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Medway High implements classroom cell‑phone policy; staff report early gains
Summary
Medway High School principal described a new classroom cell‑phone policy requiring students to store phones/earbuds in designated holders for the class period; teachers report strong support and early signs of fewer hallway distractions, while students are described as 'mixed' in reaction.
Medway High School has implemented a districtwide classroom cell‑phone policy that requires students to place phones and earbuds in designated holders or satchels at the start of each class and leave them there for the duration of the period, Principal Dr. Murray told the Medway School Committee on Dec. 5.
Dr. Murray said the policy is intended to reduce classroom distractions and support students' mental health, citing the district’s recent community book read about adolescent anxiety as part of the rationale. He described physical holders or pockets installed in classrooms and a consistent enforcement approach so teachers are not left to manage wildly different expectations across classes.
Early implementation data and staff feedback were cited by Dr. Murray: "98% of our teachers strongly agree or agree" that the policy is necessary to support teaching and learning, and 82% reported they were satisfied or strongly satisfied with how the policy is working in their classrooms. He said anecdotal observations include fewer students in hallways during class time and a decline in phone‑related disciplinary incidents.
A student advisory representative, Aurelia, told the committee the policy has "worked pretty well" and was not a heavy burden: "It's not that much different than having it in your backpack," she said.
Dr. Murray said students’ reactions are mixed but manageable and that the district is conducting student surveys (midyear results pending), will distribute a family survey, and plans focus groups in the second half of the year to collect student feedback and consider possible adjustments. He emphasized continued consistent messaging and classroom monitoring, including periodic counts of phones by administrators.
Next steps: the district will finalize student survey results, convene focus groups with students, gather family feedback, and continue progress monitoring to determine whether policy tweaks are necessary.
