Rifle Middle School
School Accountability
Cell Phones at Rifle Middle School:
Technology in education has brought much needed innovation, creativity, collaboration, and personalization to learning. However, we also share a growing concern about the impacts of excessive screen time on kids, poor choices made while they are trying to learn appropriate use, and the disruption to the learning environment when phone use is unregulated for tweens and teens.
As the number of cellphones in school has risen in the last few years we have seen an increase in the disruptions to teaching and learning. Examples of problems presented by the presence of cell phones in our school are students taking photos of other students without their knowledge and posting them to social media platforms, conflicts arising in the school environment because of SnapChat posts that “disappear”, interruptions to learning in order to deal with texting during class, students arguing with adults about cell phones, and increasing numbers of lost cell phones.
As the number of cellphones in school has risen in the last few years we have seen an increase in the disruptions to teaching and learning. Examples of problems presented by the presence of cell phones in our school are students taking photos of other students without their knowledge and posting them to social media platforms, conflicts arising in the school environment because of SnapChat posts that “disappear”, interruptions to learning in order to deal with texting during class, students arguing with adults about cell phones, and increasing numbers of lost cell phones.
At Rifle Middle School, kids can use their cell phones before and after school. During school we will require cell phones to be off and in their locker or otherwise out of sight.
When a student violates the cell phone guidelines:
1. First time student may pick up from office at end of day.
2. Second time parent will be contacted and parent picks up phone.
3. A third time may result in student being asked to turn in their phone to an adult at the beginning of the school day.
The Rifle Middle School office is open during the school day to receive and communicate messages to kids. If there is an urgent concern we are quickly able to locate children and put them in touch with parents. Students can use their cell phones after school to communicate directly with parents.
Cell phones are a tool we use to live our lives and a tool our children must learn to manage. Life requires periods of concentration, listening, and learning without the tether of personal technology. We are asking for your support as we seek to fulfill our obligation to provide children with an excellent education.