A Friendly Reminder: A Phone-Free Day Is a Better School Day
As we kick off another exciting school year, I want to take a moment to remind everyone of an important policy in place at Camden Hills Regional High School, Camden-Rockport Middle School, and Camden-Rockport Elementary School: students are not permitted to have their cellphones with them during the school day.
We know that cellphones are a big part of many students’ lives, and they certainly have their place. But research continues to show that students learn better and feel better when they're not tethered to their phones during the school day. A study published in The Journal of Educational Psychology found that removing phones from the classroom significantly improved focus and academic performance, especially for students who struggle with distraction. Other research from the London School of Economics showed that schools that banned phones saw test scores improve by as much as 6.4%—with the biggest gains seen among lower-achieving students.
Going phone-free supports so much more than academic success. It encourages real social interaction, reduces anxiety and FOMO (fear of missing out), and creates a calmer, more focused learning environment for everyone. It also helps students develop critical interpersonal skills that will pay off in spades during their lives.
We also want to reassure families that parents can always reach your child through our school offices. Our staff is happy to deliver any important messages that arise during the day, and students are always supported if there's an emergency or they need to contact you. We’ve got you covered! We also have a new website connected to an app, as well as a new app for parents to communicate with teachers, called ReachMyTeach, which should improve our communication and information flow.
We truly appreciate your support in helping create a school environment where students can thrive without the constant buzz of digital distractions. Let’s continue working together to keep our schools focused, friendly, and phone-free.
Warmly,
Maria Libby
Superintendent
Five Town CSD and MSAD #28