RSU 64 -

During the winter and spring months of 2024, administrators, teachers, and Board members engaged in a review of recent research about the impact extended cellphone use is having on students and their mental health. The research indicates extended cellphone use by students is resulting in social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and in some cases, addiction. As a result of our learning, the current cellphone use policy in RSU 64 was not changed, rather, stakeholders agreed it should be implemented with greater emphasis on limiting cellphone use during the school day.

As the 2024-2025 school year began, the schools in RSU 64 committed to providing students with a cellphone free school day. Students have become much more engaged in their classroom environments and our cafeterias sound like they did when students were talking to each other rather than being immersed in their phones. Cellphones weren't just separating students from their learning, they were separating them from each other.

It is exciting to see our students and staff taking this action, knowing the future mental health of our community will be impacted for years to come.