We’re now into our third week of the school year and have noticed some positive changes in the Upper School: our community is bustling, loud, and engaged! The new cell phone policy prioritizes academic, community, and interpersonal engagement fully during the school day, and the difference can be seen, felt, and heard throughout the US campus.
Scott Small, Head of Upper School, said, „Just two weeks in, the change in school culture and community engagement has been more immediate and substantive than even hoped for. The way our students have embraced the opportunity to reconnect with each other in the classroom, in the lunchroom, and in advisory is striking and a reminder of how critical and uplifting face-to-face interactions are as a part of the learning process and just being a kid. Students are more fully engaged in their immediate surroundings and the possibilities this entails than we have seen since prior to Covid. It’s both exciting and inspiring.“
As the community adapts to this new normal, we’re all figuring out ways to ensure the school day runs smoothly. Without phones, students rely on wall clocks to ensure they’re arriving to class on time. Our clocks haven’t always been the most reliable, but it wasn’t an issue when everyone was carrying a phone. We quickly realized that it was imperative to ensure all clocks were accurate, and our wonderful facilities crew had them in top working order in no time. Another challenge? Students don’t have their schedules memorized at the start of the school year, and would often check their phones to see what class was coming up next. Without phones, we needed an easy way for them to check. The campus monitors in the Upper School were quickly converted from showing images to sharing the daily schedule and yet another clock, making it easy for passing students to check. We’ve even noticed a change in the dining room: students are eating more food! Without the distraction of a screen, they are focused on engaging with each other and enjoying their meals.
How is everyone else feeling? We checked in with US teachers and students to see how it’s going with them, and are pleased to share these reflections with you.
„I started in 2016, so have only taught in a culture with phones,“ said Paul Zahller, JK-12 Science Department Chair. „This change has been beyond impressive. Without cell phones, students are finding that connection is eye contact and conversation, not just wi-fi. They’re rediscovering conversation, embracing the classroom culture, and are present and engaged.“
Grant LaMartina ’25, Student Council Co-Head, has noticed a positive shift in the social life around campus. „In the lunchroom specifically, my friend group has been able to socialize in a better way,“ he said. „We have started talking more (even when most of the banter is surrounding the „dumb phone rule“), finding new activities to do after we finish eating, and even starting to make plans for outside of school. We have planned weekend golf matches, evening fantasy football drafts, and even swims by the pool this fall. All in all, removing technology has shown benefits in how I interact with my friends in school and how I can bring these bonds to my non-academic life.“
„I’m so impressed with how our students have handled this change,“ said Lynn Mittler, JK-12 English and Language Arts Department Chair. „While they joke about it, they catch themselves speaking positively about the time away from their phones. It has been a pleasure to see them visiting with each other and having laughter fill our shared spaces. I think the adults are really feeling the benefits too. Seeing adults walking outside visiting and enjoying our beautiful campus has been an added bonus.“
It’s clear the impact on teachers is just as profound as students. Dr. Tanya Roth, Upper School History and Social Sciences Teacher, shared, „The new cell phone policy has reduced my stress levels and cognitive load. I no longer have to remember to ask students to put their phones away or direct them to place their phones somewhere; students talk to each other as they enter the classroom, and we are able to start our learning together without such an administrative delay! Advisory is lovely as well, for the same reasons. I also love walking around campus and seeing people engaged in conversations in the lunchroom and library, without their phones. On a personal level, the policy has allowed me to continue working on my own personal goal of disconnecting from my phone and social media, which is very fulfilling.“
Her colleague, Jason Asher, Upper School History and Social Sciences Teacher, noted, „Despite some early rumblings and the inevitable student who seeks to test the boundaries, the no phone policy has gone smoothly overall. Students may be loath to admit it, but they are less distracted in class and have embraced the policy with little protestation, much less the armed rebellion some among them had forecasted. As we see not only more and more schools but entire states enact these policies, I am proud that we have chosen to be on the front line of placing the well-being of the students first.“
Lilly Loeb ’25, Student Council Co-Head, admits that the new policy was a little difficult to adjust to, but it’s smoothing out. „Now that we’re starting to get in the swing of things, I think its impact can absolutely be felt during school hours,“ she said. „There is so much more chatter in the lunchroom, in the common areas, and even in the hallways between classes. Something that was memorable to me personally was the fact that during the first week of school, my advisory, which is already very close and loves to spend time together, went on a little nature walk outside, and we just sat and talked for the entire period. We had never done that before, and I think because phones were fully away, we got to connect to each other a little better.“
Patrick Huewe, JK-12 World Languages Department Chair, notes a variety of positive effects from the new cell phone policy. He said it has:
- Increased student engagement during class, leading to deeper focus and participation.
- Reduced distractions and off-task behavior, helping students stay on track with their learning.
- Created a calmer and more respectful classroom atmosphere, where students are more present and involved.
- Improved student-teacher interactions, as students are more attentive and communicative.
- Built more community in the dining hall with kids talking more to one another instead of looking at their phones.
- Allowed for smoother transitions between activities without the interruption of cell phone use.
„Overall, the change has significantly enhanced the teaching and learning experience,“ said Huewe. “ There are some challenges for language teachers who used to use phones for some recording activities, but we’re adjusting well to the changes.“
Upper School Science Teacher Travis Menghini read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt over the summer. With that data in mind, he’s noticing a difference in the Upper School. „I’m seeing a difference in how the kids interact with each other,“ he said. „They are maintaining more eye contact, reading social cues, and being more sociable with each other. They’re being more playful and interacting with each other rather than being glued to their devices.“ He noted that it’s important for students to experience boredom, which doesn’t often happen with a portable entertainment device in your hand. „It’s ok to be bored, to find unique, fun things to do without a technology device.“ Menghini spent the summer converting his parents‘ personal VHS tapes to digital and was taken by the change he saw. „I noticed how people interacted with each other back then,“ he said. „Tapes from holiday gatherings show people playing card games, singing, and dancing. We don’t see that today with the prevalence of cell phones, but I’m seeing it now with our students.“
Loeb admitted, „It’s still going to be a little hard to adjust to, but I absolutely understand why the policy was set in place, and can’t wait for the community to grow even stronger!“
Small agreed, and notes the change is worth the temporary growing pains as our community adapts to the new normal. „From the lunchroom banter to stories of unexpected advisory bonding in groups that couldn’t get out of their own way when phones were everywhere to increased engagement in the classroom, there is much to be excited about.“
Head of School Jay Rainey agrees. „It’s exciting for MICDS to be in the vanguard of American schools that have recognized and sought to limit the distracting and potentially unhealthy effects of cell phones in the lives of children and adolescents,“ he said. „Our new policy has been great for teachers and staff, too. The grip of my own phone on my attention has weakened considerably since the start of the new year as I have sought to practice what I preach throughout the school day. I am inspired by our students, as always, to live up to the high standards of our community.“