Anonymous
06/08/2026 00:07
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
If you don't want your child to have a phone bell to bell how about you don't allow the phone to go to school with them? We don't have phones and we survived. We went to the office to call home if we needed to. No need for phones in school.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 19:10
Subject: Re:Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
The list is incorrect. I teach at one of the schools listed as having a "bell to bell" ban and the school does not have such a ban. Parents should read student handbooks to confirm individual schools' cell phone policies if this issue is important to your family.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 18:20
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Maret doesn't allow phones bell to bell in high school. I know because my kid has had his phone confiscated and I received an email lol. He doesn't like it, I love it.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 14:25
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
And we did indeed get him a phone for 9th grade, but we had strict time limits and rules. But we are walking it back now and have gotten him a watch for the calling/texting functionality without the draw of all the apps.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 14:22
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Gonzaga parents - please write the school about this! Maybe if they hear from parents about this, something might change. Our class counselor has even said that she would like to see a ban. I was just talking with my Gonzaga student, and he was saying he would love to see them banned. He says he feels forced to look at social media during the day because you look unpopular if you aren't on your phone - that is just so sad. Our younger son went for a shadow day and said nobody talked to him because they were all playing video games at lunch and between classes, and he decided not to apply. I am so sad about the cell phone, I really wish we hadn't sent our older son.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 13:28
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Holton has this policy for 2 years now. But I think it's over the top. Kids still text from their computers and can basically do everything in their laptops. Maybe less stringent, like allowing them to use it in breaks, like before.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 09:24
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Anonymous wrote:Maret lets students use phones all day, just not in class. BS reasoning “we trust students to make the right decisions”
That's an asinine statement and they know it (and I know many schools have this terrible policy). What they really mean is "we don't want to deal with kids and parents who will complain and/or break the rules if we ban phones."
Anonymous
06/07/2026 08:17
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Baltimore privates do this - kids turn them in at start of day and get them before they leave. Teachers don’t have to enforce anything. Very easy and such an improvement.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 07:52
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Anonymous wrote:Maret lets students use phones all day, just not in class. BS reasoning “we trust students to make the right decisions”
Is that for HS? When did the tour for MS they made sure to mention the cell phone ban. I wasn’t paying that close of attention but I thought it applied to HS too.
GDS also said they had a cell phone ban.
It seemed that every school we toured had a bell to bell cell phone ban so I thought that was the norm at private schools now. Surprisingly that not all have gone that way yet.
Anonymous
06/07/2026 07:47
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Maret lets students use phones all day, just not in class. BS reasoning “we trust students to make the right decisions”
Anonymous
06/07/2026 01:34
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Exactly
Anonymous
06/05/2026 13:10
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have any of the private HS implemented this policy?
VaDept of Education advocates for this and some local publics have implemented it this school year. Our HS has had a rule that no phones can be out in any academic building, you will get detention if you are seen on it even in the hallway.
HOWEVER, lunch and study periods the phones are all being used. We noticed a sheer decline in the number of kids conversing, going to the field to throw around a ball, etc. This generation they are playing video games or on social media during this time. We strictly monitor our HS jr but it's an uphill battle when every other kid is on them during this time.
We are going to raise this with our HS and see what can be done. I realize kids travel from all over to get to our HS and nobody is saying not to bring them to school---just that they be stored and off completely for the school day.
The studies are loud that phones are a detriment to kids and in school particularly.
Thoughts?
They are banned everywhere on our campus, whether you are in an academic or non-academic building or even outside. If sound, the Dean confiscates them until the end of the day. My DD has said it makes such a big difference in her ability and others’ willingness to socialize.
We are at Georgetown Visitation.
I wish Gonzaga would do this.
+1.
+100
There is no reason any of these kids need their devices during lunch or free time… They should be interacting with each other.
And having no phones during class time is a no-brainer, but making teachers enforce it in each class seems cruel
Anonymous
06/05/2026 10:39
Subject: Private HS- ban cell phones bell to bell
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have any of the private HS implemented this policy?
VaDept of Education advocates for this and some local publics have implemented it this school year. Our HS has had a rule that no phones can be out in any academic building, you will get detention if you are seen on it even in the hallway.
HOWEVER, lunch and study periods the phones are all being used. We noticed a sheer decline in the number of kids conversing, going to the field to throw around a ball, etc. This generation they are playing video games or on social media during this time. We strictly monitor our HS jr but it's an uphill battle when every other kid is on them during this time.
We are going to raise this with our HS and see what can be done. I realize kids travel from all over to get to our HS and nobody is saying not to bring them to school---just that they be stored and off completely for the school day.
The studies are loud that phones are a detriment to kids and in school particularly.
Thoughts?
They are banned everywhere on our campus, whether you are in an academic or non-academic building or even outside. If sound, the Dean confiscates them until the end of the day. My DD has said it makes such a big difference in her ability and others’ willingness to socialize.
We are at Georgetown Visitation.
I wish Gonzaga would do this.
+1.