Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 09:07     Subject: Re:Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Teacher here. MCPS is extremely lax about cell phone use and it is a huge problem. They need to become more strict as it is negatively impacting learning.
And we cannot just take cell phones away. I teach HS juniors and seniors. Many of them refuse to put their phones away. Their parents are unresponsive.
We don’t have enough security in our school building so often they don’t respond even if you call them. There needs to be a uniform policy with consequences.
Even students who get good grade are not retaining information long term because their attention is split between school work and phones.
And phones make it very easy to cheat.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 08:35     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Already did a policy update in May. What would be great is if Parents did an update by giving them to kids later and with much greater restrictions on screen time and social media. Not to me mention really educating on manners and kindness.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=56&policyID=COG-RA§ionID=3

OP here. Thanks, I hadn't heard of that. For MS/HS, it appears that teachers can allow it at their discretion. FCPS policy seems more strict. I prefer the FCPS policy.

I have two HSers.


I prefer the MCPS policy because it allows for common sense.

Why do MSers/HSers need the phone during class?
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 06:43     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just be a parent and set your kid's downtime until when they get out of school. My daughter's downtime is set M-F 10pm to 3pm. You can click on things to override that downtime like education apps, calculator, and 5 personal contacts on imessages.

Stop blaming the school and teachers. Be a parent


+1 my child complains but we used Screentime app on iPhone. He made it thru 9th grade with just the ability to text parents/ family during the school day and use the calculator and the MCPS student app.


My son “broke” screen time on both his laptop and phone. I don’t think he uses his phone during the day. He had straight As in a magnet program- also in 9th.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 04:34     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:If parents are the ones that want their kids to have phones and want to reach them 24/7 than it should be mandatory that all kids have screen time on while in a school building.


My kids phones go into school mode during school hours, but can be used in an emergency. We are also notified if they override the lockout.We don't expect teachers to have to worry about how our children use the cell phones that we gave them. That's our job as parents.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 04:29     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Already did a policy update in May. What would be great is if Parents did an update by giving them to kids later and with much greater restrictions on screen time and social media. Not to me mention really educating on manners and kindness.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=56&policyID=COG-RA§ionID=3

OP here. Thanks, I hadn't heard of that. For MS/HS, it appears that teachers can allow it at their discretion. FCPS policy seems more strict. I prefer the FCPS policy.

I have two HSers.


I prefer the MCPS policy because it allows for common sense.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 02:33     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
If parents are the ones that want their kids to have phones and want to reach them 24/7 than it should be mandatory that all kids have screen time on while in a school building.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2022 00:52     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:Just be a parent and set your kid's downtime until when they get out of school. My daughter's downtime is set M-F 10pm to 3pm. You can click on things to override that downtime like education apps, calculator, and 5 personal contacts on imessages.

Stop blaming the school and teachers. Be a parent


Seriously this. Teachers get tired of playing whackamole trying to get kids to keep their phones put away
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 19:40     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:Just be a parent and set your kid's downtime until when they get out of school. My daughter's downtime is set M-F 10pm to 3pm. You can click on things to override that downtime like education apps, calculator, and 5 personal contacts on imessages.

Stop blaming the school and teachers. Be a parent


+1 my child complains but we used Screentime app on iPhone. He made it thru 9th grade with just the ability to text parents/ family during the school day and use the calculator and the MCPS student app.
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 16:24     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Just be a parent and set your kid's downtime until when they get out of school. My daughter's downtime is set M-F 10pm to 3pm. You can click on things to override that downtime like education apps, calculator, and 5 personal contacts on imessages.

Stop blaming the school and teachers. Be a parent
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 15:38     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
I hope MCPS can crack down on the cell phone usage in school. It is a problem at my kid’s MS, for sure.

I would love to see some traction from parents and staff to limit cell phone usage in schools.
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 15:12     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
The problem is that the apps to limit kids access are too complicated or don’t work.
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 14:54     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Will it be enforced though? When my kids were at mcps, they in theory could not have phones but few teachers wanted to take teaching time to deal with phones. Will VA teachers?
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 14:42     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Anonymous wrote:Already did a policy update in May. What would be great is if Parents did an update by giving them to kids later and with much greater restrictions on screen time and social media. Not to me mention really educating on manners and kindness.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=56&policyID=COG-RA§ionID=3

OP here. Thanks, I hadn't heard of that. For MS/HS, it appears that teachers can allow it at their discretion. FCPS policy seems more strict. I prefer the FCPS policy.

I have two HSers.
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 14:12     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
Already did a policy update in May. What would be great is if Parents did an update by giving them to kids later and with much greater restrictions on screen time and social media. Not to me mention really educating on manners and kindness.

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=56&policyID=COG-RA§ionID=3
Anonymous
Post 06/19/2022 13:30     Subject: Will MCPS update their cell phone policy like FCPS did?
I hope so.

Anyone know if there are any discussions in MCPS about it?

https://wjla.com/news/local/fairfax-county-school-board-cell-phones-students-virginia-youngkin-classroom-fcps-technology-learning-rules?fbclid=IwAR2BF7eO2U_Lj47kLnayEnM1-BYMebLTPhZY7sg_0LDugtENjjh_pwsGOOk