MS Personal Technology

Cell Phones 

In Middle School, students are permitted to carry cell phones on campus, but they may only be used during certain times of the day. For most of the day, cell phones should not be visible and must remain turned off. Classrooms should not be interrupted by cell phone use whether it be texting or voice mail—phones must be off. (A school day includes field trips, service day and Project Week.) If students need to make a call during the school day, they may use any school phone with the permission of a faculty member. That includes phones in the front office and the Middle School Head’s office.

Students may use their cell phones to contact parents during lunch. The intent behind this exception is a recognition that family needs are often changing and of the importance of easy communication between parents and children. Students may not use phones during lunch as music players, gaming devices, computers, etc. 

If a faculty member or administrator sees or hears a cell phone at times when it should be off and out of sight or being used at lunch in a way that is in violation of the policy, the phone will be confiscated and turned over to the Middle School Head. Confiscated phones will be returned as follows:

  • First confiscation: Student must meet with the Middle School Head and review the cell phone use policy in order for the phone to be returned.
  • Second confiscation: Student must write out his/her understanding of the cell phone use policy after consulting the handbook. Both the student and the parent must sign the document. The document must be given to the Middle School Head in order for the phone to be returned.
  • Third confiscation:  A parent must come in to the Middle School Head’s office to pick up the phone.
  • Fourth confiscation:  Student will receive an automatic detention and will no longer be allowed to have a cell phone on campus. A parent must come in to the Middle School Head’s office to pick up the phone. 

In the case of a personal emergency on campus (illness, personal situation, etc.), the student's first line of contact is a member of the faculty, staff, or administration. In family emergency situations, parents should contact the front office should they need to reach a student outside of the lunch hour. We expect parents to abide by these guidelines and encourage parents to plan to speak to their children during lunch or to call the front office in the case of an emergency that needs to be communicated outside of lunch.

Why are cell phones treated differently than other electronic devices, like the laptop or similar device required for school?

  • These devices are solitary by nature and involve students disconnecting from the community in order to connect to their electronics. 
  • Students already have access to their laptop of similar device that meets the requirements of our bring your own device policy, and do not need cell phones or other electronic devices for academic purposes. 
  • Cell phones or other handheld devices have screen that are too small for adults to monitor for appropriate content and use.

Contact

Mike Davidson
Middle School Head 

mdavidson@overlake.org
425-602-7129

Contact

Krishna Davda
Assistant Upper School Head

kdavda@overlake.org
425-602-7128