rosier.

Headquartered in Pinellas County, Florida, SafeWave.org created the iLAND5 network in response to the seriousness of online predators and the growing scholastic and parental concern for children’s online safety.

“This is not just filtering software, or a program of pre-selected choices” says Randy Stafford, President of SafeWave.org , former school psychologist and contributing developer of the site’s content. “iLAND5.com offers a dynamic, environment on a secured website that promotes healthy social, emotional and intellectual development of children – and kids think its fun!”

Earlier this year, Florida Governor Crist signed “Jeff’s Law” requiring schools to deliver cyber bullying prevention and education programs to their staff and students or risk loosing certain state funding. Debbie Johnston, initiator of Jeff’s Law, recently joined SafeWave.org at the Florida PTA Leadership Conference to introduce iLAND5.com . “Cyber bullying is a pandemic that must be addressed by schools and parents” says the mother, teacher, and internet safety advocate. “I believe iLAND5.com helps schools and parents work together to stop cyber bullying and other on line dangers.”

The most recent report issued in 2006 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children stated that although more parents are using filtering, blocking and monitoring software, youth exposed to unwanted sexual material has increased substantially from their survey five years ago. They also noted that the increase in online harassment was unsettling. Among their conclusions is a call to rethink the approach to the problem and apply broader efforts.

“We applaud the proactive efforts of the Wakulla County school system to protect kids at school. The single most important thing parents can do to protect their kids on line at home is to put them on iLAND5.com ” says Safe Wave LLC founder and CEO Steve Schechner.

The company’s mission is: To provide a free, safe and secure collaborative network for students, protecting them from inappropriate or harmful influences. The network promotes creative individualism, fun educational activities, fiscal responsibilities and community involvement in a safe and secure social environment between peers.

Visit SafeWave.org to register your child or school, or call 1-877-iLAND5-0 for more information. Locally, call the WCSB MIS Office and speak to Alan Rosier, Director of Technology Services at 850-926-0065, ext. 232.

Additionally, SafeWave.org is hosting a free webinar “Creating iLANDS of Safety for Kids Online” including guest speaker Debbie Johnston on September 25th at 2:00 p.m. EST. Reservations can be made at RSVPInternetSafetyWebinarOne@SafeWave.org.

This information originally published on August 14, 2008.

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