McMurray Middle School students will learn without their cell phones this school year as part of an “Away for the Day” rule that started on the first day of class this week.

The new policy is timely, aligning with recent guidance from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, which, on August 28, recommended that Washington schools reduce cell phone use in preparation for the 2025-26 school year. Phone-free policies are expanding across Washington, including in Mercer Island and Pierce County.

“Reducing the use of cell phones in class improves concentration and learning, improves mental and physical health, and reduces pressures caused by social media,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal in the brief.

Vashon’s policy was inspired by the “Screenagers” documentary series, which developed the “Away for the Day” initiative to help schools transition to cell phone-free environments.

This cultural shift is fueled by increasing research on the negative impact of phones on children and their learning.

McMurray Principal Greg Allison introduced the new phone policy at the August 27 Vashon Island School District (VISD) school board meeting. It requires students to hand in cell phones, earbuds, and smart watches during first period, where they will be securely stored by the teacher until the last bell rings.

“Our ‘why’ is really clear,” Allison said at the meeting. “Our stated objectives are increasing focus on academic performance, increasing social interaction … allowing teachers more time to teach … (and) providing students with the gift of unplugging.”

A 2017 study found that participants who kept their phones nearby while performing memory tasks performed significantly worse than those who placed their phones in another room, suggesting that even resisting the distraction of a phone leads to “brain drain.”

Drawing on the experiences of other school districts, VISD formed a committee this summer to research and develop the policy change.

Allison noted that in their end-of-year review last June, establishing stricter cell phone boundaries emerged as the top priority for teachers aiming to regain control of their classrooms.

Feedback, he said, has been overwhelmingly positive.

“As a parent, it is relieving to know that there is a community effort,” a school board meeting participant said. “I believe that it is one of the most critical things we can do right now.”

At the request of families, Allison said they will enable email access, allowing students to send emails to parents during the school day. He assured that parents and students can always reach each other through landline phones in classrooms and school office, emphasizing that the goal is not to cut off communication.

“As a parent of one of the lone children who seems to not have a cell phone … my enthusiasm and excitement for this is boundless,” said board member Juniper Rogneby in the meeting.

Detailed briefs of the policy and research have been sent out to families, Allison said.

“Kids still need to be kids,” Allison said. “Play is so important. Having students get physical activity and engage with one another in conversation … are healthy ways for students to engage that are not on a phone or using electronics.”

Allison noted that Vashon Island High School will not be adopting the policy, because the high school has already taken efforts to limit classroom use of phones last year which have proven effective.

“The sounds of kids engaging with each other and communicating, that’s a learned skill,” he said. “In the classroom, I want to see our teachers be able to spend more time teaching … rather than having to worry about addressing the distraction of cellphones.”

Citing a 2024 Pew Research Center report, Allison noted that 72% of U.S. high school teachers view cell phone distraction as a major classroom issue.

The impact on mental health beyond the classroom has also been found to be significant.

According to Jean M. Twenge’s 2017 book “iGen,” eighth graders who heavily use social media have a 27% higher risk of depression, while those engaged in sports, socializing in person, or homework have a lower risk.

Additionally, teens who use devices for 5 or more hours daily are 51% more likely to get less than 7 hours of sleep.

“Eventually, maybe, they will thank us for it,” Allison said with a laugh.

Free Meals

Also new this year: breakfast and lunch at Chautauqua Elementary will be provided to students free of charge, thanks to financial support from Meals for Washington Students, a part of the National School Lunch Program.

Thanks to HB 1238, passed during the 2023 Washington state legislative session, school districts are now required to provide free meals to students at elementary schools where 30% or more of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

The middle and high schools, however, did not receive a sufficient number of free and reduced lunch applications last year to meet the required threshold for funding eligibility.