Helix Charter High hosts internet safety presentation for parents, caregivers  

How much time does your child typically spend online in a given day?

More importantly, do you know everything they are looking at when they get on a laptop, tablet, phone or other device?

Helix Charter High School will host an internet safety presentation for parents and caregivers Thursday. The event runs from 6 to 7 p.m. at the school’s ExL Building (1600). Both parents and students are welcome to attend.

This event is presented by the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the San Diego Police Foundation.

Helix Director of Educational Services Elena Smith, who graduated from the school, said there have been more concerns for students who use their personal devices online

“Students were not aware how what they posted and what they shared was publicly accessible to all – not just their friends,” Smith stated. “I think hearing the reality of data access is a powerful experience for students to at least think about their actions online.”

Getting parents and caregivers involved in the discussion is something Smith sees as quite important.

“Talk about it, spend time discussing the aspects of cyber safety and be honest in that conversation,” Smith said. “Parents/caregivers are the owners of this tool and they have the right to control how students utilize it and set parameters for continued use.”

She added that as long as the need is there, this type of event will continue to be supported for student and family awareness.

Helix Grade Level Principal Arica Villegas noted that the school has hosted presentations on the topic of online safety for around a decade now.

“At that time Helix acknowledged that online gaming and social media were increasing with our students and that we needed to ensure our community was not only receiving information on how to be safe online, but also provided a space to ask questions,” Villegas said.

“Navigating the digital world can be challenging as adults,” she continued. “We want to make sure that our students and families are equipped with the knowledge, tools and resources to stay safe today and in the future as the digital landscape continues to evolve. Regular education is a crucial piece for everyone.”

While the La Mesa Police Department is not participating in the event, the department is active in doing all it can to keep children safe both online and off.

A school resource officer, with assistance from LMPD officers and detectives, recently presented a Sextortion Prevention Class highlighting the dangers of the internet and social media, according to La Mesa police Patrol Captain Katy Lynch.

The classes reached approximately 1,700 students (Grades 6-12) across several La Mesa public schools, including Helix Charter High. Officers taught techniques for safe internet use, how to spot red flags and avoid becoming a victim, and what to do if they are victimized.

“Providing sextortion training equips students with the knowledge to identify red flags, understand the consequences and seek help without shame or fear,” Lynch said. “Early education fosters digital resilience, empowers students to protect themselves and their peers and creates a safer, more informed school community.”

When it comes to spotting potential dangers ahead of time, Lynch said there are several things to keep an eye out for, including behavior changes such as secrecy, withdrawal, excessive time spent online or asking for money.

“These may be signs that a child is being victimized by an online predator who may be extorting them for money or explicit photos, or could even be a sign that they are being cyberbullied,” Lynch said. “It is recommended that parents/caregivers frequently check their child’s internet use and look for concerning content. There are many applications available with parental controls to help monitor the use of cell phones by children.”

Given that internet time can fluctuate in homes and when children are away from where they live, parents and caregivers still must be vigilant as certain crimes against kids grow.

“While we can’t speak to the correlation between time spent online and issues a child may face, we have seen an increase in the reports of sextortion and cyberbullying,” Lynch added.