National Stalking Awareness Month
One in five Americans are affected by cyberstalking, persistent
emails, and other unwanted contact according to a study by the
National Cyber Security Alliance. This January is National Stalking
Awareness Month - a month dedicated to educating the public
about the dangers related to the crime of stalking both online and
offline. The month also provides a good opportunity to identify the
ways Americans can protect themselves online.
The Stalking Resource Center (SRC) of the National Center for
Victims of Crime, is a Stop.Think.Connect. National Network
partner. The SRC defines "stalking" generally as harassing or
threatening behavior that an individual engages in repeatedly, such
as following a person, appearing at a person's home or place of
business, or making harassing phone calls. Cyberstalking follows
the same definition; only perpetrators utilize technology to torment
their victims. This can involve continuously contacting someone
online or e-mailing threatening or hateful messages.
The best defense against cyber stalking is to avoid oversharing
information - especially online. Here are some basic tips from the
Stop.Think.Connect.™ Campaign to keep in mind when sharing
online.
1. Don't broadc as t y our loc at ion. Do not activate location
or geo-tagging features on your devices. You could be telling
a stalker exactly where to find you.
2. Connec t only wit h people y ou t rus t . While some social
networks might seem safer for connecting because of the
limited personal information shared through them, keep your
connections to people you know and trust.
3. K eep c ert ain t hings priv at e f rom ev ery one. Certain
information should be kept completely off your social
networks. While it's fun to have everyone wish you a happy
birthday, or for long-lost friends to reconnect with you online,
listing your date of birth with your full name and address
provides potential stalkers with crucial information that could
give them further access to you.
4. B e t hought f ul about what y ou s hare. Be aware that
when you share a post, picture or video online, you may also
be revealing sensitive information about yourself and others.
You don't own anything you post online, and people could
use your information, photos, or content for malicious
Observatory Event
J anuary 15 * 7 pm
Wint er Cons t ellat ions
January signifies winter in our
region and a view of the night
sky with some of the most
well known constellations.
This connection between the
seasons and the patterns of
stars is a great part of
understanding astronomy that
goes back millennia.
Successful Semester
The Student Enrichment
Department, made up of the
Science Center, Team
Building Ropes Course,
Camp and Retreat Center,
and Enrichment IDL and
Traveling Science Lab,
recently completed the first
semester of serving kids. As
a whole, they taught 10,523
students both on the
Greenbush campus and offsite with Enrichment IDL and
Traveling Science Lab.
New Braille Units
purposes.
Volleyball Game with a Twist
An annual volleyball game between
teachers and students at Coffeyville
Elementary included a different way to
play.
A visually impaired
student wanted to have a
student volleyball team.
As a result, the teacher
team was made to wear
blindfolds, representing
being visually impaired
and having a sighted
guide to help them. The teachers played against
the students, including the student with visual
impairment and his sighted guide. The winners
were the student team...great job for all those
that participated!
Carolyn Kerstetter, Greenbush, teacher of the visually impaired,
serves the student from Coffeyville.
Live Well, Work Well
Have you only heard the "bad" things about the coffee you drink?
Everything from stunting your growth to claims that it causes
heart disease and cancer. But, recent research indicates that
coffee may not be so bad after all. For most people, the health
benefits actually outweigh the risks. For more "positives"
regarding coffee, your New Year's resolutions, and sugar
substitutes, click here!
Tammy Warford, low
incidence program, shared
that the Southeast Kansas
Assistive Technology
Access Site @ SKIL was
able to obtain Braille Sense
U2 Units. Funding came
from Children with
Challenges, United Cerebral
Palsy, and Zollars.