The Gorham High School staff is concerned about the effects of mobile phone usage on students’ mental and physical well-being and the disruption that phones pose to the learning environment in a classroom setting. We seek to support our students in navigating our world where technology pervades nearly every aspect of life and where knowing how to use technology is foundational to future success. 

With that said, we believe it is imperative to teach students about appropriate and healthy boundaries with regards to personal mobile devices, smart phones, and other forms of technology, including social media. While we want our students to be able to use technology effectively, we also want our students to be able to foster positive relationships with peers without the intrusion of technology. Finally, we wish to avoid disruptions to learning by limiting phone use in academic classrooms to only those times when phones are needed as the proper tool deemed necessary by a classroom teacher.

Teachers at Gorham High School agree that all students must place their mobile phones in a “phone hotel” or other appropriate container when they enter a classroom setting. Students may retrieve their phones from the “phone hotel” when a teacher deems it necessary or when class is over. Students may use phones before school, during lunch, during passing time, and after school without restriction as long as they refrain from the following conduct:

• Use of a phone during class when it is not permitted by a teacher;
• Taking pictures in locker rooms, bathrooms, etc.;
• Taking any picture/video of another person for the purpose of ridiculing the other person (falling asleep, attire, chewing food with mouth open, etc.);
• Use of a phone or any device to cheat; or
• Use, whether in or out of school, of a phone or any other device to harass another member of the Gorham school community.

Any student who fails to comply with the above-stated policy will be subject to a school-based consequence, including a detention, Friday detention, or in the case of egregious or repeated infractions, suspensions.

Students should also be aware that, per Gorham Schools Policy IJNDB STUDENT COMPUTER/DEVICE AND INTERNET USE, administration has the right to confiscate and search a student’s privately owned computer or device if there is reasonable suspicion that the student has violated school committee policies, administrative procedures, school rules, or engaged in other misconduct while using a computer or device to disrupt the peace and usefulness of the school.