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Residents urge Winchester School Committee to adopt bell-to-bell phone-free K12 policy
Summary
Two parents and a town meeting member urged the committee during public comment to adopt a bell-to-bell phone-free policy in Winchester schools, citing a JAMA Pediatrics study and parent support.
Two parents and a town meeting member used the School Committeepublic comment period to urge Winchester Public Schools to adopt a bell-to-bell phone-free policy for K-12.
Erica Walsh, who identified herself as living at 64 Wegemeier Avenue, told the committee she supports a districtwide bell-to-bell phone-free policy and cited a JAMA Pediatrics study released in January that she said found teens spend an average of 1.5 hours on smartphones during school hours, with 25% of students logging more than two hours. "If we want our kids to be strong thinkers, we must give them the right environment to build those habits," Walsh said, urging the district to treat academic time as "sacred" for deep concentration.
Katie O'Connor, a parent who said she lives at 72 Wegemere Avenue and who will have four children in the district next year, echoed Walsh's remarks. O'Connor said personal devices are designed to be distracting and argued that a bell-to-bell policy can improve academics, reduce bullying and strengthen student relationships. "Schools that have done this have seen improved academics, increased engagement, fewer fights and cyberbullying," she said.
Carol Savage, who identified herself as a town meeting member and a former parent of Winchester students, spoke during public comment primarily about the budget process but told the committee she supports prioritizing literacy and noted the importance of the school/town budget sequence in the town charter.
Speakers said more than 250 Winchester parents signed a letter in support of a bell-to-bell phone-free policy in the two weeks before the meeting and offered to share the letter with the committee.
The committee did not discuss policy changes during the public comment period; the superintendent noted handbook revisions and said cell-phone policies would be considered later in the spring as part of the handbook review process.
The public comment period was limited to three minutes per speaker, and committee members invited written comments to schoolcommittee@winchesterps.org.
