The school has been abuzz with chatter this week, as news of a ‘cellphone ban’ spread through the community like wildfire.

I am delighted tutor group discussions, and many family dinner table conversations, have been had on this topic as we consider our community position on phone use at school.

Last week I met with our Prefects and the Middle School Student Council to garner their initial thoughts on the St Margaret’s College school day becoming an ‘Island of Phone-Free Time’. I was prepared for gasps of horror, wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth, but instead, I was met with a general acceptance of the benefits of such a proposal and then calm, considered feedback that could enhance its successful implementation.

On Tuesday, I introduced the concept to the wider student body, framed in our collective desire to set them up for success, to help them leave St Margaret’s with the skills and attributes that will ensure they flourish in their personal and professional lives. I reminded the girls of the proven benefits of socialising, for we are innately social beings, and how protecting our time at school for nurturing real-life relationships would be of benefit to both our personal and our collective wellbeing.

One key element in looking after wellbeing is feeling connected to others, talking and listening, and being there for each other, living in a world with empathy rather than digital singularity. This would certainly be enhanced if screen-to-screen was replaced with more face-to-face time. It also has the potential to improve physical wellbeing, offering more opportunities for the girls to be active during break times. Similarly, the interpersonal skills that future employers are looking for, like collaboration, effective communication and the ability to work within a diverse team, are best developed away from a digital interface.

Unfortunately, the very nature of social communication devices is such that they are just too tempting for most girls who are at an age where they lack the maturity required for effective self-regulation. As a result, we are finding phone access is interrupting class concentration and reducing ‘real’ social interaction with peers during the breaks.

With the welfare of our girls at heart, St Margaret’s College is proposing to limit mobile phone use by students to before and after school. From the first bell (8:25am) to the last bell (3:30pm), devices would need to be out of sight, preferably stored securely in lockers or left at home. There may be some re-education of our girls required to support them in employing alternative personal organisational tools, but we believe the benefits will far outweigh any short term disruption.

We also understand parents may feel the need to contact their daughter in the event of an emergency on school grounds. However, our experience has been that a single point of contact with the school ensures essential information is shared with the girls and families at the right time. We are confident we can manage communication effectively to offer reassurance to families as to the welfare of your girls. And any daily important messages you need to relay to your daughters can be done through the main office or through her school email account.

As we work through the pragmatic implementation of this ‘Island of Phone-Free Time’ proposal, we would welcome constructive feedback.

There are four consultative sessions on offer at lunchtimes for the girls to attend, as well as email and teacher points of contact.

For parents, Brian Woods, the chair of our IT Vision Group, is the point of contact via email to brian.woods@stmargarets.school.nz.

I hope you are convinced of the compelling benefits to student welfare and school culture in moderating our girls’ access to cellphones, for we will rely on your support more than ever for any ‘Island of Phone-Free Time’ to be effective in realising these positive outcomes for them all.