As we head out of 2024 and into 2025, it reminds me we are also ending our first semester of the year and heading into the second. I am not one who typically makes New Year's Resolutions; however, I do take advantage of this time to to reflect, grow, and be grateful for all 2024 was and all that 2025 will be.

This perspective applies the same way to the end of the first semester and the beginning of the second semester when we return from break. Please take some time to reflect with your student(s) about the first semester of the year. Together make goals to work towards that lead to growth and gratefulness during the second semester.

Students who have cell phones in class and use them during class learning performance is significantly impacted. The cell phone creates a distraction for the student and possibly their peers. This directly takes awareness from the learning taking place in class which leads to decrease in student performance.

At school, we work to create the most safe and productive learning environment for our students. As the research continues to come out regarding the impacts of cell phones on student learning, we as a school have to make decisions that we think will be support our students. One of those is the use of cell phones in school. At WMS, cell phones are only allowed to be used at students' lockers during passing times between classes. WHY you ask?

During the school day, a typical middle school students receive HUNDREDS of notifications a day. At least 1/4 of these notifications come during school hours. Think about how you react when you receive a notification from your cell phone with your fully developed brain. Middle School students' brains are not fully developed yet. Notifications, even without taking out or using the cell phone, cause a distraction from learning. Then, it can take them up to 20 minutes to refocus.

As students' dependance on social media, it actually decreases their ability to engage socially. It can make it more difficult to problem solve situations with peers. Communication and interpreting posts or texts can create challenges that in-person conversations do not. Social media also can spread misinformation and increases anxiety and decreases confidence for students.

The increase of privacy of students. Using cell phones at lockers reduces the opportunities of cell phone use in inappropriate areas such as bathrooms and lockers rooms as well as taking photos or videos. This is also noted in our handbook.

These are just a few of the reasons why we only allow cell phones to be used at students' lockers during passing times between classes. If you have questions about our cell phone rules, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Please encourage your student to look in the lost and found. There are water bottles, shorts, coats, and shoes galore. Items will be taken to the Attic after Friday.

We are a 6th-8th middle school in addition to a Special Education Pre-K program in Glendive, MT. GO DEMONS!

Email: wms@glendiveschools.org
Website: https://www.glendiveschools.com/o/wms
Location: 505 North Meade Avenue, Glendive, MT, USA
Phone: 406.3772356
Facebook: facebook.com/wmsglendive

Instagram: @wmsglendive