Tumwata’s New No Cell Phone Policy
This year, Tumwata Middle School implemented a new no cell phone policy that matches Gardiner Middle School’s. Read how it’s going.
After a history of drama amongst students caused by social media platforms, principal Dr. Benjamin Kates of Tumwata Middle School researched what the impacts of eliminating cell phones during the school day would have on students.
In August, before school resumed for the year, he messaged parents about his decision to create a cell phone policy that matches OCSDs other middle school, Gardiner. He cited a few resources for parents to experience for themselves and emphasized his takeaway. “We also want students to focus on learning while in school and the research is really starting to point to how hard it is for students (or really anyone) to focus, be creative and think deeply when cell phones are easily accessible.”
He said that during the first week of school there was a noticeable lack of electronic usage (i.e. cell phones and earbuds) and praised parents for helping set the expectation with their students.
As of this November, assistant principal Stephanie Phelps said “We continue to see so few cell phones in the school. Students are engaging with one another and their learning in such exciting ways- it has been liberating for them.”
You can experience the resources Dr.Kates shared on our website under district news.
