Sports updates, cellphone use by teachers and transportation needs were some of the chief concerns of parents and community members who attended ConVal’s community forum about the district’s new “bell-to-bell” cellphone policy Wednesday night at the Lucy Hurlin Theatre at ConVal High School.
Superintendent Ann Forrest and ConVal’s Phone-Free Committee presented the school’s new policy on personal communication devices, which conforms to state law enacted in June banning cellphone use during the school day.
“Our committee was already developing a policy for a bell-to-bell cellphone ban, so we already had this fleshed out when the state law went into effect,” Forrest said.
Forrest said that ConVal’s elementary and middle schools already have a bell-to-bell ban in effect, and the high school will follow the same policy, along with the introduction of NuKase cellphone cases for high school students.
Forrest presented a brief video on the NuKase — locking, transparent phone cases which will be assigned to each student.
“Our committee really studied this and looked at different options. They looked at using a pouch, which some districts use, but after intensive research and speaking with other school districts, the committee decided that the NuKase was the best option,” Forrest said.
Each student will be assigned a NuKase for use during the school day.
“Students will lock their phone in the NuKase at first bell, and they will not be able to open the case until they go to an unlocking station at the end of the day,” Forrest said.
ConVal Principal Heather McKillop spoke about the effects of cellphone addiction and how the district will handle the adjustment.
“The NuKase actually prevents students from touching the phone, and it will disrupt that dopamine hit of reaching for the phone,” McKillop said. “We are all addicted to our phones one way or another. We feel this will eliminate a lot of conflict in the classroom, and it will allow students to be focused on their learning.”
Forrest explained that the high school will have 12 unlocking stations in the building for when students exit after the last bell, including a station at the front office for students who are dismissed early.
“Unlocking the phone only takes a second,” Forrest said.
McKillop acknowledged that the new policy will be a “truly difficult transition” for many students
“I just want to emphasize that we will offer support for our students; we care deeply about students and our community,” McKillop said. “We will need to have some grace with one another as all we figure this out. We have spoken to counselors. We are planning restorative circles. We’ll have community conversations, and we’ll have student counselors and student supports as we go through this.”
Science teacher Carol Young said the school is prepared for “a big adjustment.”
“This is my 32nd year of teaching, and I know this will be challenge,” she said.
The Phone-Free Committee was formed after a group of ConVal faculty — Ashley Mudrick, Leslie Holcombe, Carol Young and Tyler Mudrick — completed a staff book study of “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt.
“This was a call to action for us to do something about phones,” said librarian Ashley Mudrick. “I don’t usually read non-fiction, but I could not put this book down. Everything we read said that cell phone use is harmful to kids learning, to their development, to their ability to develop relationships. We want kids to be able to play, to explore, to develop relationships, to grow. “
The committee presented data on the effects of cell phone use on adolescents, which include increased anxiety, lower school performance, reduced social interaction, sleep problems, and increased conflicts with teachers and peers.
The committee reported that the ConVa faculty is strongly in favor of the ban, as evidenced by a staff survey.
Several parents attending the forum or participating online had questions about how students will receive sports notifications.
“Notifications from coaches will also be sent by email, which students can access through their Chromebooks,” Forrest said.
Janine Lesser, school board representative from Peterborough, said that questions about whether the policy also applies to teachers “was probably the most-popular question coming in” from online participants.
Forrest said teachers will abide by the same rules of not using personal communication devices during class.
“Teachers will also be putting their phones away; the entire building needs to be modeling this,” she said.
Ruth Anne Boyce, a mother of four sons, asked how students could communicate with parents during the day.
“I am fully in support of the cellphone ban, but I am just wondering how they can communicate with home if they need to. My boy’s always forgetting something at home,” Boyce said.
Forrest said that students will be able to use email through their Chromebooks to reach parents during the day if necessary and to communicate about transportation or schedule changes.
Students who need to make a phone call during the day will be permitted to use the phone in the front office.
Forrest said that according to the new state law, smartwatches are also banned.
“The law does not leave us any flexibility with that,” Forrest said. “We suggest students leave smartwatches at home.”