Message from Principal Salfia
December 1, 2023
To The Spring Mills High School Community:
We wanted to send out a couple updates and reminders that we announced to our students this morning.
Cell Phone/Technology Policy
We have a slight adjustment to our cell phone/technology policy in the classroom. Our school rule in the classrooms has been a red light/green light system. When the students are on red light, no phones are permitted. When the teacher permits the students to be on green light, they may have their phones out while they are working on an assignment. This will remain the policy for our junior and senior level classes, with the emphasis that every class always starts on red until the teacher changes it to green.
The change in policy is as follows: for all freshmen and sophomore level English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, and Health classes, classrooms will remain on red. As we head into midterm exams and the end of the first semester, we have to make sure that our students are buckling down and focusing on their academic performance. Social media and the number of discipline referrals that have come from it are having a huge impact on our students and their ability to dedicate their attention to their academics. Students in these classes are expected to keep their phones in their bags or their pockets, off of their desk and out of their hands. This also includes air pods and all other ear buds.
All students are still permitted to bring their phones to school. All students are permitted to use their phones during breakfast, in the hallway during class switches, and during lunch. Students are not permitted to have their phones or ear buds out while in the hallway or restroom during class time. This is not a new policy, this has been our policy for several years.
I greatly appreciate your support with this as we attempt to protect our classroom instructional time. As a parent, I understand the need for your children to be able to reach you quickly if an emergency occurs. This is why we are not preventing them from bringing their phones to school. For now, this policy is in place for the month of December. After midterm exams and first semester grades are submitted, we will allow the data on academic performance and discipline referrals guide us on our decision to remain with this plan or adjust it.
After School Activities and Parent Pickup
We are proud to offer dozens of after school, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities for our students. We need your help making sure your student has a ride home promptly at the end of these activities. We cannot have students on campus unsupervised. If your child is staying after school for tutoring, a club meeting, a team workout or practice, or any other activity please plan accordingly for prompt pick up. We have added in-school club days, academic and social emotional supports, and Saturday School days to create opportunities for all of our students, specifically those who are unable to stay for after school activities. Thank you so much for your help as we work toward making sure all of our safety and protective plans are followed.
Sincerely
Mark Salfia, Principal
Spring Mills High School