WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KKTV) – The days of sneaking under desks to check their phones are over for Woodland Park School District RE-2 students as a strict new policy banning cell phones in the classroom this school year aims to eliminate distractions and keep students focused on learning.
“Enough is enough. We have seen firsthand how cell phones are distracting students from the learning experience. It's time to prioritize education over screen time,” Woodland Park School District Superintendent Ken Witt said.
Woodland Park RE-2 is the first to implement a district-wide restriction, asking all students, except those with medical needs, to put their cell phones away during school hours. Last year there was no consistent policy and teachers handled it on an individual basis. But this year, students will find a designated place in their classroom to keep their phones, ensuring the devices are out of reach and out of mind. The policy has already received strong support from the community.
“We've had a tremendous amount of feedback on this particular policy. The community has been very supportive of this policy,” Witt said.
As students get used to the new rules, the district expects to see a noticeable change in the atmosphere in classrooms. Without the distractions of social media and text messages, students will be more able to focus on their studies, which Witt and the district believe will lead to better outcomes.
“This is an important step towards improving the educational experience for our students,” Witt said.
Editor's note: In the video at the top of this story, KKTV 11 News erroneously reports that the district has about 700 students. A district spokesperson said there are about 700 students in grades 7-12 alone.
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