Looking at technology in the Blind Brook schools
October 17, 2024 at 12:57 a.m.
Blind Brook Superintendent of Schools Dr. Colin Byrne is keenly aware of the hot button issue technology in classrooms has become.
“There’s been a lot of talk in the educational community, and in the world in general, about cell phones and their impact on students,” he said during a chat in his office on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Laws across the nation banning cell phones in classrooms have been popping up this year—a trend Governor Kathy Hochul has also expressed interest in following.
According to Byrne, it led the district to take a step back and reevaluate their policies regarding students’ cell phone and personal device use in April.
At the Board of Education meeting on Oct. 8, the district presented their observations and practice changes to the public.
“For the most part, a lot of the changes we see are districts changing to practices to align with what we already have in place,” the superintendent said during the presentation.
Currently, students at Ridge Street Elementary School and Blind Brook Middle School are not allowed to have personal devices, including smartphones and smartwatches, out during any part of the school day. At the high school, teachers determine their own policies in the classroom.
Outside the learning spaces, such as in the halls or the cafeteria, high schoolers are free to use their phones.
According to a survey released by the district, most parents feel the practices in the elementary and middle schools are appropriate. However, half feel the high school rules are too lenient.
Among them is Windingwood Road South resident Rachel Boyman, who leads the local chapter of OK to Delay, a nonprofit organization that works to inform families about the effects of early and excessive use of social media and smartphones on children. A grassroots movement, it aims to encourage communities to make a communal commitment to “change the current cultural norms around kids and tech” by delaying the presence of devices together.
Blind Brook Student Congress President Joshua Montvelisky said the student body agrees with the portion of parents who say that cell phones aren’t much of an issue.
But Montvelisky drew attention to the district’s decision regarding personal devices, such as tablets and laptops, as a budding concern.
During the presentation, Blind Brook Director of Technology Charles Von Hollen said a new restriction had been set—freshmen will not be permitted to bring a personal device to school.
Instead, they must use the district-issued iPad that all students are given at the start of the school year.
Byrne said this is the start of a longer discussion, and the district will adjust as needed to provide students with a healthy learning environment.
No more laptops
Von Hollen said the decision to disallow personal laptops and tablets was made because non-district issued devices caused a variety of complications for the schools.
“Our students at the high school used to bring in their own devices,” he said. “One student could have five or six devices connected to our network and that was causing us a lot of different challenges from Bluetooth, degrading Wi-Fi signals, security issues and students asking us to maintain their personal devices.”
The policy for freshmen, he said, is intended to be the first step in removing all personal devices from the district.
“Our intent is to evaluate this and potentially see it expand moving forward,” Von Hollen said.
While Montvelisky sees validity in some of the administration’s concerns, he feels it’s causing disadvantages for students.
“I think the administration’s concerns regarding the bandwidth is the strongest point,” he said during a phone interview on Tuesday, Oct. 15. “But my biggest concern is that an iPad is not equivalent to a laptop in terms of functionality.”
The senior said the district-issued tablet uses application versions of programs that are inherently weaker than what can be used through a laptop.
“A clear example would be the Google Docs app,” he said. “The version on the iPads actually has fewer features than what’s on the browser.”
Montvelisky said the difference in functionality puts students at a disadvantage from a general standpoint but pointed to standardized testing as a specific example of concern.
“We had to take the AP exams and PSATs on the iPads,” he said. “And there were several students who felt like it was a detriment to their test taking experience. There were some technical issues because of it, and I feel like it could affect performance.”
Byrne said that, after meeting with the Student Congress on Friday, Oct. 11, he expects there will be a follow-up conversation.
“We haven’t really had a conversation about it yet,” he said. “But I know they formed a subcommittee and I’m sure we’ll continue to have a dialogue.”
Montvelisky said addressing the laptop ban is one of his top priorities as president of Student Congress.
“I think there is a major disconnect between administration and the student body on this,” he said. “And I think that’s plain to see. There are freshmen who are using laptops outside of school even though they’re issued iPads.”
Although he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the administration on the topic of laptops, he was quick to say cell phones are being handled well by the district.
Talk about cell phones
“I think that topic is relatively black and white,” Montvelisky said. “I understand how it can be a discussion, but what’s in place is appropriate.”
The superintendent said the current cell phone policy has been in place for quite some time.
“I believe they’ve been set since the first smartphones came around,” he said. “It’s pretty much been solid in our buildings since then.”
While Byrne is of the opinion that adjusting the phone policy is unnecessary, there is a group of parents who disagree.
Boyman argued that as a community, more consideration must be had because social media has developed to a point where it’s become a serious detriment to students’ health.
“There are real consequences to what students do with their screens,” she said. “I think parents need to think about what screen time is taking away from children. Outdoor play and social interaction are two things that come to mind.”
She pointed to the fact that high school students are allowed to use their phones between classes and in the cafeteria as policies that may be detrimental to children.
But Byrne, on the other hand, believes that allowing some smartphone use in school may be a key part of their educational experience.
“I actually think that it can be very helpful,” he said. “We have to help them understand how to live with their phones.”
It’s a point Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Dr. Michael Curtin brought up during the meeting.
“Cell phones are here to stay. They’re part of our society and we have a role in socializing kids and preparing them to be functioning members of society,” he said. “It’s incumbent upon us to teach students that it’s not appropriate to take a cell phone call while you’re in a job interview.”
Boyman said she understands smartphones have become the social norm but hopes to have an open dialogue with the district about the subject.
“They are certainly useful tools, but it can be difficult to lock down what children do on their devices,” she said. “They’re smarter than us when it comes to it. They will always find ways around the limitations that can be set.”
Montvelisky believes the pros of smartphone leniency outweigh the cons, particularly in a district like Blind Brook.
“Like all tools, students have to learn to self-regulate,” he said. “And the teachers here have been very good about helping with that. They set their guidelines, and we have to adhere to them.”
Byrne said both topics are things the district will continue to monitor, as there is a chance technology restrictions may become a state mandate.
“We’re certainly following that matter,” he said. “But hopefully they’ll see the wisdom in letting us decide on our own practices.”
Comments:
You must login to comment.