A revised policy restricting cell phone usage at Ferndale High School has resulted in students being more focused, more engaged and more sociable, according to teachers and the students themselves.
Ferndale School Board passed an updated Students and Telecommunication Devices Policy in late August after a summer of discussions, restricting cell phone use in all elementary and middle schools, and only allowing the devices to be used at lunch for high school students.
Along with that came the district’s commitment to enforcement. At Ferndale High School, cell phones must be turned off and in a backpack. If a teacher sees a phone in a student’s hand, or even if it falls out of a student’s pocket, it’s confiscated and brought to the front office. At the end of the day, students can pick up the phone.
The impact has been immediate, some told Cascadia Daily News. English teacher Carson Dunkley said previously during breaks in classes, students overwhelmingly would have their faces in their phones, but now they’re talking to each other.
“I feel like not only are they developing socially, but academically as well because they’re present for the lesson … ” he said. “It’s really cool to see.”
Office staff said there have been between 11 and 40 phones confiscated every day so far, out of a high school population of roughly 1,350.
Ferndale’s tightening of cell phone use comes as the State Superintendent Chris Reykdal advised districts to develop “uniform, school-wide policies that limit cell phone access during instructional time” to create “consistent expectations for students, staff and families.”
‘A culture shift’
Superintendent Kristi Dominguez said at the Aug. 27 school board meeting that the district does not want to be in a “battle” with students — “it’s growing together and learning together,” she said.
Dominguez sent an email to parents in August outlining the new expectations and stating that parents who need to reach their child, or vice versa, can always do so through the school office.
The district will handle students who need devices for health reasons on a case-by-case basis, she said.
“The intention is a culture shift,” Dominguez said at the school board meeting.
In previous years, whether students in the high school could have their phones out was mostly up to the teacher’s discretion. But teachers and students say that wasn’t effective in keeping students off their phones. Math teacher Meghan Galligan said students would feel “social pressure” to answer texts from students in classes where phones were allowed.
Galligan said she predicts grades are going to improve, and Dunkley said he could see this policy reducing bullying and improving student mental health.
Ferndale High School students who spoke to Cascadia Daily News said the cell phone restrictions have generally been positive for them.
“I feel like I’m more open, like I’m willing to talk to strangers because they’re not looking at their phones, I’m not looking at my phone,” senior Adomas Baader said.
Senior Isabella Brionez said she’s felt anxious the last couple of years about being photographed or filmed at school — social media accounts about Ferndale students sleeping, eating, or even photos of their shoes under the bathroom stalls, have posted photos of students without their permission over the last few years.
“I was paranoid constantly that I was going to end up on social media,” Brionez said. “… [The cell phone ban] has really helped relieve my anxiety this year.”
Ferndale High School Principal Ravinder Dhillon said the school is seeing far fewer discipline problems related to social media.
“The majority of our discipline, has been previously, just dealing with social media, kids being bullies, harassing each other on social media,” she said. “I’m sure it still probably happens, but it’s far less because students don’t have access to their phones.”
It may even impact students’ habits outside of school: Senior Amelie McKeon said she feels like she’s not as often instinctively reaching for her phone when she feels awkward in public. Baader joked that he’s nervous to pull his phone out on the weekends in case he gets in trouble.
The current ban isn’t perfect: Students said there is a need for some exceptions in classes where they used to use their phones to record audio or videos. Director of Communications Celina Rodriguez said the district will be sending surveys out to students, staff and families for feedback, to evaluate the policy as the year progresses.
Dhillon said the juniors and seniors are struggling most with the transition.
“Coming out of the pandemic too, [the phone] became their teddy bear,” Dhillon said. “At this point, we were just happy that kids were at school and if it helped ease anxiety to be on their phones during advisory [period] or so forth, we were very accommodating.”
But now, Dhillon said, more students are greeting her or making eye contact with her in the hallways, and she thinks this is going to benefit all of them for life after high school.
School board support
Board President Kevin Erickson said in a statement to CDN that he’s excited that Ferndale is a “leader” in this work and hopes that students can form more “tangible connections” with their peers and teachers.
“In just the short time that these changes have been in place, the positive response that the students have shown in encouraging each other to ‘give it a try’ and that ‘it’s a good thing’ has been outstanding,” Erickson said.
Spanish teacher Erek Rensink said the support of the school board and administration has been a game changer.
“To me, it’s like a total breath of fresh air and something that was just so, so needed. And any school that’s not doing it, what are you doing?” Rensink said.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
