Dear St. Vrain Valley School District Community,
Thank you for the partnership and support you continue to offer our schools as we work together to advance high-quality learning and instructional environments for every student. Over the past year we have been closely following the national conversation around the role technology plays in schools, including reviewing emerging research and listening carefully to feedback from families and school staff, and I am writing to give you an update on our district’s cell phone policy, as well as an update from our Instructional Technology Advisory Committee.
Update to District Cell Phone and Wearable Device Policy
Earlier this evening, the Board of Education approved updates to Board Policy JS*-R, which sets our expectations for student use of personal devices during the school day. These changes come directly from the feedback we received from our community and from our school administrative teams, and these changes will take effect at the start of this school year.
For students in preschool through eighth grade, personal devices are now required to be put away for the entire school day. Phones, smart watches, and smart glasses need to be powered off or set to silent and stored out of sight from the first bell of the day through the final dismissal bell. That includes passing periods, lunch, recess, and time in hallways. Each school will determine where devices are stored during the day, whether that is a backpack, a locker, a cubby, or another spot designated by the school. In the event of an emergency, students will be able to access their devices to contact families if the device is readily available and it is safe to do so. Additionally, accommodations will be made for students who require access to a cell phone or personal device for a documented medical or educational need identified in a student’s IEP, Section 504 plan, or health plan.
For students in ninth through twelfth grade, the expectation continues to be that personal devices are to be put away during class. Devices should be powered off or set to silent and out of sight during instructional time, and that expectation remains in effect for students who step out of class to use the restroom or go to the office. High school students may use their devices outside of class in line with their school’s expectations, including between classes, at lunch, and during off blocks or open periods.
One of the first questions we hear from families is how to reach a student during the day. Please call your school office, and office staff will connect you with your child. Students who need to reach home can do so from the office as well. Students will also have time to check messages at the end of the day.
Schools will teach these expectations directly to students at the start of the school year and reinforce them during the first weeks of school. Please look for more information from your student’s school regarding specific cell phone and wearable device expectations.
Update from our District Instructional Technology Advisory Committee
At the end of last school year, we convened a committee of parents, teachers, principals, and community members to take a deep dive into our instructional technology practices in grades PK-8. The group’s charge is to evaluate our current practices and bring forward a recommendation to me and our Board of Education later this year regarding any changes (if any) we should consider for future technology use in classrooms.
The committee met for the first time in June. That session grounded members in our district’s instructional framework and our current practices, along with the science and research behind how learning actually happens, including the role of retrieval practice in helping students hold onto what they learn.
At their second meeting, members turned to examining both the benefits and challenges of technology’s role in teaching and learning. They examined evidence-based instructional practices, reviewed how devices are being used across our schools today, and worked toward a shared understanding of what technology access and device use should look like across our grade level bands in order to optimize learning.
This is a topic that many people in our community care deeply about, and there are a wide range of perspectives and values in the conversation. That range is one of the reasons we brought so many voices to the table. We will keep you updated as the committee continues this important work.
Thank you again for the trust you place in our schools and for the partnership that makes this work possible. Our focus remains on classrooms where students are engaged with their teachers, connected to one another, and doing their best learning.
Sincerely,
Jackie Kapushion, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
St. Vrain Valley Schools