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Personal Technology Policy

December 2, 2024

Dear Porter-Gaud Families,

In alignment with our school’s mission to inspire lives of purpose, learning, and service through cultivating each student's God-given potential, we will be implementing a new personal technology policy in January that will allow us to improve teaching and learning, minimize distractions during the school day, enhance student engagement, and promote stronger relationships between students and their peers. As part of this policy, students will not have access to personal technology, including cell phones, during the school day.

Why are we making this change?
While we believe that personal technology has great utility, we have also found that learning and student mental health improve drastically when students are fully present with their teachers and classmates.

How is this new policy different from the current policy?
In the Lower and Middle Schools, our policies and practices will not change. We will continue to ask that Lower School students do not bring personal technology to school. In the Middle School, students will continue to turn in any personal technology to their advisor.

In the Upper School, students will be issued a secure pouch that stores personal technology devices and they will be required to bring their pouches to and from school each day. The pouch will lock and will not be able to be unlocked throughout the day. At the end of the day, students may unlock their pouch at an unlocking station. Students leaving early for athletics, senior privileges, or doctor’s appointments may unlock their pouch after signing out at the Upper School Office.

What if I need to communicate with my student during the school day?
Parents or caregivers who need to reach their child during the school day may call the main school number at (843) 556-3620. Our Middle and Upper School students also have access to email communication during school hours through their iPads and laptops, however, please recognize that their access to email will be limited during class time. If students need to call home, they may go to the front office and ask a member of our administrative team for access to a private space to call their parents or caregivers.

What if there is a school emergency?
In the event of a school emergency, we direct our students to safety first, following our school emergency preparedness protocol. We have emergency plans that we practice with our students, faculty, and staff and are fortunate to have Mike Feinberg, our Director of Safety and Security, and the support of the Charleston Police Department’s School Resource Officer (SRO) Program. We will communicate to our families via text message and email if there has been an emergency.

How can I learn more?
Later this month, we will share additional details about this new policy. Although these changes only impact our Upper School students, we believe all Porter-Gaud families will benefit from learning more about this policy, and we greatly value your engagement on student wellness topics. We invite parents and caregivers in all divisions to attend in-person information sessions on one of two dates, which will provide more information about our hopes and expectations for students as it relates to personal technology. The dates and times for these sessions are as follows:

Monday, December 16, 8:15 - 9 a.m.
Tuesday, December 17, 5:30 - 6:15 p.m.

Both events will cover the same content and will take place in the Upper School Library. We hope you can join us. No RSVP is required.

While we recognize it will take time for both our students and families to adjust to these new processes, we are confident this change will be a universally positive one for our community. Based on the experiences of other schools we have talked to that have similar policies, students appreciate the opportunity to have a break from technology, focus on their coursework, and connect with their classmates.

Thank you for your partnership in our efforts to strengthen our school community and your support in navigating this change as we work to enhance the learning environment for our students.

Sincerely,

D. DuBose Egleston, Jr., Head of School
Silvia Davis, Head of Upper School
Dr. Michael Wright, Head of Middle School
Michael Page, Head of Lower School