Digital Discipleship Initiative

- The cutting-edge Digital Discipleship Initiative (DDI) Program engages multiple stakeholder groups to provide essential resources and habits to parents, teachers, and students that prioritize healthy, safe, and intentional technology use that contributes to the overall formation of students. The foundation of the program is rooted within the active participation of school leadership, the director of technology, and the Instructional Technology Committee, who meets quarterly with parents to discuss technology use in the classroom and at home. The program is significantly enhanced through an ongoing partnership and relationship with Chris McKenna’s Protect Young Eyes program which provides education and resources for the school community on age-appropriate, moral technology use. The computer class enrichment uses the “Be Tech Ready” lesson plans provided in the Protect Young Eyes resource to continue these conversations.
- A powerful and innovative component of the DDI program is the schoolwide fasts from all non-essential technology for one week during Advent and during Holy Week. During those weeks, the school emphasizes “Low Tech, High Expectations” as everyone steps back from technology usage, and teachers implement creative and powerful lessons that build skills without the need for screens.
  
  Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, St. Peter will be among the first schools in the archdiocese to champion a no social media policy for students. The school leadership team prepared for this transition by having small group discussions with students on why this policy is beneficial and by informing parents of this change through in-person meetings and digital communication. The school also invited a local child psychologist, Dr. Lacey Ellis, to present on Social Media Use in Kids to parents to provide critical mental health insights to parents.