Skip to main content
Parents » Childhood First: A BPY Tech Initiative

Childhood First: A BPY Tech Initiative

All of us at Ben Porat Yosef care deeply about our students' growth and development.  From ensuring that our students become creative thinkers, inspiring intellectual curiosity, and concentrating on middot and physical safety, we aim to focus on all aspects of development. Recent research has linked child smartphone and social media use to mental health and social challenges.  
 
Freeing our children from the stresses brought by smartphones takes a community.  A partnership between school and home will ensure that our children spend their time playing and socializing with one another instead of on screens.  
 
As always, cellphones may never be used inside of the school building. We will be adhering strictly to the consequences in terms of violations. At the first offense, the phone will be kept in the office for the rest of the day and parents will be notified.  For the second offense, the phone will be held in the office until the parents and child are able to meet in person with the admin team.
 
In the past, choices that children have made regarding phone usage on the bus have been challenging.  Therefore, we believe it would be highly beneficial for students not to use their phones on the bus.  Discussions between parents and children will be most effective in making this happen.  Here too, if a student uses a cellphone on the bus in an inappropriate manner, the phone will be taken away, and returned as per the protocols described above.
 
Throughout the year we will have speakers about smartphone and social media use for our parents and students.  In addition, our advisory classes will also focus on educating children about productive ways to use technology.
 
We ask you to abide by these guidelines. 

 

1st-5th grade

  • It is our expectation that children in this age range will not own a smartphone

  • Elementary school children may not access social media (including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram) on any device.  It is important to note that it is illegal for children of these ages to create accounts on these apps.

 

6th-8th grade

  • It is our expectation that middle schoolers will not have access to social media on any device.  

In an effort to delay smartphone and social media use, below is a pledge that we are asking BPY families to take.  The pledge is entirely voluntary and only goes into effect if 10 families in your child's grade take the same pledge.  
 
This pledge will be renewed on an annual basis.