February 17, 2019

Dear Columbus Academy Families,
I hope your children are enjoying the extra-long weekend so far (don't forget that our school is closed tomorrow for Presidents Day). Also, I want to make sure that you are aware of the speaker that the PACA Parent Education Program is hosting this upcoming Wednesday, February 20, at 7:00 p.m. in our dining hall. In keeping with this year's theme of "Belonging," PACA is bringing in an internationally recognized speaker, Catherine Steiner-Adair, Ed.D., a clinical psychologist and author of the book "The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age." She will speak about the role that technology plays in our children's lives, and how we can help them to understand how to integrate technology positively while trying to minimize the negative effects that we are now beginning to understand.
 
In my 20 years as a psychologist here at Academy, I have witnessed the changes, both positive and negative, that technology has brought to our children's lives. Most of the students at CA now cannot remember a time when technology has not been an essential, captivating and compelling part of their lives. I have also had countless conversations with parents about their fears, worries and frustrations while helping their children navigate in a tech world that is unlike the world we experienced as children and adolescents.
 
Dr. Steiner-Adair will also be speaking at separate division assemblies for your children in grades 4-12, so this is a good opportunity to have a conversation with them about this complex subject. I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity if you can fit it into your schedule. Click on the following links for more information and Dr. Steiner-Adair's website.
Please feel free to email or call MS Counselor Betsy Zoeller (ext. 2677), LS Counselor Shaun Ditty (ext. 2620) or me (ext. 2296) if you have any questions. And to RSVP for the event, contact Kelly Vaziri at kdvaziri@aol.com.
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Upper School Psychologist
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