Success stories

schools with phone-free policies

Articles

Schools that Ban Smart Phones, by Mark Openheimer for The Atlantic

This School Took Away Smartphones. The Kids Don’t Mind. by Julie Jargon for The Wall Street Journal

A Sydney high school banned mobile phones. It had dramatic results. by Andrew Taylor for The Syndney Morning Herald

“Davidson High School principal David Rule said there had been significant changes since students in years 7 to 10 were banned from using mobile phones at school.…“Classrooms have effectively become phone-free and this has allowed staff to focus on educating students,” he said in a school newsletter. “Finally, in eight weeks of the policy, there has been a 90 per cent reduction in behavioural issues related to phones in the school.”

Cellphones in schools: Some districts take steps to eliminate devices, by Maddie Aiken for TribLive.com

What school administrators say

“Students honestly said they were surprised at how much less stress they felt knowing they couldn’t check their phone during class. They hadn’t realized how distracting their phone was until they didn’t have it. Even if it was in their backpack – it was always calling to them to sneak a peek.”

— CASSIE SINICHKO, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, GW COMMUNITY SCHOOL, SPRINGFIELD, VA

“We’ve seen positive results due to the change.”

— KAREN METCALF, TEACHER, CORNERSTONE LEARNING COMMUNITY, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

“I have been impressed with how well this has worked with many of our students. It has decreased the number of cell phone related incidents with my grade level.”

— LUCAS LAUER, SCHOOL COUNSELOR, FREDERICK COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WINCHESTER, VA

“Our kids never complain. It is just the way it is.”

— CHRISTINE LAFFERTY, TEACHER, MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF EVERGREEN, EVERGREEN, CO

“Initial resistance but parents love it, and kids are doing great with it now.”

— LEAH NIEHAUS, SCHOOL COUNSELOR, MANHATTAN BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL, MANHATTAN BEACH, CA

“The change has been positive – having clear and firm boundaries has been a relief to all of us.”

— DEB BYRD, TEACHER, UPLAND HILLS SCHOOL, OXFORD, MI

“The new policy is going great! Students feel relieved and there is less drama during the day.”

— JUNIA ZIBLAY, LIBRARIAN, MARIN PRIMARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL, LARKSPUR, CA

“It is going extremely well. We are very happy about our new policy”

— CHARLOTTE OLIVER, TEACHER, FERNDALE HIGH SCHOOL, FERNDALE, CA.

“Kids started talking to each other again! Even though the kids complained at first, and some tried to skirt around it, overall the student’s are happy we have the policy.”

— JEANNE BORDERS, PRINCIPAL, CORNERSTONE PREPARATORY ACADEMY, ACWORTH, GA

Via awayfortheday.org