TECHNOLOGY USE STATEMENTS

McNeely's Cell Phones and Portable Music Systems (ipods, nanos, etc.) Guidelines

Our General Guidelines:

1) Parents and students will be reminded each year that:  Students bring cell phones and music systems (ipods, etc.) devices to school at their own risk, as we cannot be responsible for loss or damage to them, and we do not encourage them to have them at school.

2) We understand that parents provide cell phones to their children as an additional safety measure for use after school.  However, these devices should not be used during school hours (including recess and lunch). They should be turned off during the school day and kept in a safe place.

Rationale:

Why not Cell Phones and iPods, etc?

•we allow students to use the phone in the office to contact parents and prefer to be aware of when this is happening (is the child ill, injured, etc.?)

•students should be encouraged to handle small frustrations during the day, rather than contacting home

•cell phones have other capabilities-video, photographs, recording, music player, which cannot be monitored at recess and lunch, and have the potential to infringe on the privacy rights of others

•families establish their own tolerance for styles of music and the school is unable to monitor the sharing of music by students

•we would rather see children involved in free play and exercise than plugged into music during recess and lunch

•texting during the school day cannot be monitored and may be a source of inappropriate interactions among students

Exceptions:

Within the Classroom under the Direct supervision of teachers

•it is sometimes appropriate to use this technology during certain times in class as a learning enhancement

•teachers may decide to allow music listening or cell phone use in their class for a specific time/reason, under their direct supervision

Suggested Consequences for not following the guidelines: Please bring this to the attention of administrators.

First offense: Confiscate the device until the end of the day. (Teachers on supervision or noon hour supervisors will be asked to bring the device to the office along with the student's name.)

Second offense: Confiscate the device until the end of the day and contact parent.

Third offense: Confiscate the device and kept until a parent/guardian comes to the school to retrieve it.