CELLULAR SILENCE – High schools across America, including NPHS have revisited their cell phone policy. (Credit: Cate Trapani)
A feature from "The Knight Crier" at North Penn High School.
The buzz of a cellphone in a pocket pulls not only one’s hand to it but also one’s attention. Thai battle for the full present attention of students at North Penn High School’s, like many schools across the country, has resulted in a new cell phone policy that cracks down on the outlines time and place for cellphones in school.
Checking that text message may lead to unwanted consequences with this new policy.
“The big change to the cell phone policy is that during instructional time, when students are in a class where instruction is occuring, the cell phone needs to be off and away. Not just cellphones but also headphones,” NPHS Principal Kyle Hassler explained.
“First offense, the teacher reaches out home. On the second offense, the teacher starts to refer to the home office. The first home office referral is one detention. The second home office referral it is three detentions. The third or anything past that is a day without their phone,” Hassler described.
This plan isn’t just because “phones are bad”. There is research that proves cellphones are detrimental to students learning and focus.
“Over the summer there was a lot of talk about cellphones and how destructive and distributive to learning they can be. Across the district research was done that showed that students performed better in classes where there was a cellphone policy,” Hassler said.
With the policy students now have reduced distractions and classrooms are overall more productive. The policy educates students on the time and place for cellphones in workplace environments which is a lesson they can take with them out of the halls of North Penn.
“We really thought it was important to educate students on when it’s appropriate and when it’s not, so we went with the instructional time and the not instructional time,” Hassler explained.
The reviews that Mr. Hassler has heard have been nothing but positive for the new plan.
“The feedback that I’ve heard from students, the community, and staff is overwhelmingly positive. That it’s a good policy, it’s a fair policy, and it’s helping students focus and be engaged,” Hassler stated.
Looking at other new policies North Penn High School has brought on recently such as Knight Zone, which was piloted, the new cell phone policy is different and is not a trial.
“Once something like this gets approved across the district, it’s set in stone,” Hassler remarked.
For some students being without their phones for 45 minutes is a struggle, but it could be far more worse.
“The middle schools however it is from the beginning of the day to the end of the day they’re not allowed to have their cellphones out,” Hassler explained.
North Penn will aim to remain consistent under the new cell phone policy to see the benefits of it and to help create a more productive and focused learning environment for students and staff.
