Woodland Park School Administration
In a continued effort to foster an optimal learning environment that encourages academic excellence for every student, the Woodland Park School District (WPSD) has announced new cell phone restrictions.
This change calls for eliminating cell phone use in classrooms starting this academic year, which began on Aug.21. Starting this fall, students are required to place their cell phones in a designated area selected by their teacher during classroom time.
Access to cell phones during class will be prohibited unless granted by the teacher for special lessons or circumstances. This initiative is designed to minimize distractions, allowing students to better concentrate on their studies and actively participate in classroom activities. “We believe that reducing cell phone use in the classroom will significantly improve our students’ focus and engagement, leading to greater academic success,” said Superintendent Ken Witt. “Our goal is to create a learning environment where students can focus on learning activities without unnecessary distractions.”
Parents and guardians are assured that in the case of urgent matters, the school’s front office will be available to assist in communicating messages to students during the school day. This measure ensures that students remain accessible while prioritizing their educational experience.
These new restrictions align with WPSD’s commitment to providing a high-quality education and supporting the academic excellence of its students. By creating a distraction-free environment, the district is striving to enhance the educational performance of all students.
A similar policy was enacted recently in District 11 in Colorado Springs, one of the largest districts in the Pikes Peak region.
According to an earlier D-11 release, administrators described the effort as a move to eliminate distractions. “This move is made to bring back that human-to-human interaction, that problem solving, that collaboration in the classroom, where students are really taking ownership of their own relationship building. They’re working with each other,” said Jessica Wise Executive Director for management for D11.
The policy, though, has its critics, and has sparked some debate among parents, who worry about trying to get in touch with their kids during times of emergencies. Still, more districts are expected to join D-11 and Woodland Park in enacting cell phone restrictions.
*The Woodland Park RE-2 School District is located at 155 Panther her Way, Woodland Park, CO 80863. For more information, call (719) 686-2000 or visit us at http://wpsdk12.org.
