The Dalles Middle School Starts School Year with 'No Cell Phone' Policy.
By Ken Park
The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 6, 2024 — Students at The Dalles Middle School (TDMS) returned to class this week under a new "Cell Phone Away All Day" policy, requiring them to silence or turn off their phones and store them in lockers throughout the school day.
“This policy is designed to help students focus on their studies and engage with their peers without the distractions that cell phones can bring,” said Stephanie Bowen, Communications Director for North Wasco School District in a letter to parents on Aug. 30.
The policy, currently being implemented as a pilot program at TDMS, enforces strict rules regarding cell phone use. Students caught using their phones during the school day will have them confiscated and their parents will be notified, and the phones will be returned to a parent or guardian.
Accommodations have been made for students who rely on their phones for medical reasons.
“We understand that some students utilize their cell phones for medical purposes, such as blood sugar tracking,” Bowen noted. “Accommodations will be made as necessary but must be part of the student's medical plan.”
Bowen emphasized that the decision to implement this policy was not made lightly.
“While we are just now implementing these changes, conversations surrounding student cell phone use and its impacts have been taking place for years,” she said.
The new policy aligns with research suggesting that limiting cell phone use can improve students’ academic performance, mental health, and overall behavior in school.
“Recent studies have highlighted the negative effects of cell phones on mental health, behavior, and overall student well-being. In light of these findings, many Oregon schools are implementing similar policies,” Bowen said.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is even looking into legislation that could help Oregon schools implement similar policies.
“I think this is an important enough issue that this should be a statewide approach and not leave it up to district by district because I think that’ll just create confusion,” Kotek said in a July interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB).
Schools that have enforced similar policies have reported seeing a positive correlation between no-cell-phone environments and improved academic success, student mental health, and behavior.
Despite this, Bowen acknowledged that some families might feel frustrated with this new policy.
“While our team made the decision with the best interests of learning in mind, it's understandable that students and families may feel frustrated or upset about the decision,” she wrote in a Sept. 6 email.
One of the primary concerns in implementing no-cell phone policies is student safety and the ability for parents to communicate with their children in case of emergencies.
In the letter to families about the new policy, Bowen assured parents that TDMS has a system in place.
“In case of emergencies, we encourage parents to contact our school office, where staff can quickly connect with your child. If you need to communicate with your student during the day, please call the office as well,” Bowen explained.
Additionally, the North Wasco School District has an emergency alert system that is designed to notify parents in the event of a school-wide emergency.
Though the school has only just begun for the year, the new no-phone policy has so far received positive feedback from both students and parents, according to Bowen.
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