A quick scan of the headlines highlights what we all know—students are facing a social, psychological, and academic crisis. Mental health experts believe that cell phones are at the root of this issue and emphasize the urgent need to limit the time young people are spending online. 

In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory on social media and youth mental health stating that up to 95% of young people between ages 13-17 report near constant use of social media. Excessive use—over three hours daily—raises risks of depression, anxiety, body dissatisfaction, and exposure to harmful content. And students’ use of smartphones in school leads to lower grades, increased cyberbullying, and a higher rate of behavioral incidents.

When we align together as school staff and families around our “Off and Away, All Day” procedures, we foster a safer, more focused learning environment for all students. Our goal is the same - to increase the chance of every child getting home safely.

For more information on our emergency preparedness procedures, please see: 

• I Love You Guys Foundation

• ESD-112 Regional School Safety Center

• ESD-112 Article, “Standard response protocol gaining momentum throughout Southwest Washington”

• Standard Reunification Method

Many parents recognize the tremendous benefits of a phone-free education, and still have some concerns about student safety. We have heard from Ridgefield parents that worry having cell phones in a locked pouch will prevent their student from calling 911 or contacting their family in an emergency, and also that they want to be able to reach their own child by phone during an emergency.

While these concerns are more than understandable, top safety and security experts agree that smartphones do not improve student safety and can create dangerous distractions in a real emergency. Safety experts warn that cell phone use during emergencies can actually hinder response efforts in many ways. 

• Distraction: Phones can distract students from listening to first responders.

• Communication Jamming: High call volumes can disrupt emergency coordination. 

• Noise Risk: Phone use might reveal students’ whereabouts. 

• Online Tracking Risks: Assailants could use social media to find additional victims.

It is not uncommon for schools to ban cell phone use during a Lockdown. We recognize parent instincts are at odds with that ban. We all understand that as a parent, the first thing we would want to do in a school crisis is contact our own child, and texting or calling their cell phone is the fastest way to do that. 

In evaluating actual Lockdown events, the initial crisis may only take minutes. After the threat is mitigated, Law Enforcement clears the school one classroom at a time. This process may take significant time. 

With our new cell phone/electronic device policy, we are also updating our building lockdown procedures. In the event of an actual Lockdown, once the threat is mitigated, staff will assist students in accessing their own device or a school device to contact their families while waiting for law enforcement direction. If the threat is imminent, texting and calling will not be permitted. In some cases, students and staff may be advised to turn off both Wi-Fi and cellular data services in order to free up bandwidth for first responders, while still allowing SMS text messaging.

The last thing we want is students on their cell phones in the midst of an emergency. For everyone’s safety, we need students to follow the directions of staff and emergency personnel on site. Our Ridgefield School District staff are regularly trained in our emergency procedures, and schools regularly practice what to do in the event of an emergency. As a district, we utilize the Standard Response Protocol at all campuses, and in partnership with Ridgefield Police Department and other emergency services.

Have a question about our revised cell phone policy or procedure? If it's not included here in our FAQ, please share your thoughts with us so we can add it!
You can also share feedback about our implementation of Yondr pouches at VRMS and RHS this year using the same link as above.

We will be collecting questions and feedback for the entire school year, and sharing back data from this form as well as school data on discipline and other metrics at the end of the school year. Thank you for sharing your feedback!

• Communication - Safety vs. Convenience: Instant communication isn’t always safer. We want to assure parents we have districtwide communication protocols in place to get accurate information to families as quickly as possible. 

• Accessing Your Device in an Emergency: There are a number of ways to unlock Yondr pouches in emergencies. Every student will maintain possession of their own Yondr pouch and phone, and as soon as it is safe, staff will assist students in accessing their devices so that they can contact their family. 

It takes all of us to keep our kids safe: Please speak with your child(ren) about what to do during an emergency, and explain how they will be able to text/call as soon as they are in a safe location.