Josh Ochs

Smart Social Podcast: Keeping students safe so they can Shine Online

Kids EN ↓ 600 episodes

The Smart Social Team teaches parents, educators, and students how to stay safe on social media so they can Shine Online. We show you how to audit your Google results and use your social media accounts as a portfolio of positive accomplishments. We keep it tactical and practical with tips you can use to better understand how to navigate the digital world as a parent, student, and educator. Learn more at SmartSocial.com

Author

Josh Ochs

Episodes

"When kids learn how to drive, parents don't just hand the keys over..." with Dr. Andrew J. Sanko 18.07.2025 21:55

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, host Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Andrew J. Sanko, the superintendent of the Council Rock School District in suburban Philadelphia. They discuss how technology impacts students across var...

"Trying to keep up with all of the new apps is one of the most complex things"- Norma E. Martinez 17.07.2025 26:14

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast's District Talk segment, host Josh Ochs interviews Ms. Norma Martinez, Superintendent of the Centralia School District in North Orange County, California. They discuss the challenges pa...

"How do we help our kids understand the real consequences of engaging online?" with Will Pierce 17.07.2025 19:32

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events This episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast features an in-depth interview with Will Pierce, Superintendent of 27 J Schools. The discussion revolves around the importance of engaging both parents and students to navigate the complex...

"It's a beautiful world and our kids are missing it..." with Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil 11.07.2025 16:25

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil, Superintendent of Uniondale Union Free School District, discusses the vital topic of keeping students safe on social media with the SmartSocial podcast. The conversation covers the impacts of technology on...

"How do we incorporate cell phones into learning where it's a positive experience?" - Dr. Yarbrough 09.07.2025 17:56

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, Dr. R. Terrell Yarbrough, Superintendent of Harlem Consolidated School District 122, discusses the integration of cell phones and AI in education. Dr. Yarbrough emphasizes the importan...

"We want safe and successful kids; this is a challenge as the world moves quickly"- Dr. Trent Bowers 07.07.2025 20:44

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Superintendent Dr. Trent Bowers of Worthington City Schools shares how his district prioritizes student safety and success in a fast-moving digital world. With over 10,000 students und...

Gemini AI App For Kids: Is it safe for your kids to use AI? 03.07.2025 3:44

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Parents, Google’s Gemini AI for Kids might already be turned on for your child’s account. It’s designed to help with questions, but it can also feel like a “friend” to young kids and share wrong information. This episode breaks down...

"It's the social, emotional, and the interpersonal skills that are being impacted" - Daniel Sullivan 02.07.2025 19:48

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Superintendent Daniel Sullivan of Colchester Public Schools discusses the challenges and trends related to social media and technology use among students. The conversation covers the i...

"There are strangers all over the internet handing out candy and it's at our kids' peril" -Dr. Mason 25.06.2025 19:24

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, we host Dr. Brad Mason, Superintendent of Whittier City School District, as he discusses the critical importance of keeping children safe in a fast-paced digital world. The conversatio...

"We are connected digitally, but a substantial relationship is not what is happening" -Dr. Robinson 25.06.2025 20:44

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, host Josh Ochs interviews Dr. Marie Robinson, Superintendent of Bangor School Department in Maine, discussing digital safety and parent engagement. They explore the challenges students...

"Parents really want to be involved, they just don't always know how" with Dr. Kenny Rodrequez 24.06.2025 20:29

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter On this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Ochs speaks with Dr. Kenny Rodrequez, Superintendent of Schools in Grandview, Missouri. They discuss the challenges parents and school leaders face in keeping kids safe online amidst rapidly evolving technology. The discussion highlights the increased i...

"There's such a digital divide from so many of our teens compared to their parents" - Dr. Dale Herl 24.06.2025 21:08

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Dr. Dale Herl, Superintendent of the Independence Missouri School District, discusses the challenges and strategies of keeping students safe in a digital world. Dr. Herl shares insight...

"It's appropriate for a parent to be able to view the content on their child's phone" Dr. Adams 23.06.2025 23:38

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Join Josh Ochs as he interviews Dr. Kellen Adams, Superintendent of USD 453 Leavenworth, on the SmartSocial.com Podcast. They discuss key strategies for keeping students safe online, managing screen time addiction, and fostering hea...

"We have not learned the boundaries of when to use and not use social media" with Laurie Barron 23.06.2025 31:12

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, we dive into the complex world of digital boundaries for students and the disruptions they cause in schools. We feature an engaging conversation with Laurie Barron, Superintendent of E...

AI Stalked My Nephews’ Location: The Background of Your Child’s Photo Is Now a Tracking Device 19.06.2025 3:42

Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Today’s AI tools can do more than analyze text. They can scan an image and instantly identify where it was taken—even if there’s no tag or caption. In this Josh Talk, we explore how easy it’s become to trace a student’s location fro...

"We want to teach our kids to use these tools responsibly" with Superintendent Mark Odsather 18.06.2025 14:07

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, Josh Oaks interviews Mark Odsather, the Superintendent of Pleasant View School District in California, about innovative strategies to keep students safe on social media. They discuss t...

"We're seeing more students experiencing anxiety tied to digital interactions" Dr Thomas McBryde Jr 18.06.2025 20:03

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Join Dr. Thomas McBryde, Jr., superintendent of Hackensack Public Schools in New Jersey, as he discusses the increasing mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm, that students face due to digital interact...

"Kids want boundaries. We all thrive in a framework where we know the rules" with Dr. John Barile 11.06.2025 22:50

Protect your family with our 1-minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the Smart Social.com podcast, Josh Ochs interviews Dr. John Barile, the Superintendent of Brookfield Public Schools, to discuss key strategies for keeping students safe and successful in a digital age. They explor...

"If you get input from your child to help make the rules, they're likely to follow"- G. Elgin Card 10.06.2025 20:28

Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, G. Elgin Card, Superintendent of Princeton City School District, joins the show to discuss the challenges and solutions for keeping students safe in a fast-paced digital world. With ap...

The Quiet Hurt of Online Exclusion: Helping Kids Navigate Digital Rejection 06.06.2025 2:37

Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events What does online exclusion really feel like for kids—and how can parents and educators help? In this Josh Talk, we explore the emotional impact of being left out online. Whether it's being ghosted in a group chat or seeing a party they weren’t invited to, these digital moments can affect a child's self-esteem. Josh shares pr...

"Nobody wants to be bossed around. They want to be part of the solution" with Dr. Ann Marie Foucault 05.06.2025 26:44

martsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com podcast, we feature Dr. Ann-Marie Foucault, Superintendent of St. Michael-Albertville School District. We discuss the importance of communicating the 'why' to students, building trust, and collaborating with parents to keep students safe in the digital world. D...

Screens, Summer Chaos & Smart Planning: Why AI Might Be Your Best Summer Co Parent 30.05.2025 4:16

Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events Summer break is just around the corner… and suddenly, you’re the cruise director of your home. From planning activities and prepping snacks to managing screen time, even the most organized parents can feel overwhelmed. But what if A...

"It's about equipping kids to use social media in a productive way" with Luke Rasmussen 30.05.2025 33:10

Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events In this episode of the SmartSocial.com Podcast, we dive into strategies for promoting safe and productive social media use among students. Join Josh and district leaders, including Ogden School District Superintendent Luke Rasmussen...

The Hidden Cost of Teen Privacy: How Predators Weaponize Online Freedom 30.05.2025 4:55

Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events What happens when “privacy” becomes the one thing standing between your child and an online predator? In this episode, we unpack why giving teens too much freedom online can have dangerous consequences. From grooming tactics on popu...

Google Veo & the Deepfake Revolution: The Deep Fake Crisis Hitting Schools & Screens 22.05.2025 4:30

Protect your family with our 1 minute free parent quiz https://www.smartsocial.com/newsletter Join our next weekly live parent events: https://smartsocial.com/events What happens when AI can copy your child’s face, voice, and personality—without them ever knowing? In this episode, we dive into the release of Google Veo, a powerful new tool that makes it easier than ever to create deepfake videos...