Cell phone policies in middle and high schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great thread -- thanks OP.

Anyone know the policy at Eliot-Hine? It's our feeder and we have been wondering about this.

Not a parent at EH, yet, but per the administration at EH, phones and watches are collected at the beginning of the day and returned at the end. At an event for prospective families this spring, current EH students said this was heavily enforced and many kids choose not to bring phones at all due to the hassle of waiting in line to drop them off in the morning.

Parent of rising 7th grader at EH here - I can confirm that all phones and watches are collected, and that students do grumble at the line, but the school is less than 400 kids, so it is not a huge line. Wonder if more schools will shift over to the pouches that Deal uses. I am a big fan of the policy, forces the kids to interact at lunch and in between classes, decreases the amount of hours kids scroll mindlessly, and obviously helps with focus in class.

[Anonymous]

My oldest is a couple years from this being relevant, but how does the pouch system work at Deal?

[Anonymous]

Banneker has the best policy of any public in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Banneker has the best policy of any public in DC.

Yes they do. But Banneker does not have the same level of complaining and pushback from parents as some of the other schools.

[Anonymous]

Just an update- Walls sent out an email that students can’t use phones in classrooms. They can only use them at lunch. They’ll put their phones in some carrier thing in each classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just an update- Walls sent out an email that students can’t use phones in classrooms. They can only use them at lunch. They’ll put their phones in some carrier thing in each classroom.

Walls parent here, and I am thrilled with this policy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an update- Walls sent out an email that students can’t use phones in classrooms. They can only use them at lunch. They’ll put their phones in some carrier thing in each classroom.

Walls parent here, and I am thrilled with this policy!

Please let administration know. I’m sure they’ve already gotten some angry parent emails about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is a couple years from this being relevant, but how does the pouch system work at Deal?

Each kid gets a Yondr pouch for their cell phone/smartwatch. It's locked when they enter the school and unlocked when they leave.

[Anonymous]

Washington Latin has moved to no phones for middle and HS, excluding seniors. Locked up the whole day.

[Anonymous]

I thought no parents want the kids have access to the phone during the day. No? What to be angry about?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an update- Walls sent out an email that students can’t use phones in classrooms. They can only use them at lunch. They’ll put their phones in some carrier thing in each classroom.

Walls parent here, and I am thrilled with this policy!

Please let administration know. I’m sure they’ve already gotten some angry parent emails about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought no parents want the kids have access to the phone during the day. No? What to be angry about?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an update- Walls sent out an email that students can’t use phones in classrooms. They can only use them at lunch. They’ll put their phones in some carrier thing in each classroom.

Walls parent here, and I am thrilled with this policy!

Please let administration know. I’m sure they’ve already gotten some angry parent emails about it.

There are always parents who are angry about a policy change. Some parents say their child is addicted to their phones and therefore must be permitted to have them. Some parents get outraged that a school would ‘take their child’s property’ away. And those parents tend to be the ones who email the most. Squeaky wheels and all. So it’s always good to let admin know when you support something. Otherwise the most angry, vocal and often irrational parents sway policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought no parents want the kids have access to the phone during the day. No? What to be angry about?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just an update- Walls sent out an email that students can’t use phones in classrooms. They can only use them at lunch. They’ll put their phones in some carrier thing in each classroom.

Walls parent here, and I am thrilled with this policy!

Please let administration know. I’m sure they’ve already gotten some angry parent emails about it.

There are always parents who are angry about a policy change. Some parents say their child is addicted to their phones and therefore must be permitted to have them. Some parents get outraged that a school would ‘take their child’s property’ away. And those parents tend to be the ones who email the most. Squeaky wheels and all. So it’s always good to let admin know when you support something. Otherwise the most angry, vocal and often irrational parents sway policy.

You be surprised the number of parents actively texting their kids during the school day!

[Anonymous]

DCI Middle School will confiscate phones if students are found using them during the school day. Phones will be turned over to a parent.

[Anonymous]

BASIS requires phones and smart watches to be kept in the student’s locker all day. This was also the policy last year.

[Anonymous]

Any school that leaves the enforcement of phone policy up to teachers in the classroom is the admin copping out. Teachers have other stuff to do.

Schools have to collect in the morning and return in the afternoon, or the policy won't be effective.