Cell Phones in School FAQ

Each student is assigned a box number inside a larger cabinet. To begin the day, starting at 8:45 am, go to your assigned cabinet, place your device inside of your assigned box, lock the box, and take the key. 

• Grade 9: Outside Wean Room
• Grade 10: Verdery (by fireplace)
• Grade 11: Student Commons
• Grade 12: Annex Cafe

The keys each have a number on them that matches your locker, These should be kept in a safe place in your backpack each day (see below).

At 3:45 pm, return to the cabinet. Open the box, take your device, AND LEAVE THE KEY IN THE LOCK. 

Cabinets are opened at the conclusion of Jobs (M, T, Th, Fri) or D period (Wednesday) (3:45 pm).

We will be asking students to indicate that they commit to leaving their cell phone at home all the time. But, they are still assigned a locker should they need it. One day here or there of a different plan is doable, but if we see the phone at school more frequently, we will assume that students are now bringing their phone to school. And will hold them to the guidelines below.

When a student does not place a phone in a locker, we are going to assume that they are in possession of the phone and willing to accept the consequences for breaking the rule. Consequences will occur, to include reminders and discussion, parent conversations, loss of privileges, and assignment to Saturday Work Sessions. In the rare instance that your child leaves their phone at home, we ask that you send an email to one of the Deans in the Middle or Upper Schools. A message should be sent each day that the student leaves the phone at home. To be clear, we will no longer be attempting to contact parents to ask if the phone is at home, we will assume that the student is out of compliance.

You may place your phone in the Divisional Office with Mrs. Brady, who is at her desk earlier.

We learned that the bracelets we initially had on student locker keys were not very strong, and were easy to break and lose…if actually worn on student wrists. We are therefore requiring students to find a place in their backpack, a pocket, or pencil case, where they can safely stash the key during the day.

Students are not to leave their keys in the locker/cabinet.

If you arrive at school after 9:05 am, please turn your cell phone in at the Divisional Office with Ms. Brady. (Note: You also have to sign in here with Ms. Taylor if you are late to school!) Ms. Brady will keep it there in a locked box, and your phone can be collected from her at the end of the academic school day, at but not before 3:45 pm.

Planned

If you know that you will be leaving school early, please turn your phone in at the Divisional Office with Ms. Brady in the morning instead of your regular lockbox location. You can collect it from her when you leave, as you have to sign out in the office as well.

Unplanned

If you have to leave school early unexpectedly, report to the Divisional Office and someone will help you collect your phone. If no one is there to help you, check with Mrs. Cordido, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Lingenheld or Ms. Masotta.

If you have to make a phone call during the day, please see one of the deans, or Ms. Brady in the Divisional Office. They will allow you to use their office phones. They will allow you to use their office phones. There are also several phones located in private areas throughout campus (Mail Room in Grover Hall; Verdery Library by the Wean Room, and 2nd Floor Study Room in the Science Building). If you do not have the phone numbers you will need memorized, find a place in a notebook or planner to write these down.

Inform one of the deans. The deans will have a set of backup keys they will use to help you until you find yours. If it remains unfound, a new key will be issued to you that matches your box. 

There are several options here:

• Your coach(es) have a key.
• There is an Administrator on Duty in the Dining Room until 6:00 pm, who has access to all the cabinets.
• There is a Site Supervisor for sports on campus through the end of sports each day who has a key (Fall: Mr. Fischer)
• Mr. Swallen is the after school Dean, and he is on campus until 6:30 pm each night. Other adults on campus know how to reach him.

Away Games

• Students will report to the bus.
• The bus will make a stop on upper campus, and students will gather their phones by grade level, with your coach(es) locking and unlocking cabinets for phone access.

Home Games

• Your coach(es) will be available to unlock the cabinets at the assigned dismissal time. Students should report to their phone cabinet and access their phone before heading to the gym.
• The cabinet will only be unlocked for a brief period of time.

There are protocols for emergency events on campus that we practice regularly.  In these events, part of the protocol and conversations with students focuses on the importance of:

• Being aware of your surroundings
• Being quiet and listening for directions from an adult
• Being able to follow directions and/or make informed decisions

Because we place such a high priority on paying attention, we tell students not to access their phones during an emergency.  Please note that the protocols we have in place have been designed in conjunction with local police agencies, and are based on research and best practice related to school safety.  The best thinking about safety, and common sense, recommends that students not be engaged in individual calls or texts, taking videos or pictures, or any other activities on their cell phones during an emergency. 

Teachers know what to do when a student is either missing from their class when an emergency happens (restroom, nurse, etc.) and what to do when they have a student with them that is not in their class (in the hallway, on the lawn, on their way to class). Students are also told to go into the nearest building or classroom.

All classrooms have a phone in them that is capable of calling 911, and during upcoming drills instruction will be provided for all students to make sure they know this is available, and how to do so. Additional phones outside of classrooms are also available in every building on campus. We will ensure that making sure that students are aware of these phones will be integrated into our safety protocols going forward.

Please communicate with our nurse, who will work with the Student Life team to clarify a plan to provide the needed access and support.

• Phones available in private spaces in every building on campus. Each phone can be used to dial an outside line, and has a door that can be closed for privacy.  We will ensure that students are aware of the location of these phones.  If students need to have an extended conversation, they can touch base with any school administrator, nurse, or school psychologist for access to space and a private phone.  Students may use these phones during free periods, or by asking permission from teachers to be excused from class (much like they would to go to the bathroom).
• Parents needing to be in contact with students can also email and ask the student to call them using any of the options shared above, or contact school personnel so that we can bring their student to a phone.
• If there is an emergency situation at home, parents should contact school personnel.

As with other infractions, we will begin with a conversation and some reflection if a student chooses to ignore the rule. When students have multiple infractions, we will involve parents in trying to solve the problem, and if necessary, assign additional consequences.

All schedules are available in OnCampus, which is accessible through their computers. If it is more convenient for students to have their schedule in Google Calendar, we have distributed information to all teachers to share, that will help students to easily download their schedule into this format.  Many of them have likely already done this!  An old-school paper copy will work as well.

Students who know they are leaving early should check their phone into the Divisional Office with Mrs. Brady. Then, when they report to sign out, they can access their phone.

If the early dismissal is unplanned (either for illness or unplanned appointment), students should still report to Mrs. Brady and a dean will be contacted to help them access their phone.

The sportsYou app has the ability to simultaneously send an alert and an email for all posts, so messages will be sent to student emails as well as be on their phones when they access them at the end of the day.

In cases of serious medical needs which necessitate monitoring via cellular technology, if no viable alternatives are available, exceptions may be granted. Temporary exemptions may also be considered under certain unanticipated family circumstances.