Silent mode: Colfax schools institute new cell phone policies

Jana Mathia, Gazette Reporter | Nov 02, 20170

In the struggle to draw student attention away from cell phones, Colfax Schools has found a strategy that has invoked little to no resistance from the students.

“They don’t really balk at me,” said high school English teacher Cathy Landers.

At the beginning of the school year, Colfax High School implemented a new policy. When students walk into the classroom, they place their cell phone in a numbered pocket, and there it stays until the end of class. Each room has its own hanging cell phone holder with 30 individual pockets.

“Last year some teachers were already using this cell phone pocket idea,” noted Carrie Lipe, high school principal.

Although some teachers had the pockets, others had different policies so the students could have seven different policies for managing their cell phones at school.

“Through the course of the year, I noticed a lot of distractions in the classroom,” Lipe said. English teacher Jenny Greenberg said she felt she got her degree in teaching just so she could say ‘put your phone away.’

“For years we were frustrated as teachers,” Landers said.

“Before, people were really on their phones all the time; and not for education purposes,” admitted Dylan Nails, high school senior and ASB president.

The connection students had with their cell phones created other concerns and temptations including “digital drama” like cyber bullying, gossiping and inappropriately timed photos being taken in the locker room.

“The whole purpose is to focus on learning,” said Lipe. “We’re trying to teach kids professional etiquette on cell phones.”

Landers added students have to learn the appropriate time and use for cell phones so they don’t get out into the work force and think they can be on their phones all the time when there is a job to do.

“We’re not helping them if we allow that habit to form,” she said.

Once Lipe and staff identified how distracting the phones were, they came up with solutions that would help the students learn; both academics and management.

To balance out the restriction of cell phones and the technology they provide, the school brought in more tablets, laptops and science equipment.

“We’re really trying to invest in our structural space,” Lipe said.

Tablets are loaded with curriculum related to the class topics for students to access. Certain pages and sites are blocked.

While there was some initial grumbling and occasional hesitation, the students have responded well to the new policy.

“Overall I feel like it’s better now,” Nails said, adding that the students go to school to learn, not to be on their phones.

“I’ve rarely had a kid hesitate to put their phone in there,” Greenberg said.

She has noticed that having that physical disconnection from their phones actually helps students relax in addition to not being distracted by every buzz or notice. She likened it to when people go camping, unplug and relax. She believes the students are relieved to not be constantly connected. Most of the time, putting the phone away into its pocket is just part of the routine.

Cell phone use is allowed during any break, in the hall, cafeteria and outside. Once in a while the phones are used as part of the class, such as in the game Kahoot where each phone acts as a buzzer for a game projected for the entire class.

Cell phones are also prohibited from school assemblies.

“There was really no push-back,” Lipe said. “(The students) have been really great about it.”

Parents have also expressed their approval of the new policy and the boundaries set.

Student use of cell phones at Jennings is more restricted.

“They have to be kept away during the school day,” Jennings Principal Travis Howell summed it up. While students may bring their phones to school, they are not allowed in the classroom without a teacher’s permission, and no electronic devices can be on the playground. Phones either stay in each students’s locker or backpack.

Howell said he sees students with cell phones as low as the third grade level, but, due to the restrictions at Jennings, many students who do have a phone decide to leave it at home.