Dear Epiphany Family,
Welcome back! This will be a great year, and we look forward to next week. I know a lot of information is provided to parents, but I wanted to highlight our new partnership with Smart Families and an update to our electronic devices policy.
Smart Families is an organization dedicated to helping parents and schools create a safer, healthier, and happier environment for our children by building a community that supports fostering connectedness within families and steering clear of technology traps.
We know the negative impacts smartphones and social media have on the well-being of our students and family life. As a Christian school, we are committed to helping our students establish healthy habits and boundaries when it comes to technology. This includes understanding the impact of social media, critically evaluating online information, and prioritizing real-world relationships with family, friends, and community members.
Smart Families provides cutting-edge neuroscience education on the coercive effects of technology that manipulates our brains and bodies, empowering families to make informed and healthier choices. They emphasize the importance of delaying smartphone use until high school and offer practical advice to help parents and schools change the culture around technology use.
The Epiphany team believes this is the time we start working together to establish new norms in our community that align with our Christian beliefs.
We have updated our electronic device policy for this school year:
- Students may bring cell phones or other electronic devices to school, but these must be turned off, put away, and out of sight in the backpack or locker during school hours of 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (this includes smartwatches).
- Students may not use their devices while on campus or use smart devices (including watches) to message during the school day. Students may use the school office phone to call their parents if needed. If a parent needs to communicate with their student during the school day, it must be done through the school office staff.
Smart Families will host several educational events for families and students in our school during the year. This is a priority for us, and we encourage all families to participate. The first event for parents will be Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. To learn more about Smart Families, please click the buttons below to view the attachments and visit their website.
If a parent is in attendance, their student(s) will receive a free dress pass for the school year. Â Also, if a grade level has 100% parent participation, that class will receive a pizza party!
Serving Him,
Jon Fraker
