Cell Phone Policy

The SI new cell phone policy will take effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. After extensive research, discernment and a variety of implementation efforts to address smartphone challenges we are writing to explain our decision making process. This policy reflects our deep commitment to the academic, social, and spiritual formation that lies at the heart of our Jesuit mission.

Our journey toward this decision has been thorough and intentional, encompassing:

• Extensive consultation with experts in adolescent development and mental health
• Comprehensive review of current research on smartphone effects on young people
• Meaningful dialogue with students, parents, faculty, and staff
• Conversations with peer institutions who have implemented similar policies
• Prayerful reflection and Ignatian discernment throughout the process

The evidence from research and expert consultation has been overwhelming and clear: smartphone use during the school day significantly impacts student academic performance, mental health, and social development in ways that conflict with our educational mission.

Beginning on Aug. 15, 2025, St. Ignatius College Preparatory will be a phone-free environment for students from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

This policy encompasses smartphones, smartwatches, earbuds, and large headphones. Students will continue to have access to their laptops and ipads during class(when directed by the teacher) and during resource periods.

We envision this change as creating a campus environment where 100% of our students' attention and energy can be directed toward learning, building meaningful relationships, and growing in wisdom and grace. We join a growing number of schools nationwide who have recognized that removing these devices during school hours serves the common good of our educational community.

Students are expected to keep powered off smartphones in their zipped backpack for the duration of the school day.

Communication During School Hours

We understand families may need to contact students during the day. We encourage:

• Parents to communicate with students outside of school hours so that students can be fully present during the school day to their peers, teachers and schoolwork. When students do not put their smart devices on “Do Not Disturb” mode they get an average of one notification per minute which interferes with the learning process constantly derailing their attention making getting back on task that much more difficult for the student and teacher.
• Email communication for non-urgent matters
• Calling our Dean’s Office (415-731-8571) for immediate needs
• Students may request to use phones for necessary calls through the Dean’s Office

Medical Accommodations

Students requiring smartphones for medical purposes (such as diabetes monitoring) should submit written documentation from their healthcare provider to our Dean’s Office for approval and accommodation. Use this link to submit documentation.

Emergency Procedures

Parents should contact our Deans Office for personal emergencies. For school-wide emergencies, we will use our established communication systems including email and texting. Security experts affirm that students are safer during emergencies when following adult guidance rather than using personal devices. If we believe that it’s appropriate for students to use their devices we will make that determination based on the situation.

Moving Forward Together

We invite you to join us in framing this policy not as "adults versus students and their phones" but rather as "our entire community versus the attention-grabbing algorithms" designed by multi-billion dollar companies to capture and monetize human attention.

We recognize this change will require adjustment for families. While there may be initial challenges, we firmly believe the benefits to our students' academic, social, and spiritual development far outweigh any temporary inconvenience.

Continued Formation and Commitment to Jesuit Values

Beyond removing devices during school hours, we are committed to providing comprehensive digital citizenship education so that students understand the rationale behind our new policy.

This policy emerges from our unwavering care for each student and our commitment to academic excellence, authentic relationships, and the formation of young people prepared to be leaders in service to others. We trust in your support as we implement this change together.

Additional Resources:

For families seeking to understand the research behind this decision, we recommend:

• U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's guidance on youth mental health and technology
• Jonathan Haidt's research in "The Anxious Generation"
• Common Sense Media's research on smartphone use among adolescents
• National School Safety and Security Services recommendations

Please review the cell phone policy with your student. Be sure that you read the parent/student handbook and sign the parent/student acknowledgement form included in the July 15 email communication from the Dean’s Office.

We remain grateful for your partnership in the education and formation of our students.