Celebration of Students and Revisions to Dress Code & Cell Phone Expectations

Dear MITCS Students and Families, I wanted to celebrate a group of about 10 of our students today. This morning, a group of students asked to meet with me to discuss the changes to our school’s cell phone procedures that were announced last week. These students worked collaboratively over the weekend on a research-based proposal that respected our administration’s concern about cell phones distracting students from engaging with learning activities during classes while supporting the value in students accessing their phones and throughout the day. MITCS was designed to be a school where students develop as critical thinkers with the skills needed to utilize knowledge to create products and solve real-world problems. This group did exactly that, acted as young professionals, came with a detailed product and data to support their proposal, and approached their request for a meeting as an intellectual analysis of what’s best for MITCS as a school overall while also considering the individual needs and well-being of our students. After listening to this group of scholars’ position and supportive evidence, our administration has revised our procedure change in an effort to achieve our priority of maximizing academic focus and rigor and also respecting the validity of what our scholars presented. below, you will see two additional messages that explain the revised procedures to cell phones and headwear but most importantly, please join me in celebrating the outstanding example of authentic learning, respectful, professional approach of our students, and the strengthening partnership between students and staff in working collectively to make MITCS the premiere high school in the area!

Thank you,

David Krakoff

Very Proud Principal Dress Code Expectations Beginning Wednesday, March 1, 2023 As we continue to ensure safety at MITCS, we are asking that our families help to support a change to our expectations for student dress code. All persons on our campus must be able to be easily identified at all times. So, beginning on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, students will not be permitted to wear sunglasses, face coverings, hoods up over their heads, or other hats that prevent a student from being easily identified per administration’s discretion. Students who don’t comply with this expectation will be given a consequence and will not be permitted to attend class until they comply. We ask that our parents/guardians discuss this change in expectation with headwear so that we can make a smooth transition and increase our level of safety on campus. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work to prioritize safety. Cell Phone and Headphones/Earbud Procedures Beginning Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Student learning and engaging in authentic learning activities is a top priority at MITCS. With regard to student cell phones, we have observed that when students have their phones on their person during class time that this forms a distraction and barrier to student engagement with learning activities. As a result, we are adjusting our student cell phone procedures to further support our commitment to our students’ education and engaging with learning activities from the start of classes to the end. Beginning on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, students who bring their cell phones to school will be directed to place their phones in a secure case at the beginning of every class. Every student phone will have its own slot and the case will be locked and remain in a location designated by the classroom teacher during every class period. Student phones will be returned to students at the end of every class period and resubmitted at the beginning of every subsequent class. Students will have their phones in between classes and during lunch and will be able to continue to access their phones for the purpose of listening to music when permitted by classroom teachers or to use for urgent communications with teacher permission. In the event a student does not turn in their phone and is seen with their phone during a class period the phone will be taken from the student, and the student will earn consequences for noncompliance with our procedures. If noncompliance with our phone procedure is repeated, we will take the phone on the second occasion and ask that the parent/guardian come to the school so we can return the phone directly to the parent/guardian, and the student could lose the privilege of bringing his/her phone to campus. In addition, while students are permitted to bring headphones/ear buds to school, they can only wear them if classroom teacher grants permission or during lunch. We respectfully ask that you talk with your student at home about this change in procedure to help to ensure a smooth transition on March 1st. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work to prioritize student learning and safety.