Dear Wildcat Families,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We are so excited to welcome your students back to campus. Junior high is a time of incredible growth, deep curiosity, and building lifelong friendships. As educators, our goal is to create an environment where your children can focus deeply on learning, develop strong face-to-face social skills, and feel safe and present during the school day.

To support this mission, our school is implementing a school-wide "Off and Away All Day" Mobile Device Policy starting this fall.

This update aligns with California’s Phone-Free Schools Act (Assembly Bill 3216), which requires public schools statewide to adopt policies restricting smartphone use during the school day. Research and our own campus experiences show that the constant pull of notifications drastically impacts student focus, increases anxiety, and pulls students away from meaningful, real-world connections with their peers.

The Rule: "Off and Away All Day"

From the morning entry bell until the final dismissal bell, all student cell phones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds must be turned completely off and stored out of sight inside their backpacks or lockers. Devices may not be kept in clothing pockets or carried during passing periods and lunch.

Staying Connected with Your Student

We understand that being able to reach your child is important. Please rest assured that we have systems in place to ensure you can always connect with them:

If you have an urgent message for your child: Call our main front office. Our staff will relay the message to your student or bring them to the office.

If your child needs to reach you: They can request a pass from their teacher to use the student telephone located in the front office at any time.

We ask that you talk with your student about these expectations during the first few weeks of school. Our staff will be walking students through our progressive discipline steps with grace and clarity during the first week of classes.

Thank you for your trust, your support, and your shared commitment to creating a thriving, focused learning community for our 7th- and 8th-graders.