Knights,
Happy early Valentine’s Day! I hope you all have a chance to let the ones you love know how important they are to you.
Parents, we need your help. I believe it will not come as a shock or surprise if I tell you that students are increasingly preoccupied with their cell phones. While that is not a new phenomenon, we are finding that the use of cell phones on campus has become too distracting to learning. Not only does it distract the individual student, but it interrupts class as well. Worst yet, are the negative interactions occurring more and more this semester, primarily through social media/messaging platforms. It is this level of negativity that leads me to ask for your help. Ultimately, we want all students to feel safe and happy at school and the unfortunate truth right now is that electronic social interactions are reducing the feeling of safety and happiness for a significant number of students and families.
Starting Monday, students may not wear wireless headphones/earbuds during the school day. We know there are times that students need to have headphones/earbuds for instructional purposes, if that is the case students may use wired headphones/earbuds. Additionally, the expectation continues to be that students will not use their cell phones for anything other than instruction. While this has always been the expectation, we allowed more cell phone use as things moved electronic over the last year or two and everyone was trying to adjust. At this time, students should have a Chromebook (or a personal device) and do not need to access any instructional programs on their phone. Additionally, with the return to the classroom, students do not use computers to the same degree as last year.
I am asking that you help reinforce this by keeping wireless headphones/earbuds at home and supporting us if your student has their phone taken away if they are not meeting the expectations. If you have an urgent message for your student, you can call the front office at 512-594-2800 and we can deliver the message. Students can use their phones before 8:20 and after 3:35.
As a parent without a home phone, I appreciate that the cell phone may be your only communication with your student. However, we believe that the current level of negativity and inappropriate cell phone use necessitates this request.
Thank you for your continued support of KLMS,
Dina Schaefer