By BRIAN HILL | June 16, 2024 | Daily Sentinel Story HERE
Over the past school year, one of our major discussions as a school district centered around the pervasive use of technology, especially social media and its profound impact on our students. The data is unequivocal: since 2009, there has been a dramatic surge in adolescent technology use, with today’s teenagers averaging nine hours a day on devices.
This trend has led to significant social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation and addiction, with our students feeling the adverse effects of increased screen time. They are spending less time interacting with friends in person, experiencing disrupted sleep patterns (with over half getting less than seven hours of sleep per night, despite the recommended nine hours), and facing constant interruptions due to numerous daily notifications. These factors have contributed to a troubling rise in teen unhappiness, loneliness, dissatisfaction, depression, self-harm and even suicide rates. This is a crisis that demands our immediate attention and action within our schools.
In response to these alarming trends, I am proud of our D51 Board of Education’s decision to revise Policy JICJ for the upcoming school year. This policy change is the culmination of a year-long process involving extensive data review, meetings with D51 students, staff, administrators and families, as well as multiple presentations to the board and the public. The feedback from staff, families and students overwhelmingly supports this necessary change. Our kids understand that constant tech use is a problem, and they are looking to the adults for help.
Key highlights of the revised policy include prohibiting students in grades preK-8 from using personal electronic devices on school premises during the entire designated school day. All devices must be kept in designated areas and turned off. For grades 9-12, students are prohibited from using personal electronic devices during instructional time, which covers the entire period of a scheduled class and other designated instructional activities. Personal electronic devices may be used during passing times and lunch periods, though such use is discouraged.
Our primary objective with this updated policy and the new procedures is to create engaging, focused learning environments in D51 schools, free from the distractions caused by personal electronic devices like smartphones, smartwatches and wireless earbuds. These devices have become significant impediments to learning, and our goal is to create engaging spaces in District 51 schools that foster sustained attention and maximize learning. The new procedures are designed not to take something away from our students, but to provide them with something invaluable: an environment conducive to learning without unnecessary distractions. And studies show that these changes can have an immediate positive impact on student engagement, student behavior and academic performance.
Making a shift like this in our community requires collective action. We are eager to partner with D51 families, students, and staff in this crucial initiative starting next school year and the reactions to the policy changes have been overwhelmingly positive so far. Our community partners, such as the Western Colorado Community Foundation, have shown their support by making financial commitments to help remove any barriers to the successful implementation of this policy, thereby supporting our teachers and students.
Collective action also means understanding the profound impact that the overuse of technology and social media has had on our children and even on us as adults. By gaining a better understanding of these issues and the data behind them, we can make informed changes as a community to renormalize what a healthy childhood looks like. This journey has been eye-opening for many families, including my own, prompting us to make changes in our own household technology use.
I am proud to be the superintendent of District 51, and I am proud of the work we are leading to create engaging spaces in District 51 schools that foster sustained attention and maximize learning. We deeply appreciate our community’s ongoing support and involvement as we strive to provide the best possible education for our students. Together, we can create a healthier, more focused learning environment that will benefit our children both now and in the future. Thank you to our community for your partnership and commitment to our students’ well-being and to a brighter future for Mesa County.
Dr. Brian Hill is the superintendent of Mesa County Valley School District 51.
