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Keeping the School Day Phone-Free

By Aléwa Cooper, Barrington Fulton Jr., and Cara Hames
Foote Head and Division Heads

As we settle into the school year, we want to take a moment to share our approach to technology use on campus and reaffirm our commitment to creating a balanced, mindful learning environment for our students. At Foote, we’re always looking for ways to support our students' well-being and engagement, particularly as conversations about technology’s role in education continue to evolve.

One recent conversation, reflected in Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation, highlights the value of delaying smartphone use for young people. Research increasingly indicates that early exposure to technology, without clear boundaries, can impact mental health and social development. At Foote, we’ve long believed in this approach and have firmly established policies that limit smartphone and smartwatch access during the school day to foster focus, connection, and learning.

Foote School is a Phone-Free Campus

Our school remains a phone-free environment for students throughout the academic day. We recognize the benefits technology brings to our lives, but we also understand that too much of it during school hours can become a distraction. For Middle and Lower School students, cell phones, smartwatches, and other personal electronic devices should remain stored in lockers or backpacks and be turned off — not just silenced — during school hours. The Family Handbook outlines these expectations, underscoring that personal devices should only be used with specific permission from a teacher or administrator.

Safety and Focus First

Our phone-free policy is rooted in a commitment to safety and focus. In an emergency, we need students to be fully attentive to instructions from faculty and staff, rather than feeling compelled to check their devices. Our team is trained to keep students safe, and we ask for at-home support in minimizing distractions so that students can respond calmly and effectively in any situation.

Technology Use for Learning

While personal devices are restricted during the school day, we ensure that students have ample access to technology for educational purposes. School-provided Chromebooks, iPads, and other tools are integrated into our curriculum, and teachers guide their use to enrich learning experiences meaningfully.

A Partnership with Families

We invite you to discuss these expectations with your child and help them understand that our goal is to create a focused learning environment, free from personal technology distractions. Parents/guardians who need to reach their child during the school day may contact our Main Office, and we will relay any urgent messages as quickly as possible.

Additionally, we hope families will remember that setting boundaries at home helps children manage their devices responsibly and develop healthy habits that will serve them well in school and beyond.

Together, as a school community, we are building an environment that enables our students to engage thoughtfully with the digital world while growing in all areas of their lives.