With the goal of improving student engagement and cutting down on distractions during class time, interim Mt. Hope High School principal Michelle King sent out a newsletter to families informing them that classrooms will be “cell phone free zones” this year.

The correspondence also specifically mentions the use of earbuds, which are likewise to be restricted from use while the classroom.

“We must ensure that our students are focused and engaged on the essential instruction taking place in each and every classroom,” King said.
Students will be able to check their phones in between classes and while at lunch, and will be able to use one earbud while passing in the hallways or at lunch.

“This is due to the safety issue created by the improved ‘noise cancelling’ features of most earbuds,” the email explained.

King clarified in an email that this was not a newly created “policy,” but was rather the implementation of “clear and consistent routines and rituals around cell phone access when students are in their instructional areas.”
When asked if teachers would be held to the same standards, King said in a follow-up email that, "We are continuing to build a culture of accountability for everyone. Adults must model the behaviors we wish to see in our students."

She said that, “In addition to focusing on cell phones, we are also committing ourselves to improving attendance and family engagement.”

The email concludes the section on cell phones by imploring help from parents to create better habits regarding cell phone use among their children.

“We cannot do it alone,” it reads, asking parents to:

• Have serious conversations at home regarding the effects of cell phone use while in class
• Establish boundaries regarding technology and cell phones at home (for example, no cell phones during meals or while doing homework)
• Reinforce the routines and rituals established at school as we work toward the same goal of student achievement