Building Focus and Cultivating Friendships in Our Schools
We are excited to introduce an initiative called Disconnect to Reconnect, which has already seen great success in our middle schools since its implementation in January. As we gear up for the new school year, beginning in August 2025, this initiative will expand to all high schools. Stay tuned for plenty of communication from your school site to keep you informed.
This initiative, a collaborative effort among several departments and our school leaders, aligns with Assembly Bill 3216 and includes the use of phone pouches during the instructional day.
What Does Disconnect to Reconnect Mean?
The name of this plan says it all: putting away phones so students can spend more time engaging and connecting with each other in healthy ways. Phones have become a distraction and make it harder for students to focus on learning, connecting with friends, and feeling good about themselves. By limiting phone use at school, we will create the conditions to help students connect with their classmates, teachers, and their own thoughts.
Why Is This Important?
Research shows that when schools limit phone use:
- Kids Do Better in School: Without phones, students can focus more on learning and doing well in class.
- Fewer Problems Happen: Less phone use means fewer chances for bullying or disruptions during the school day.
- Better Mental Health: Spending less time on screens can help kids feel less anxious and sleep better.
The effort is about making school a place where kids feel safe and ready to learn.
Learning from Other Schools
Before starting this journey, we visited other schools that already have similar forms of implementation. They shared best practices and showed us how these changes have helped their students. Their insights and success stories have guided us and inspired what our learning environments can shift back into away from the distractions of cell phone use.
How You Can Help
We need your support to make this plan work. Parents and families play a significant role in helping kids understand why this change is essential. Together, we can help students put away their phones and focus on what matters most: learning, making friends, and growing.
Thank you for working with us to make our schools a better place. Let’s continue to make “Disconnect to Reconnect” an extraordinary success!