Paw Paw Schools bans cellphones in classrooms

PAW PAW – The Paw Paw Public Schools’ “Disconnect to Reconnect” initiative was launched at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year in response to the Surgeon General’s report that warned of the dangers of social media.
Concerned about the negative impacts of cell phones and social media, administrators decided to conduct a student survey at Paw Paw High School in Spring 2024. When students were asked about their cell phone use, 40 percent responded, “I’m probably addicted,” and another 31 percent said, “I use it too much.”
Additionally, school administrators and teachers found another disturbing trend in the classroom. Students were becoming less engaged in learning and showed signs of having less retention of the material that they were supposed to be learning.
To combat these negative trends, the district adopted the “Disconnect to Reconnect” Initiative, which was fully supported by the Paw Paw Public Schools Board of Education. Essentially, the goal of this initiative is to help students reengage each other and their learning. Designed to keep cell phones out of the classroom, this policy protects the learning environment and allows students to escape the pressure of cell phones, notifications and the urge to respond to messages. 
Paw Paw High School has implemented the following rules to support this policy:
Cell phones and Smart watches are to be silenced and left in lockers. They are not to be present in classrooms at any time without administrative approval. 
Students caught with their device in class will have it confiscated and held in the office until the end of the day.
Repeated offenses will result in discipline, including detention, and suspension. 
Students may choose to use their phone at lunch, in the lunchroom, but will be expected to return it to their locker after lunch. 
Parents who need to get hold of their student are asked to call the office at (269) 415-5600 to leave a message for them. 
Students requiring an exemption for medical purposes will be considered on an individual basis, with appropriate medical documentation for conditions such as diabetes management.