BETHLEHEM, Pa. — It’s been more than a month of no complaints from parents or major disciplinary issues since Bethlehem Area School District initiated a new electronic devices policy, Superintendent Jack Silva said Monday.
Bethlehem Area School Board's Curriculum Committee got an update from administrators on how the district’s policy — one officials have said emphasizes a “learning-focused environment” and minimizes disruption — has panned out in the classroom so far.
Liberty High School Principal Brandon Horlick said the new device rules initially were met “with some reluctance."
“I feel like while students might not like the idea of being electronic device-free during instructional timeframes, they’ve risen to the occasion,” Horlick said.
Horlick said 808 students, or 33% of LHS’s student body, were asked what they thought of the new policy:
- 35% said they feel somewhat or much more focused during class
- Just over 30% said they feel their participation has somewhat or greatly improved
- Just under 39% said they felt their academic performance has somewhat or greatly improved
- 28% said their relationships and interactions with teachers and classmates have somewhat or greatly improved
- Upwards of 95% of teachers surveyed felt more focused.
'Keeping the same messaging'
Freemansburg Elementary School Principal Ashlee Woodson said she’s seen no major incidents and plenty of support from the parents' side of things so far.
“We’re just keeping the same messaging and moving on,” Woodson said.
“It’s not a cell phone policy — it’s a focused-learning policy.”Northeast Middle School Principal Theo Quinones
She said the current program lets her teachers limit what websites students can access and even includes the ability to put students in a “penalty box” for not using the district’s electronic devices properly.
Northeast Middle School Principal Theo Quinones said, “It’s not a cell phone policy — it’s a focused-learning policy.”
Quinones said there’s been a few dozen instances of devices being confiscated, but that includes just seven cases of students in their second offense and a lone eighth-grader who’s been caught three times.
'More safety and security'
Under the new policy, elementary and middle school students can’t use their cell phones at all during the school day.
High school students are allowed cell phone time during the day, but only during non-instructional times.
Students’ phones must be silenced and placed in a designated location when the bell rings at the start of each class.
If a student leaves the classroom, such as to go to the bathroom or the front office, the phone stays.
Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Jack Silva said the new electronic device rules “elaborately created a structure that I think is a little bit more safety and security to the students and the parents that they’re feeling.”
Policy exceptions require approval from the school principal — such as students needing their devices for documented medical, behavioral or special needs; or for communicating as part of a volunteer fire company, ambulance or rescue squad.
Silva said the new rules “elaborately created a structure that I think is a little bit more safety and security to the students and the parents that they’re feeling.”
He said parents and guardians also should always feel comfortable calling the school’s front office to contact their child if need be.
'All positive out of the classroom so far'
As of Oct. 1, school district officials have completed 2,189 “learning walks,” in which one or more non-approved electronic devices were observed 5.5% of the time in the classrooms of secondary schools and 2.3% in elementary schools.
The data includes 1,410 secondary and 779 elementary trips; that number does not reflect instances of a device seen in the hallway or cafeteria, officials said.
BASD Assistant Superintendent Maureen Leeson said the walks were a way “for us to kind of gain perspective, provide feedback on an ongoing basis.”
“We might see these numbers tick up a little bit over time, but I think what’s important is that we as administrators remind, in a supportive, restorative manner, what the boundary is and we are just consistent in our procedures.”Bethlehem Area School District Assistant Superintendent Maureen Leeson
“It would be my expectation that we might have a few students push some boundaries,” Leeson said.
“We might see these numbers tick up a little bit over time, but I think what’s important is that we, as administrators, remind in a supportive, restorative manner, what the boundary is and we are just consistent in our procedures.”
BASD Board member Silagh White said, “I think this is going to be really helpful for so much social and emotional learning. So thank you for your consistency.”
BASD Board President Michael Faccinetto said, “All positive out of the classroom so far is wonderful.”
“It sounded like, for students, that it just felt better; the atmosphere and the culture in school was better,” Faccinetto said.
“So I’m curious, as we get in more, if there is any correlation between discipline referrals as we get more data on this.”
