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Archer Learning Center

Archer's New Cellphone Procedure

For the 2024-25 school year, Archer will restrict the use of cell phones in the classroom. The goal is to increase learning and engagement during class time. To find out more about the new cell phone procedure, including daily classroom routines, disciplinary procedures, and links to articles explaining the rationale, please see below.

Rationale:

Even though cell phones play an important role in modern society, they can be detrimental to students’ education. Below are some of the drawbacks in an educational setting along with links to additional information.

Poor academic performance: The addiction to their phones leads to poor academic performance. Students fail to pay attention while studying, their memory suffers, and their mind suffers from dullness and lethargy. Smart Phone, Bad Grades?

Lack of focus: The virtual world that students view on their mobile phones is highly distracting. Students find it fascinating and spend hours lost in it. It can be misleading, confusing, and distracts them from their studies. Students’ academic performance tends to suffer badly. The Negative Effects of Smartphones on Students

Anxiety: The wide array of video games and other applications not only disturb them but also cause anxiety in students. Students suffer from headaches and migraines due to constant phone usage, which further leads to anxiety and depression. Frequent Cell Phone use Linked to Anxiety

Cyberbullying: Students often lack the maturity and the presence of mind to deal with cybercrimes or cyberbullying. They can fall prey to the negative elements present in the virtual world and suffer from anxiety and depression, besides low self-esteem due to the psychological bullying they might suffer at the hands of the cyberbullies. Cyberbullying and Cell Phone Policy in U.S. Primary and Secondary Schools

Isolation and poor social interactions: Students who prefer spending time on their cell phones often lose themselves in the virtual world. Social maturation suffers and can cause serious mental health concerns. How Smartphones are Contributing to the Loneliness Epidemic

Ethical Concerns: There is a lot of inappropriate content on the internet. Students, who are too young to differentiate between fact and fiction, find this mesmerizing and risk getting misled. The pull of the virtual world is so strong, that it increases social disturbance and raises many ethical concerns. Ethics and Technology: Cell Phones

Accidents: The addiction to mobile phones is so strong that kids seldom let go of their phones, even while walking on the street, crossing the road, or worse yet, driving. This increases the possibility of being involved in an accident. Cell Phones: The Most Dangerous Thing on the Road

Loss of sleep: Spending too much time on their phones disturbs students’ sleep. The radiations being emitted by mobile phones tend to disturb the natural sleep pattern and cause sleeplessness and the blue light emitted by the phones keeps the brain awake and alert even at night. How Teenage Phone Use is Affecting Their Sleep

Vision Problems: Constant staring at mobile phones affects eyesight and eye health. Eyes tend to get dry and the vision blurry. The eyesight gets affected, too, and kids have difficulty reading. Using phones day and night ruins eye health and the repercussions last a lifetime. This is one of the worst negative effects of mobile phones. The Impact of Smartphones on Children's Vision

Bad posture: Staring at phone screens for prolonged periods, with heads bent and shoulders drooped leads to bad posture, neck ache, headache, backache, and tendonitis. Can Too Much Screen Time Affect Your Kid's Posture?

Classroom Expectations

Each classroom will have a “Cell Phone Garage” where phones (and smart watches) are to be turned off and placed as students arrive in the classroom. Teachers will monitor the “Garage”. Student phones will be accessible during passing periods and lunch.

Consequences

1st Offense: If a student is caught with a cell phone after class has started, then the cell phone will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the class period.

2nd Offense: If a student is caught with a cell phone after class has started for a second time, then the phone will be confiscated and turned over to office personnel. The student will be allowed to pick up the phone from the office at the end of that school day.

3rd Offense: If a student is caught with a cell phone after class has started for a third time in that class, then the phone will be confiscated and turned over to office personnel. The student will NOT be allowed to pick up the phone from the office at the end of that school day, but a parent/guardian MUST come to the office during regular school hours to collect the phone and meet with an administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)s

Q1 - How will cell phone use be monitored in the classroom on a daily basis?

Students will be required to power off and put their cell phone(s) in a “Cell Phone Garage” for every class. See pictures below

Q2 - Does this new procedure cover smart watches and wireless earbuds?

Smart watches should be placed in the garage. Wireless earbuds are allowed but can not be linked to cellphones during class time.

Q3 - What if there is a family emergency and I need to get a hold of my child?

Call the Archer front office: (479) 750-8773

Q4 - What if I need to text my child information during the school day?

Students will still be allowed to use cell phones during passing periods and lunch.

Q5 - What happens if a student gets the wrong phone?

“Cell Phone Garages” will be placed in a location where access is easily monitored by the teacher. If a student takes the wrong phone, then it will be referred to building administration as a potential disciplinary action.