Ms. Krupka, Associate Principal here at Ramaz, recently clarified the administration’s rationale behind this year’s new school phone policy. As a part of their ongoing commitment to creating a focused and distraction-free learning environment, the school has decided to prohibit visible phones in communal spaces such as davening, assemblies, and classes. Should a student’s phone be seen, it will be confiscated for the remainder of the day. 

During an interview, Ms. Krupka highlighted the psychology of the addiction to technology, particularly phones, saying, “that feeling of like, ‘Oh my God, I haven’t checked my phone in two hours…I’m going to miss out on all of those Instagram posts’ and all of it,” is what Ramaz aims to combat with this policy. It’s clear that the school believes the constant need to keep up with social media and the internet can be disruptive to a student’s learning process and overall well-being.

The Ramaz administration wants to challenge the default of constant tech usage and explore the benefits of a less digitally reliant environment. “What would a world look like in which students know when they enter a building, Internet and social media and their phones are off for the day?” Ms. Krupka questioned, discussing the potential upsides of further expanding this policy.

While recognizing the practical challenges, such as the school’s systems – like Schoology and ClubHub – that currently depend on technology, Ms. Krupka expressed openness to reevaluating these methods. “Our school structure depends on it…Would we go back to the way schools looked twenty years ago where everything is announcements or sheets near the elevator?”, she mused. The administration acknowledges that the execution of this policy might not be simple and has shown a willingness to adapt. Despite potential limitations, Ms. Krupka shared her observation on the shifting conversation around technology use in schools, suggesting an increasing awareness of its negative effects.

While students will need to make some adjustments to follow the new phone policy, overall, Ramaz administrators view it as a  positive step towards creating a healthier learning environment. Per Ms. Krupka, the school is committed to exploring and adapting to create an environment that promotes optimal growth and development for its students.