Digital Wellness

Our laptop program, paired with robust internet safety measures and a strong emphasis on balanced development, reflects our core belief: technology is a tool, not a lifestyle. By providing structured access, thoughtful boundaries, and meaningful offline opportunities, we prepare students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in both digital and real-world environments.

Our commitment to digital wellness is simple: use the right tool, for the right purpose, at the right time, always in service of the whole child. This hub shares our research informed approach to balancing computer use with rich offline learning, so students grow in mind, body, and character.

Over the last decade, students’ daily connection to screens has increased markedly. National study data show that about half of U.S. teens report 4+ hours of daily screen time (outside of schoolwork), and higher hours correlate with more frequent symptoms of anxiety and depression. At the same time, emerging guidance from pediatric experts emphasizes that what students do with media, and how it fits into sleep, movement, relationships, and learning, matters more than a single “magic number.” Family media plans, screen-free routines around sleep and meals, and turning off autoplay/notifications are practical, evidence-aligned steps.

Many approaches to digital wellness and effective instructional practices are anchored in the 4Cs: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, and Collaboration, within a whole child framework that integrates academics, wellbeing, and citizenship.

• Critical Thinking: We teach students to question sources, evaluate claims, and manage attention intentionally (e.g., mindful notification settings, single tasking during deep work). These habits counter distraction and help learners' separate facts from opinion in dense digital environments.
• Creativity: We use creation tools to compose, code, design, and publish, while preserving analog skills (sketching, lab notebooks, studio arts) to engage in different modalities and reduce cognitive overload.
• Communication: Students practice clear, empathetic communication (spoken, written, and digital) paired with norms for online civility, privacy, and audience awareness.
• Collaboration: We structure purposeful teamwork on and off screen, because belonging and peer connection are the foundation for healthy wellbeing.

• Kindergarten–1st Grade: Students learn with a 2:1 laptop ratio, ensuring exposure to digital tools without overwhelming early learners.
• 2nd–12th Grade: We maintain a 1:1 laptop model, providing equitable access, improved engagement, and more personalized learning opportunities.

At Home vs. In School Use:

• K–5 laptops remain in school, protecting younger students from excessive screen time at home and supporting structured, teacher-guided use.
• 6–12 laptops go home daily, helping older students access learning resources and providing different modes of learning for students.

All district devices, whether used at school or home, are protected by our internet filtering system, which blocks harmful content, reduces exposure to online risks, and supports secure learning environments.

Our filter is one layer of a broader digital citizenship ecosystem that includes device use norms, parent partnerships, and ongoing instruction in responsible online behavior. 

Filters and laptop use are only as effective as the habits students build while using them. That’s why we integrate standards-aligned digital literacy instruction across grade levels that address online safety, privacy, cyberbullying, and digital wellness.

To support attention, safety, and healthy development, there are cell phone practices and procedures in place at the Elementary, Middle, and High School levels. 

Elementary & Middle Schools: No Cell Phones

Elementary: Electronic devices such as cell phones may not be used at school during the school day, which also includes bus transportation. These devices must be turned off and kept in backpacks during the school day and on bus transportation.

Middle School: All cellular telephones or other personal electronic devices must be deactivated and stored in the students’ locker during the regular school day.

Storing phones in backpacks or lockers during the school day helps strengthen students’ ability to focus, collaborate, and engage in healthy peer relationships.

High School: Cell Phone Caddies During Instruction:  In every classroom, students place phones in cell phone caddies during instructional time.  This structure preserves digital access when appropriate, such as before/after school and during lunch, while ensuring classrooms remain distraction free learning environments.