Won’t my student get too much "screen time"?

A-C Central C.U.S.D. #262 recognizes the electronic screen as a fixture of modern life. While some kinds of "screen time" lead to passivity and isolation, effective use of information and communication technology actually increases engagement and collaboration and connection, including the new possibility to easily connect with peers and teachers at distance. Because of its enormous potential to enhance education, A-C Central C.U.S.D. #262 maintains a commitment to the productive, engaging use of ICT in instruction, while still balancing plenty of "offline" time both in and out of the classroom.

Between television, mobile phones, MP3 players, game consoles, and computers, student time seems to involve shifting attention from one screen to another. A-C Central C.U.S.D. #262 is committed to the health and well-being of all students and is sensitive to the issue of “screen time” overwhelming other activities, creating potential imbalance in the lives of growing children. At the same time, we recognize these screens as fixtures of modern life and the information and communication technology accessed through them as possessing enormous potential to enhance education. As a result, while we maintain a commitment to a balance of “off-line” time in the classroom as well as through athletics, music performance, and recess, we are not shying away from the productive use of some screen time in instruction.

Just as we intend to maintain this healthy balance of time away from screens in the school day, we strongly encourage parents to do the same at home. Monitor the amount of time your child spends watching TV, playing video games, sending text messages, and set appropriate limits, especially on passive "screen time". While some computer time will be required to complete homework, schedule this time early in the evening to give students a break before bedtime. Have students charge their ClassMates somewhere other than their bedrooms so that they will not be tempted to continue using them when they should be sleeping. Some research suggests that any type of electronic screen exposure prevents the brain from following its normal progression toward sleep. Given the importance of sleep to learning, getting a good night’s sleep is a student’s top priority.