Meredith McGlinchey, Sue-Im Lee and Karen Moore Schultz – three parents in the Springfield Township School District in Oreland – were Philadelphia Inquirer for successfully working with district administrations to reduce screen time in schools.
Parents have been meeting with school administrators on the issue since fall 2023 and have since created a Facebook group that has grown to over 200 members. According to the story, they have called for Chromebook and YouTube restrictions for the middle school and a uniform cell phone policy for the high school, among other things.
The district announced new rules in its “Welcome Back” newsletter that will take effect on September 3.
Among them: “Starting this school year, middle school students will no longer be allowed to use their Chromebooks in the cafeteria during lunch. This decision is intended to encourage students to be more actively engaged with their peers and participate in real-world, social activities.”
After piloting the concept last year, cell phone hotels are being introduced in Springfield High School classrooms “to help students stay alert and minimize distractions.” The Abington School District made a similar announcement earlier this month.
And this is how it works:
- Phone storage: At the beginning of each class, students place their phones in the cell phone hotel. Phones are stored with the screen facing out to ensure they are clearly visible and safe.
- Access during class: Telephones may only be used when specifically directed by teachers or administrators for educational purposes.
- Telephone use class change, lunch and study room: Students may use their phones during class changes, Lunch & Learn, and scheduled study times.
Changes at the district’s elementary schools:
- No smartwatches during school hours: To minimize distractions and maintain focus on learning, we ask students not to wear smartwatches during class time.
- Communication with parents: Make sure important messages are communicated through the school office and not through smartwatches, text messages, or other alternative devices.
- Focus on learning: Encourage your children to use their time at school to interact with classmates and fully participate in class without interruption by digital notifications.
- No mobile phones during school hours: To minimize distractions and maintain focus on learning, we ask students not to carry cell phones at school during the day.
- Communication with parents: Make sure important messages are communicated through the school office and not through smartwatches, text messages, or other alternative devices.
- Focus on learning: Encourage your children to use their time at school to interact with classmates and fully participate in class without interruption by digital notifications.
Changes to the district’s elementary and middle schools:
We are Whitelist YouTube for grades K-8. This means we have taken special steps to ensure that only approved instructional videos are available to students.
This approach allows us to use YouTube as a valuable educational tool while keeping your children safe and focused on learning. While some are calling for a ban on YouTube in schools, we have found that YouTube contains a wealth of educational videos that can enrich lessons. Using high-quality learning materials in different formats can make learning more engaging and accessible, and help explain complex concepts visually and aurally.
Whitelists allow us to filter and approve content, ensuring that students only see age-appropriate and educational videos. Whitelists strike a balance by allowing access to useful content while blocking inappropriate material. We will continue to monitor YouTube usage and make any adjustments necessary to ensure students see safe and appropriate content at school.
This includes the following:
- Secure content: Faculty and staff can select specific YouTube videos and channels that are educational and appropriate for students and give them access to their students.
- Educational focus: The videos and/or materials provided to students are selected to support their learning in subjects such as math, science, reading, and social studies.
- Restricted access: Students do not have free access to YouTube. They can only watch the videos and channels whitelisted by their teachers and school staff.
- Improved learning: Whitelisting helps ensure that students can access the rich educational resources on YouTube without being exposed to inappropriate content.
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