Off and Away

School is one of the most important places where young people build the social skills they'll carry with them for life. The friendships formed, conversations navigated, and everyday moments of connection that happen in hallways, at lunch, and in classrooms can't be replicated on a screen.

When personal devices are put away, students are more likely to engage with the people around them, work through challenges together, and build the kind of real relationships and communication skills that matter well beyond their school years.

We know that device use and screen time can affect students' stress levels, attention, mood, and sense of connection. Adolescents in particular are sensitive to the social pressures, comparisons, and constant notifications that come with personal devices.

A school day with dedicated time away from that gives students a meaningful break from those pressures, and many report feeling more settled and focused as a result. It's also one of the simplest ways to help your child arrive home ready to connect with family.

We want families to feel confident that they can always reach their child, and that their child can always reach them.

• If your child needs to reach you during the school day, they can ask to use the phone in the school office.
• If you need to get information to your child, you can call or email the school office directly, or send a message through ParentSquare, and staff will make sure it reaches your child.
• Older students also have access to school email through their Chromebooks, which can be a good option for sharing non-urgent information they can check when they have Chromebook access during the day.
• Every location in our buildings has a phone available for staff to use at any time, and our staff are trained to prioritize student safety and family communication in the event of an emergency.

Expectations are designed to reflect the developmental needs and growing independence of students at each grade level. In elementary and middle school, students keep personal devices away for the full school day. In high school, students may use personal devices before school, after school, and during lunch on campus, reflecting the greater independence and responsibilities of older students. The expectation there is simply that devices are away during instructional time so students can be fully present in class.

The most effective thing families can do to support this effort is to reinforce it at home: talk with your child about why this time away from devices matters, and help set expectations before the school day begins. For students who don't need a personal device during the school day, leaving it at home is often the simplest way to remove anything to manage and help your child arrive ready to be fully present.

There are several ways for families to communicate while a student is at school:

• Students can receive emails at their district email address, and they can check their email account on their school-issued device. 
• Families can call, email, or ParentSquare message the school’s front office and ask for a message to be communicated to the student.
• Offices at our schools have phones, and students can use them to call a parent/guardian.
• Messages can be sent to students' phones, which they will receive after school ends for the day (or during lunch at high schools).

Our staff is trained to handle different emergency events. In an emergency, it is imperative that students focus on the information being provided by the trained adults in the building. 

School staff will allow access to personal devices at the appropriate time and when it is safe to do so

Not having access to social media and texting might actually keep students safer during an emergency.

• This keeps students from messaging locations or other information that could compromise safety.
• Students will be able to more clearly focus on instructions and directions from school staff and first responders during an emergency situation.
• Allows the district to communicate accurate information to families regarding a situation, reunification, and other announcements.
• Minimizes wireless/cellular traffic that may inhibit emergency responders’ capacity to communicate.

We will work with families and students to ensure we are able to appropriately support students with health needs within the “off and away” expectation. Contact your school nurse about an Individualized Health Plan (IHP) specific to your child's medical needs.

All accommodations and decisions will continue to align with IDEA, Section 504, and ADA requirements to ensure students with disabilities receive appropriate access and support. 

For example, if a student needs to have access to headphones, headphones with a cord can be used to access their district-provided computer or block noise. Or if a student must be able to reach their parent, a plan can be developed for the student to call or email home from the office or other designated location.