As we begin the final quarter of the school year, families are reminded of our “off and away” policy for phones during the school day, helping students stay focused and connect with one another in person. Lately, we’ve also seen more students using smart watches to text during class, which can sometimes lead to unintended distractions or hurt feelings.
Dr. DiLella has shared the following message with families to address this issue and ask for their support at home.
Please see the full message below from Principal Dr. DiLella:
Dear Parents & Guardians - Welcome to the final quarter of the 2024-25 School Year! I know we are all looking forward to warmer weather and (hopefully) some dry days. As you know, our code of conduct states that smart phones are off and away. I believe our students look forward to that time away from their device to focus on their studies and engage in face-to-face interactions with their friends. We have noticed an increase in students with smart watches and kindly ask you to speak with your children about peer-to-peer texting through smart watches while attending school. There have been situations where texting from smart watches during the school day has resulted in hurt feelings or increased anxiety from students that may not be part of that texting group. We have over a thousand students engaging in hundreds of interactions a day. We work with students on navigating those interactions utilizing peer-to-peer communication skills. Sometimes, sending an Emoji can result in confusion. Most smart watches have a setting that can silent peer-to-peer texting, disable notifications that minimize disruption in the school day. We plan to speak with the students at lunches on Monday to address the use of smart watches and appreciate your support.
