Roanoke County Public Schools are partnering with the Prevention Council of Roanoke County and CommonSense Media to hold a series of parent workshops on “raising smart media kids with common sense.”

The workshops are designed to help elementary and middle school parents understand the challenges and potential issues connected with smart phone usage by younger students.

The meeting at William Byrd Middle School, cancelled in March due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for May 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. for parents of students at WBMS and Bonsack, Herman L. Horn, Mount Pleasant, and W.E. Cundiff Elementary schools.

According to Roanoke County Schools Community Relations Specialist Chuck Lionberger, “Today our children are growing up surrounded by communication devices and ways to access information that we as parents did not have at their age. Therefore, knowing how to help our children and being equipped as parents to say ‘no’ or ‘not until you’re older’ can be a real challenge.”

Experts at the workshop will help parents and students learn more about the link between smart phone use and mental health issues, such as addiction and depression, and come away with powerful parenting resources.