This year, Calabasas High School has a new off-and-away cell phone policy for which students must keep their phones away from 8:30 am-3:30 pm. This is the same policy that elementary and middle schools have had for years. The administration’s objective for this policy was to see improvements in students’ academics and behavior at Calabasas High School.
The administration implemented this policy for students to have more interactions with their peers instead of staying on their phones.
“It’s been really cool to see how our kids are just talking with each other and laughing and having fun in a way that I wasn’t seeing prior,” Wutkee said. “Seeing kids just interacting face to face, which I wasn’t seeing much of before.”
Wutkee has also seen improvements in the classroom.
“The ability to focus has been tremendous as far as an improvement,” said Wutkee.
To back up the new policy, Calabasas High School has introduced “Connect and Reflect” spaces in which students can go during nutrition and lunch, where there are games, karaoke, and music to substitute for the screentime.
“I’m watching a ton of kids engaged in activities in the gym and in the quad,” said Wutkee.
Wutkee is excited to see academic improvements in students as they move towards more offline lifestyles and ditch habits made with technology.
“We are going to see academic improvements as kids start to be able to focus better, have less anxiety over what might be happening on their phone or what people might be saying or doing, and they’re just going to be present in the moment,” Wutkee said.
While administration is ecstatic about this new policy, many students feel otherwise. Morgan Dishlip, a freshman at CHS, explains that her phone is more than just a distraction, but a convenient tool, and views the new phone policy as an unnecessary restriction.
“There are definitely things you can use on your phone as a tool, like checking your email or Google Classroom, or Aries, or using it as a calculator, because it’s just more convenient than doing it on your laptop,” said Dishlip.
Amin Zamanian, a sophomore at Calabasas High School, says that this policy is adding more work on students.
“I really disagree with the policy because last year with my phone, it made doing work so much easier.” said Zamanian. “Taking pictures of the assignments and turning them in on time is hard, because now I have to wait until I get home to turn them in.”
Malen Gaglani, a freshman at CHS, explains her worries about communication during an emergency.
“I don’t like it because, for example, in a state of emergency, I won’t be able to contact my parents,” said Gaglani.
Goldie Mankowski, a freshman at Calabasas High School, also explains that a cell phone is a very useful tool when used correctly.
“It’s a very helpful tool even in classes if you use it the right way and you follow the rules about how you are allowed to use your phone. It could be very helpful for other things in class,” said Mankowski.
Overall, the administration thinks that this policy is going to be beneficial academically and behaviorally for the students at Calabasas High School.
