SHS Announces Initiative to Reduce the Use of Cell Phones in School

Can limiting cell phone use at school improve student focus, social engagement and well-being and reduce the incidence of teen depression?

That’s what the Scarsdale High School PTA in conjunction with a team of expert panelists examined at a recent presentation outlining their “Away For the Day” initiative. The presentation began with SHS Principal Ken Bonamo explaining that “Away For The Day” aims to reduce cellphone use at the high school by encouraging all students to silence their phones and stow them in their backpacks while they are in class and in the hallways. The hope is that students will experience improved focus and attention, deeper levels of concentration, and a greater sense of belonging and social engagement. Bonamo stressed that addressing phone usage among SHS students is “one of the most important actions we can take, not only to support academic achievement but also for the mental well-being of our children.” Bonamo also stressed that while “Away for the Day” seems to have an overwhelmingly positive response from students, parents are needed to work as partners in order to create a shift in habits and establish a new culture.

While this important initiative is just rolling out now (due to an interruption because of the pandemic), starting in 2016 Dr. Karine Schaefer (Chairperson of the SHS English Department) created a study group to look at the effects of screen time and cell phones on reading, attention, focus, and concentration. In their research Dr. Schaefer, along with members of the SHS Wellness Committee, found several key takeaways:

-Student anxiety, depression, and sleeplessness has increased
-Teachers increasingly notice students’ inability to focus and concentrate
-Parents report feeling helpless in the face of phones and looking for guidance

During the presentation Dr. Schaefer cited alarming statistics from the CDC showing that since 2015 there has been an incredibly rapid climb in the percentage of high school age students feeling persistently sad or hopeless. In another slide, Dr. Schaefer shared an article from The Atlantic that points to social media use, more access to the news, and less sociality for the reasons “Why American Teens Are So Sad.”

With all the research from both Scarsdale High and beyond, the team at SHS felt motivated and compelled to try to create a new culture for our students. The first step in the journey toward change was creating a video shared with all SHS students on the first day of school delineating what the “Away For The Day Initiative” entails and why it is imperative that everyone is well informed and feels empowered to make healthy choices. During the presentation, parents were also treated to a viewing of the homemade video which included a host of faculty members sharing the reasons we should all participate in “Off And Away For The Day”. The video began with Principal Bonamo defining the initiative and how it will be implemented. As SHS parents may have read in his email, in the video Bonamo explained:

CLASS TIME & PASSING TIME
Level 1
Phones are OFF AND AWAY in backpacks
(unless otherwise directed by a teacher)
FREE PERIODS

Level 3
MINDFUL USE OF CELL PHONES
Students may use phones to listen to music, a podcast, or meditate
No social media, games or scrolling
HOMEROOM, COMMON TUTORIAL, LUNCH

Level 2
Students may BRIEFLY check phones if necessary
No social media, games or scrolling

Later in the video, other faculty members discussed an array of reasons the SHS community should commit to the “Away For The Day” initiative including but not limited to:

Research proving screen use is addictive and is having harmful effects on our brains

The importance of being in the moment which can lead to students feeling happier and performing better

Increasing resilience by being present and actively working through uncomfortable situations instead of relying on a phone for distraction, and so, so much more.

The video was funny, informative, and gave credence to the message that we are all in this together. The video should now be posted to the SHS website for all to enjoy.

The program ended with a Q and A segment with the panel of experts which included SHS Dean Oren Losepovici, SHS English teacher and co-chair of the Wellness Committee Mrs. Jennifer Rosenzweig, Scarsdale High School Social Worker. Ms. Lauren Pomerantz, Vice Chair of Neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital and Professor of Neurological Surgery at the Zucker School of Medicine Dr. John Boockvor, and SHS School Psychologists Dr. Kristin Oliverio and Dr. Peter Faustino.

Many concerned parents took the opportunity to both thank the SHS PTA and the panel for promoting such a crucial initiative and to ask a variety of thoughtful questions. Below is a sampling of the questions and their answers:

Q: Does this initiative come too late? Shouldn’t we start messaging this to our younger students (including relying less on electronics in school)?

A: Dr. Boockvor explained that it is not too late for the adolescent brain to change but that it is imperative that education is the cornerstone to creating a shift in habits. Boockvor expressed that both adults and students alike need to be shown statistics and the harmful effects of too much screen use.

Q: Adults can have a difficult time controlling their screen time, how can we expect kids to do it without enforcement?

A: Several panel members contributed to answering this question explaining that at the high school level, they are trying to empower students to make their own healthy choices through education and guidance. The team at SHS believe that the most effective way to implement the “Away For The Day” initiative is through a bottom-up approach where the students aren’t forced into obliging because of harsh rules, but rather opt in because they understand the overwhelming benefits. The panelists also clarified that they don’t want this to feel like an “us versus them” initiative but rather that there is a sense of “we are all in this together”.

There were many other salient questions asked of the panelists. At the end of the program, the overwhelming message seemed to be that while we are all aware of the incredible benefits of cellphones and other devices, there are very damaging effects as well. So much so that Dr. Boockvor expressed that there is an emergency aspect of what is happening to the brain and that we need to take real steps toward correcting the course. “Away For The Day” is Scarsdale High School’s first step toward that course correction and to create real change, they hope it is a step that our whole community can take together.

Wendy MacMillan is a former teacher and now a proud mom of two, school aged children. With a background in psychology, education, and mindfulness, Wendy has long been passionate about wellness and helping others.