Duxbury High reports fewer phone referrals, students and staff report improved engagement in second year of cell-phone policy

Duxbury High School administrators and student leaders told the School Committee that the district's cell-phone policy, now in its second year, appears to be producing better classroom engagement and fewer office referrals.

Principal Cotton Herman said the policy, which rolled out in August 2024 and requires phones to be placed in classroom caddies during instruction, has settled into routine in many classrooms. "When I walk in, I look at the caddy, I count the phones, I look at the students, I count the students, and they're up there, and students are engaged," she said.

Herman said the policy intends to reduce distractions and help students' social interactions and mental-health outcomes, echoing the national debate about screen time. She said teachers and assistant principals Todd Warmington and Lou Alberti have reinforced the expectation at the start of the year and through regular class visits.

Student…