From the desk of Rod Fletcher, Headmaster:

Smart phones are a great tool – I seriously could not function without mine.  A major drawback to them, however, is that we spend so much of our “downtime” looking at a little screen instead of looking up and interacting with others and the world around us.  It worries me sometimes when I think about our students and realize that this is the only world they have known.

As I looked out my office window at middle school lunch today I was so pleased to see a large group of students playing wall ball – interacting with each other, laughing, and enjoying the physical activity of playing outdoors.  Sadly, I am not sure that this would be happening if we allowed middle school students to have access to their phones at lunch.  I think it has been a good decision to give middle school students a break from their phones and allow them to do what kids throughout the years have done with their free time – creatively play.

In our recent survey the students made it known that they did not appreciate this “freedom from phone” time the way I do.  I am going to continue to argue that this is one of those things that is good for them and they will thank me later (just like parents, sometimes Headmasters do that too). If you agree with me, feel free to join in the argument.