Cell policy provides consistency
By Daniel Scullard
Published March 21, 2023
Before the new cell phone policy, phones were a huge distraction and students would rush through their homework to get on their phones faster, forcing homework to be sloppy and rushed.
The old phone policy of allowing teachers to decide on whether to have them out or not confused students and teachers. The new policy “causes a consistent expectation around the building and in class,” according to social studies teacher Mr. Dustin Richters. Along with improving class work, it also helped with communication among students. “As frustrated as I was last hour with the noise level, it was also somewhat fun,” social studies teacher Mr. Scott Miller said. “Part of me liked to let it happen because that means the people are engaging with each other.”
When the previous principal retired, the phone policy was up to the teachers and whether students could have them out or not. The new principal made a new policy that made it consistent and equal in all classrooms. The new policy is still in the rough draft phase. “I drafted a phone policy looking at other districts and their policies,” AHS principal Mrs. Lisa DeMars said. “Some had no phones at all while some were way more strict than we were.”
While we may not have it in class, we can still use it during Lunch and/or Homeroom. The new policy also allows us to have access between classes so we are not fully restricted. Even in a family emergency we still can use our phones to receive calls from family, but in a school emergency we are asked to not use our phones so as not to overwhelm emergency services and the services needed are already contacted.
Published March 21, 2023
Before the new cell phone policy, phones were a huge distraction and students would rush through their homework to get on their phones faster, forcing homework to be sloppy and rushed.
The old phone policy of allowing teachers to decide on whether to have them out or not confused students and teachers. The new policy “causes a consistent expectation around the building and in class,” according to social studies teacher Mr. Dustin Richters. Along with improving class work, it also helped with communication among students. “As frustrated as I was last hour with the noise level, it was also somewhat fun,” social studies teacher Mr. Scott Miller said. “Part of me liked to let it happen because that means the people are engaging with each other.”
When the previous principal retired, the phone policy was up to the teachers and whether students could have them out or not. The new principal made a new policy that made it consistent and equal in all classrooms. The new policy is still in the rough draft phase. “I drafted a phone policy looking at other districts and their policies,” AHS principal Mrs. Lisa DeMars said. “Some had no phones at all while some were way more strict than we were.”
While we may not have it in class, we can still use it during Lunch and/or Homeroom. The new policy also allows us to have access between classes so we are not fully restricted. Even in a family emergency we still can use our phones to receive calls from family, but in a school emergency we are asked to not use our phones so as not to overwhelm emergency services and the services needed are already contacted.