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"WE'RE ECSTATIC WITH THE RESULTS WE’RE SEEING. IT’S ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE. A SMALL TOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKES THE PLUNGE ON RESTRICTING CELL PHONE USE, AND THEY’RE GLAD THEY DID. IT’S SOMETHING THE GOVERNOR IS NOW GETTING BEHIND. THE EVIDENCE IS IN, AND IT’S TIME TO ACT. LET’S MAKE SURE THE CLASSROOM IS A PLACE FOR LEARNING, GROWTH AND CONNECTION. HOW OTTUMWA SCHOOLS ARE LEADING THE WAY FOR OTHER DISTRICTS, AND THE SUCCESS THEY’VE SEEN IN JUST ONE SEMESTER. KIDS ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION. AND THEN WE’RE SEEING THAT TRANSLATE INTO THEIR ACADEMIC GRADES. AND THE DES MOINES SCHOOL THAT TRIED IT OUT WHEN THEY KNEW MENTAL HEALTH NEEDED A BOOST. I THINK THAT YOU ALWAYS HOPE FOR THE BEST. AND WE ALL KNEW WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING. COMING UP ON ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP THE FIGHT TO KEEP KIDS ON TASK IN THE CLASSROOM AND KEEP THEIR PHONES OUT OF IT. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA RUCKER. WELL, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE IN OUR STATE, THE USE OF CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS HAS BECOME A HOT TOPIC. AND TODAY WE’RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE DISTRICTS IN IOWA THAT HAVE ALREADY PUT RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE ON CELL PHONES AT SCHOOL AND HOW THAT’S WORKING FOR THEM. THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER IN 2023 REPORTED 46% OF TEENS SURVEYED SAID THEY WERE ONLINE ALMOST CONSTANTLY. THAT’S DOUBLE FROM THE 2015 REPORT. NOW, OTHER RESEARCH SHOWS THAT SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY DAMAGING FOR TEENAGE GIRLS, INCREASING THE RISK OF BODY IMAGE ISSUES AND SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS WANTS ALL IOWA SCHOOLS TO TAKE ACTION. SHE ANNOUNCED HER PROPOSAL IN HER ANNUAL CONDITION OF THE STATE ADDRESS. I’M PROPOSING LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES SCHOOLS KEEP INSTRUCTIONAL TIME FREE FROM DIGITAL DISTRACTIONS. AT A MINIMUM. REYNOLDS BILL WOULD REQUIRE ALL IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO CREATE A SCHOOL CELL PHONE POLICY, AS SHE MENTIONED, AT A MINIMUM, BANNING DEVICES WHEN STUDENTS ARE LEARNING. BY JULY 1ST. NOW, HER PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO REQUIRE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING FOR SIXTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS. IN AN INTERVIEW LAST MONTH, REYNOLDS APPLAUDED SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ACTION. SHE SAYS SHE’S HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH IOWA SUPERINTENDENTS ABOUT HOW THE LACK OF CELL PHONES HAS CHANGED WHAT THEY’RE SEEING AT SCHOOL. SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THIS ARE SEEING TREMENDOUS RESULTS FROM IT. I HAD SUPERINTENDENTS SAY I WALKED INTO THE LUNCHROOM WHERE I WOULD NEVER HEAR ANYTHING, AND IT WAS SO LOUD AND NOISY BECAUSE THE KIDS WERE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER. AND ENJOYING THEIR TIME. REYNOLDS SPECIFICALLY POINTED TO THE OTTUMWA SCHOOL DISTRICT. THEY HAVE ABOUT 5000 STUDENTS, AND THE DISTRICT STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH ONE OF THE STRICTEST CELL PHONE POLICIES IN CENTRAL IOWA. PHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ANY TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. ����vlog INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SUZANNE BECK WENT TO OTTUMWA TO TALK WITH THE DISTRICT’S SUPERINTENDENT, MIKE MCGRAW. ONE SEMESTER IN, THEY TALK ABOUT HOW THE POLICY IS GOING. COULD YOU TELL US, LIKE SUMMARIZE THE CELL PHONE POLICY THAT’S IN PLACE THIS YEAR? SURE. REALLY, OUR CELL PHONE POLICY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST, I DON’T KNOW, STRINGENT IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE TYPE POLICIES WHERE WE DON’T ALLOW CELL PHONE USAGE NOT ONLY IN THE CLASSROOM, WHICH IS, AS YOU KNOW, PART OF THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL, BUT WE ALSO DON’T ALLOW IT IN THE LUNCHROOM. WE DON’T ALLOW IT IN HALLWAYS. SO IT’S A IT’S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE POLICY. AND THAT STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR. IT DID RIGHT. YEP. WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS OR THE REASONS FACTORS THAT LED YOU TO THIS POLICY? WHAT REALLY MOVED ME WHEN I STARTED TO RESEARCH IT AND LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR HOPE IS THAT IT INCREASES ENGAGEMENT. OUR HOPE IS IS THAT IT IMPROVES STUDENT TEST SCORES, THEIR GRADES. OUR HOPE IS THAT IT IMPROVES THE MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS. BUT THE ONE THAT REALLY STRUCK ME WAS THE IMPACT SOCIAL MEDIA WAS HAVING, PARTICULARLY ON YOUNG FEMALES. AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE RESEARCH AND THE IMPACT IT WAS HAVING ON THEIR LIVES AS TEENAGERS AND HOW DETRIMENTAL IT WAS TO OUR TEENAGERS IN GENERAL, THAT THAT’S ONE THAT REALLY SWAYED ME, IS THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING SOON, BECAUSE I’M SURE YOU’VE SEEN THE STATISTICS, BUT IT’S A 3 TO 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY FOR FEMALES TO EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, ANXIETY, BULLYING, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. THE GOVERNOR HAS THIS POLICY TO HAVE SCHOOLS TAKE ON A CELL PHONE POLICY, MAYBE NOT AS AGGRESSIVE, RIGHT, AS AS THIS ONE. BUT SHE DID MENTION THAT YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN HER CONDITION OF THE STATE SPEECH, DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS GOING THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. WE ACTUALLY IT WAS VERY GRACIOUS OF HER. SHE SHE INVITED US TO IT. HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THE GOVERNOR ABOUT IT OR ANYONE IN THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE ABOUT YOUR POLICY? YES, BOTH. AND HOW HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BEEN? I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT THEY’RE BECAUSE THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT DOING IT STATEWIDE. THEY’RE CERTAINLY WANTING TO SEE HOW IT’S WORKED FOR US. AND THEN BEING MORE EXTENSIVE, HOW THAT’S WORKED. AND MY MY ONE COMMENT TO THEM WAS THAT I THINK IT’S A GREAT START, WHAT THEY’RE PROPOSING AND WHAT I ENVISION HAPPENING PROBABLY FAIRLY QUICKLY, IS THAT SCHOOLS WILL EVEN GO TO MORE RESTRICTIVE TYPE POLICY, AND I THINK IT WILL BE QUICKER THAN PEOPLE THINK. BUT I THINK SHE’S WANTING TO GIVE THAT CHOICE TO THE SCHOOLS, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PUSHBACK HAS BEEN, WELL, WHAT ABOUT SAFETY? SURE. LIKE, WHAT IF MY WHAT IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT AT MY CHILD’S SCHOOL AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY’RE SAFE? YEAH. HOW DOES YOUR POLICY ADDRESS THAT? RIGHT. WE WE KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE LARGER CONCERNS. AND SO WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO BE PROACTIVE TO HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT. AND WE WE PART OF THE ANSWER WAS WE SHOWING THAT IN SOME RESPECTS IT WORKS AGAINST SAFETY FOR STUDENTS TO ALL HAVE THEIR PHONES. WHEN YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND EVERYBODY’S USING THEIR PHONE AND SO FORTH, THAT IT CAN IMPACT THAT. AND THEN ALSO AVENUES WE DO, WE WOULD USE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE PEOPLE WERE INFORMED ROLLING THAT OUT. BUT REALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IT WASN’T AS BIG A ISSUE AS I THOUGHT. AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A REALLY BIG ISSUE. IS BECAUSE PARENTS HAVE SEEN OVER PROBABLY THE LAST TEN YEARS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF CELL PHONES. AND SO THEY’RE INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE NOW OF NOT HAVING CELL PHONES. AND, AND I THINK ONE WAY AROUND THE SAFETY THAT WE ALSO ARTICULATED WAS THAT YOU HAVE THEY STILL HAVE THEIR PHONES, YOU KNOW, SO IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY THEY CAN STILL USE THEIR PHONES. HAVE ANY OF THOSE SAFETY CONCERNS CONTINUED TO. YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN’T AS MUCH PUSHBACK ON THAT PART. HAS THERE BEEN ANY ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OR OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WHO CONTINUE TO BRING THAT UP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, OR HAS THAT KIND OF JUST BEEN ALLAYED? YEAH, I AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE AND I HAVE HAD REALLY NONE AFTER AFTER WE IMPLEMENTED, I WOULD SAY THE, THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU PROBABLY ARE GOING TO ASK TOO IS, IS THAT ELEMENT OF BEING ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF MY CHILD? THE REALITY IS WHAT THEY SAW THERE. WE HEAR THIS FROM PARENTS CONSTANTLY. IS THAT IT’S WE’RE TALKING MORE TO OUR KID. YOU KNOW, WE’RE HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT’S GREAT. IT IS. WELL, NOW YOU’VE BEEN IN THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH, AND NOW THERE’S THIS LEGISLATION. SO ARE YOU HEARING FROM MORE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE? YEAH, WE CERTAINLY HAVE. AND WE JUST WANT TO BE A RESOURCE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DIFFERENT. AND SO OUR POLICY MAY NOT WORK FOR OTHER DISTRICTS AND SO FORTH. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP THEM WITH WORKING OUT SOME OF THE BUGS. YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW YOU KNOW, HOW HOW DO YOU HAVE WHERE, YOU KNOW, STORING WHAT IF THE PHONES GO OFF IN CLASS, ALL THOSE ISSUES THAT ARISE? AND HOW DID THAT WORK? WE ASKED STUDENTS, IS TO PUT IT IN THEIR LOCKERS. BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME STUDENTS MAY NOT DO THAT. AND SO THE REQUIREMENT IS, IS THAT IT HAS TO BE OUT OF SIGHT AND OFF. AND IF YOU CAN DO THAT AND YOU’RE NOT PUTTING IT IN YOUR LOCKER, YOU’RE NOT DISRUPTING, THEN YOU KNOW, WE’LL WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN TEACHERS HAD THIS IS KIND OF ANCILLARY TO IT IS THAT I DON’T WANT TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR, YOU KNOW, ON THIS ISSUE. AND SO WE MADE SURE WE HAD A POLICY THAT ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS REFER THEM TO THE OFFICE, RATHER THAN THEM HAVING TO HANDLE IT IN THE CLASSROOM. SO THAT REMOVES THEM FROM THE EQUATION. RIGHT? RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT WAS WE KNEW THAT WOULD BE A BIG CONCERN FOR TEACHERS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE THE, YOU KNOW, THE BAD PERSON ENFORCING IT. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS BEEN SO FAR? IT’S NOT ONLY ENGAGEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ENGAGEMENT LIKE IN LUNCHROOMS AND AND AND SO IN, IN A GENERAL SENSE, WE’RE ECSTATIC WITH THE RESULTS WE’RE SEEING. IT’S IT’S ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE. AND FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, MOST WILL SAY THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BEEN A BENEFIT TO ME AND IT’S BENEFITED ME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. I’M MORE ENGAGED. I’M NOT LOOKING AT MY PHONE ALL THE TIME. I’M NOT WAITING FOR A REPLY TO, YOU KNOW, EVERY TEXT AND ALL THAT. AND I THINK YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF EXPAND THAT TO HOW HAS IT CHANGED ADULT BEHAVIOR? YEAH. AND IT DEFINITELY HAS CHANGED ADULT BEHAVIOR TOO, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO ROLE MODEL THIS IF WE’RE GOING TO HAVE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK EVERYBODY’S MORE CONSCIOUS OF IF YOU’RE IN THE HALLWAY OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, DON’T HAVE YOUR CELL PHONE OUT, DON’T, YOU KNOW, DON’T TAKE A CALL. YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. SO IT DEFINITELY IT GIVES YOU MUCH MORE AWARENESS OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU IF YOU’RE ASKING THEM TO DO IT, YOU SHOULD BE MODELING IT. AND SO YEAH. SO A SUPERINTENDENT STARTED ANTICIPATING, OKAY, I’VE GOT TO PUT THIS POLICY TOGETHER AND SO FORTH, AND MAYBE THEY’RE NOT THEY’RE MAKING THE SAME ASSESSMENT YOU DID IS IS THIS THE BATTLE? I’M READY TO FIGHT. RIGHT, RIGHT. WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE THEM ON. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM? I THINK THE, THE KEYS FOR US WERE THAT HELPED OUR POLICY BE SO SUCCESSFUL. WAS A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT, A LOT OF STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT. SO WE HAD STUDENTS, WE HAD PARENTS, WE HAD COMMUNITY. AND SO I THINK THAT’S KEY. TO GET BUY IN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT IS WILLING TO TRUST YOU, THAT, YOU KNOW THIS IS BEST FOR KIDS. WHEN WE RETURN, WE HEAR FROM AN OTTUMWA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO SAYS THE NEW POLICY HAS IMPROVED THE WAY SHE INTERACTS WITH HER CLASSMATES AND HAS CHANGED HER LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. NOT HAVING IT THERE, THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE MY ANCHOR, BUT IT HAS HELPED ME FIND NEW WAYS TO COPE. WE TALKED WITH SOPHOMORE DONNA ROOP BACK IN AUGUST. IT WAS JUST ONE WEEK INTO HER SCHOOL CELL PHONE BAN. BACK THEN, SHE TOLD US SHE WAS STILL ADJUSTING. NOW WE MET BACK UP WITH DONNA LAST WEEK. SHE’S NOW FINISHED HER FIRST SEMESTER AT GATEWAY HIGH SCHOOL, AND NOW SHE’S GONE MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS WITHOUT HAVING HER PHONE AT SCHOOL. ����vlog SUZANNE BENKI ASKED HER IF SHE’S STILL ON BOARD WITH OTTUMWA’S CELL PHONE BAN. TALK TO ME ABOUT NOT HAVING A CELL PHONE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. WHAT IS THAT LIKE? I PERSONALLY, I KNOW IT’S VERY BIASED, BUT I ENJOY NOT HAVING MY CELL PHONE AT SCHOOL. I LIKE HOW THEY HAVE IT LOCKED UP. I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU’RE NOT CONSTANTLY REACHING FOR YOUR PHONE, LIKE BECAUSE IT’S BUILT INTO YOUR SYSTEM. I GOT MY FIRST PHONE A DAY BEFORE MY NINTH BIRTHDAY, SO I WAS PRETTY YOUNG AND IT JUST KIND OF BECAME A HABIT. SO WHERE IS YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW? MY PHONE IS IN THE SCHOOL’S LOCKERS, LIKE PHONE LOCKERS. SO YOU’LL WALK INSIDE OF THE BUILDING AND TO YOUR LEFT IS THE PHONE LOCKERS. YOU GET TO KEEP YOUR KEY ON YOU AT ALL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND YOU GET IT BACK AT THE END OF THE DAY. 245. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO FROM HAVING THAT PHONE BE ON YOU A LOT, TO NOT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. IT WAS STRESSFUL TO SAY THE LEAST. VERY, VERY STRESSFUL. I’M THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO, IN A LOUD OR UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION, I REACH FOR MY PHONE. I’LL JUST LIKE, PRETEND LIKE I’M TYPING OR SCROLLING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I’VE HAD TO LEARN NEW WAYS TO AVOID SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, OR MAKE MYSELF MORE COMFORTABLE IN THOSE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. YOU’LL ACTUALLY HAVE CONVERSATIONS. IF YOU HAVE FREE TIME, YOU’LL HAVE CONVERSATIONS INSTEAD OF REACHING FOR YOUR PHONE. I’M NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ANY SOCIAL MEDIA BESIDES FACEBOOK BECAUSE MY GRANDPARENTS CAN MONITOR IT AND MAKE SURE I’M BEING SAFE. HOWEVER, ON MY OLD PHONE, I FOUND A WAY TO GET PAST THAT AND I MADE AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT AND THERE WAS JUST A BUNCH OF CYBERBULLYING GOING ON IT, LIKE MADE MY MENTAL HEALTH A LOT WORSE, BUT DEFINITELY LIKE NOT HAVING YOUR PHONE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY HAS IMPACTED THAT AND HAS MADE IT A LOT BETTER. THERE’S LESS BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CHECKING YOUR PHONE AND SEEING A NASTY MESSAGE OR PICTURES OR RUMORS LIKE, NONE OF THAT REALLY HAPPENS ANYMORE AND IT’S REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS, ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE NO PHONE POLICY ARE PLANNING TO IMPLEMENT THE NO PHONE POLICY. ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN STUDENTS ACTUALLY ENJOYING BEING AT SCHOOL, AND WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I’VE SEEN A LOT OF. I’VE SEEN COMMUNICATION, I’VE SEEN PEOPLE LAUGHING AND ACTUALLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS. I’VE SEEN ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH TEACHERS AND LIKE HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT. SO DEFINITELY DO NOT STRESS OUT ABOUT NOT HAVING YOUR PHONE IN CLASS. THERE’S ALWAYS BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL, THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IF YOU PLEASE. BUT LIKE A FEW HOURS WITHOUT YOUR PHONE ISN’T THAT BAD. NEXT, WE SIT DOWN WITH AN ADMINISTRATOR WHO’S BEEN TRACKING THE DATA SINCE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. WHY? SHE’S EXCITED ABOUT THE RESULTS. AS BOTH A SCHOOL LEADER AND A PARENT WITH CHILDREN IN OTTUMWA, SCHOOLS. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. WE ARE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN THE OTTUMWA SCHOOL DISTRICT. STUDENTS AND STAFF STARTED THE STRICTEST CELL PHONE POLICIES IN CENTRAL IOWA. WE SAT DOWN WITH DOCTOR MARIA LANCE, THE DISTRICT’S DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, SHE TOLD ����vlog SUZANNE BANK THAT THE DISTRICT IS ALREADY SEEING SUCCESS. ONE SEMESTER IN. SO YOU’VE GOT THIS NEW CELL PHONE POLICY THAT’S BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE THE START OF SCHOOL. HOW ARE THINGS GOING? REALLY, REALLY WELL. WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE’VE DONE, AND I WAS REALLY NERVOUS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT WE’D HAVE A LOT MORE PUSHBACK FROM STUDENTS, IN PARTICULAR, KIDS LOVE THEIR CELL PHONES. WE LOVE OUR CELL PHONES. AND SO THAT SCARED ME A LITTLE BIT GOING INTO THIS. BUT I THINK ONCE YOU SEE THAT INFORMATION ON MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR OUR KIDS AND BEING A MOM MYSELF, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN’T UNSEE THAT INFORMATION. AND SO ALTHOUGH I HAD THOSE INITIAL TREPIDATIONS, I KNEW WE WERE DOING THE RIGHT WORK FOR KIDS AND THAT WE WOULD PERSEVERE THROUGH THAT. AND WE DIDN’T HAVE THE ISSUES THAT I HAD ANTICIPATED IN TERMS OF STUDENTS BEING SO UPSET OR FRUSTRATED WITH THE POLICIES. WHAT ARE THE WINS OF THIS POLICY BEING IN PLACE? WE HAVE A TON, AND I DON’T THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY AND MAKE A CORRELATION OR A CAUSATION TO ONE THING. WE’VE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT SHIFTS HAPPEN IN OUR DISTRICT THIS YEAR, BUT THE CELL PHONE POLICY IS A BIG PART OF THAT. AND IT’S AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT WE BROUGHT CONSISTENCY TO IN OUR ENTIRE SYSTEM. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT JUST SPECIFICALLY WITHIN CLASSROOMS, KIDS ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION. AND THEN WE’RE SEEING THAT TRANSLATES INTO THEIR ACADEMIC GRADES. AT THE END OF SEMESTER. AND IT’S JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE IT ALL PLAY OUT. AND YOU MENTIONED YOU’RE A PARENT. I AM. ARE YOU A PARENT OF A STUDENT IN THE DISTRICT TWO? YES. WHAT GRADES? I HAVE A SEVENTH GRADER AND A FOURTH GRADER. OKAY, SO YOU’RE THE SEVENTH GRADER. DID SHE HAVE A PHONE AT THE START OF THIS YEAR? OR ACCESS TO ONE? SHE DOES HAVE ACCESS TO A PHONE. AND HOW IS THAT GOING? I COULDN’T BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT HER OWN ACHIEVEMENT DATA. I MEAN, SHE DID REALLY WELL THIS SEMESTER, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL THING. BUT IF YOU WERE TO TALK TO HER, SHE SHE HASN’T REALLY KNOWN A WORLD WHERE CELL PHONES HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN HER LIFE AT SCHOOL, BECAUSE SHE’S NEW TO THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. COMING FROM BEING A FORMER MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, I DIDN’T HAVE A DAY WHERE CELL PHONES DIDN’T IMPACT BEHAVIOR, WHETHER IT WAS BEHAVIORS THAT CAME INTO THE BUILDING OR RAMIFICATIONS OF BEHAVIORS THAT OCCURRED BECAUSE KIDS WERE RUDE TO EACH OTHER ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND IT IS SUCH A GOOD FEELING TO KNOW THAT MY DAUGHTER DOESN’T HAVE TO BE IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE KIDS CAN MAYBE HURT EACH OTHER ON PURPOSE OR INADVERTENTLY, THROUGH THEIR USE OF CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA. I TALK TO MY DAUGHTER A LOT ABOUT WHEN SOMETHING GOES ONLINE, OR EVEN JUST IN A TEXT MESSAGE. IT’S THERE FOREVER. WHETHER WE THINK WE GET RID OF IT. AND WHEN AT THE TEENAGE AGE, OUR FRONTAL LOBES AREN’T FULLY DEVELOPED. RIGHT. AND SO WE’RE ACTING MORE SPORADICALLY, MORE FREQUENTLY, AND WE OFTEN DO THINGS IN THE MOMENT THAT FEEL RIGHT, THAT WE REGRET LATER. AND AND TO TAKE THAT BURDEN AWAY FROM OUR KIDS AS A WHOLE. MY DAUGHTER INCLUDED IN OUR SCHOOLS IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM. AND I THINK ANOTHER PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH. AND AGAIN, ONCE YOU SEE THAT DATA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, SPECIFICALLY FEMALE MENTAL HEALTH, YOU CAN’T UNSEE IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE DAUGHTERS. AND JUST KNOWING, EVEN LIKE OUR BULLYING AND HARASSMENT CASES, WE HAVE A POLICY FOR FILING THOSE CASES. WE HAD TEN AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, LAST SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAVE THREE CASES FILED THIS YEAR, ZERO FOUNDED CASES. SO JUST SEEING THOSE THINGS IN THE TERMS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR KIDS, I COULD NEVER JUSTIFY GOING BACKWARDS. WE COME INTO THIS FIELD TO DO GREAT WORK FOR KIDS, AND IT’S A REALLY DIFFICULT FIELD. AND WHEN YOU PUT A POLICY INTO PLACE THAT AFFECTS EVERY CLASSROOM ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND THEN YOU SEE THAT IMPACT, IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP. TWO OF THE STATE’S LARGEST DISTRICTS ARE IMPLEMENTING THEIR OWN PLANS TO KEEP THE ELECTRONIC DISTRACTIONS AWAY FROM STUDENTS. WE’LL HEAR WHAT THEY’RE DOING COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK. WELCOME BACK. TODAY WE’VE BEEN FOCUSING ON OTTUMWA CELL PHONE POLICY. BUT LEADERS AT THE STATE’S LARGEST DISTRICT, DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCUSSING THEIR OWN. HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL STARTED ENFORCING RULES AIMED AT IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH. LAST FALL, THE SCHOOL STOPPED LETTING STUDENTS USE CELL PHONES, HEADPHONES AND AIRPODS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. NOT LONG AFTER THOSE RULES STARTED, THE SCHOOLS SAW A CLEAR IMPROVEMENT IN GRADES, ATTENDANCE, AND BEHAVIOR. THEY ARE SUCCEEDING MORE. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS MANY A’S AND B’S AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR EVER. HOW DO WE FIND PROTONS? CATHERINE MOORE IS A TEACHER AT HOOVER. SHE SAID BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR, SHE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY POLICING PHONE USE. NOW, SHE SAYS SHE HAS MORE TIME FOR INSTRUCTION. SCHOOL LEADERS SAID THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BEFORE THE POLICIES IMPLEMENTATION HAVE NOT BEEN ISSUES AT ALL. TWO MYTHS AROUND THIS. PEOPLE KEPT SAYING THE KIDS AREN’T GOING TO DO IT, AND THE PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE MAD AT YOU. THE KIDS ARE DOING IT, AND NONE OF OUR PARENTS ARE MAD. UNDER HOOVER’S MENTAL HEALTH MOVEMENT, ADMINISTRATORS ALSO ENCOURAGED PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO WAIT TO INTRODUCE CELL PHONES TO KIDS UNTIL THEY TURN 14. THEY ALSO ENCOURAGE NOT ALLOWING YOUNG PEOPLE TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA UNTIL THE AGE OF 16. WELL, THE ANKENY SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPLEMENTED ITS PHONES AWAY FOR THE DAY POLICY ABOUT A MONTH INTO THIS SCHOOL YEAR. IT PREVENTS STUDENTS FROM USING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES DURING SCHOOL HOURS. STUDENTS CAN HAVE THESE DEVICES, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF AND PLACED OUT OF THE STUDENT’S REACH. AN EXCEPTION IS PROVIDED FOR STUDENTS WITH AN IEP. IF THE DEVICE IS USED FOR MEDICAL TRANSLATION OR OTHER SCHOOL BASED ACCOMMODATIONS. IF A PARENT NEEDS TO CONTACT THEIR STUDENT IMMEDIATELY, THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE SCHOOL’S MAIN OFFICE. WELL, THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.