Tag Archives: smartphones

Scarice Offers Update: Calendar, Smartphones, Security, AI

Posted on March 28, 2025 | 4 comments

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice offers updates on a recommendation to move the last day of school, phone-free school environments, security plans, and a strategic vision for AI.  

Last Student Day
With 1 snow day this winter, and snow season likely behind us, our last student day is scheduled for June 16.

Given that the district schedules 182 student days, while the state mandates only 180, I recommend that the Board of Education reduce the student calendar by 1 day (to 181), and make Monday, June 16 a faculty-only work day, ending the student school year on Friday, June 13.  The Board is asked to take action to approve this recommendation at their April 3 meeting.

Smartphone/Wearable Technology Update
Last June, I recommended restricting access to smartphones and wearable technology during the school day, across all grade levels.

While this approach is solidly in place for grades K-8, we have maintained the current system at Staples High School (allowing limited access during non-instructional periods), as we evaluate our next steps.

This fall, I engaged with all Staples faculty in small group department meetings to gather their input. While some opinions varied, a strong majority supported moving toward greater restrictions on smartphone use, including a full ban during the school day.

Classroom smartphone holder.

In November, Wilton High School implemented a full smartphone ban. At that point, I slowed down our process so that we could observe and learn.  Their experience, and a site visit by our team in February, has provided us with valuable insights to consider before finalizing any changes in our district.

This morning, I provided the Board of Education with a comprehensive update.  In this update I outline a series of feedback mechanisms for the Staples community (i.e., anonymous online survey for Staples parents, students and faculty from April 7-25), and for the entire K-12 school community (i.e.m moderated community conversation on May 6 at 7:30 p.m., location TBD).

These opportunities, along with Staples student feedback sessions facilitated by principal Stafford Thomas, and a comprehensive summary of the research on the impacts of student cell phone use and cell phone restriction policies on student outcomes, will be provided to the Board of Education before any final recommendations are approved.

All Staples parents/guardians are encouraged to participate in the survey between April 7 and 225. All WPS parents are encouraged to attend the Board of Ed community conversation on May 6. It will be moderated by former Westport educator and former RTM moderator Velma Heller.

It is anticipated that the Board of Education will contemplate this recommendation at a meeting in May or June.

Screenagers:  Elementary School Edition
On this note, Westport Together will host a screening of  “Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition” on April 8 (7 p.m., Long Lots Elementary School). ⁠

The newest release from the popular “Screenagers” documentary film series, it addresses issues that elementary school kids, parents and educators face, i.e., smartwatches in class, disconnecting from and monitoring video gaming, social media pressures, exposure too young, and what research shows is a healthy amount of screen time. The film offers many solutions to these and other challenges. ⁠Register at: bit.ly/screenagerswestport 

Updates to District Security Plans
Following the unspeakable tragedy of Sandy Hook, the district undertook a comprehensive evaluation of security plans for our schools in.

An update was warranted. The evaluation was completed this school year. Recommendations will be presented to the Board of Education later this spring in executive session, which is confidential and not live streamed.

It is critically important that the security plans and discussions remain confidential to avoid compromising the safety of our schools. I share this information so that our school community can be confident that this continues to be a priority of our school district, and is regularly reviewed to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for our students and staff.

A Bold Strategic Vision for AI in the WPS
A couple of months ago I presented a bold recommendation to the Board of Education: to position the Westport Public Schools as a national leader in public education’s artificial intelligence revolution.

Since that time, the Westport Public Schools was selected to be one of only 7 districts in the states to participate in an AI pilot program this year. A number of parents and community members have reached out to my office to offer their expertise and support in advancing this vision, and a team of 30+ WPS educators have offered their time to develop a district-wide plan for AI in our schools.

With the priority of maintaining the humanity in our schools, and augmenting, not replacing, the work of our educators, we continue to move forward with plans that clearly articulate a vision that addresses AI and the student, AI and the teacher, ethical considerations, and an effort to “future-proof” our schools.

I look forward to returning with more information and updates.

4 Comments

Posted in Education

Tagged , , , ,

Scarice Update: Smartphones, No Place For Hate, AI

Posted on February 8, 2025 | 15 comments

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice says:

As we get ready to hunker down for the Saturday night snow, I’d like to share some district updates:

Smartphone/Wearable Technology Update

As I shared in my update to the community last month, we will continue to take the time to learn, listen and thoughtfully plan as the school community considers my recommendation to restrict access to smartphones and wearable technology during the school day across all grade levels.

This approach is solidly in place for grades K-8. We have maintained the current system at Staples High School, which allows limited access during non-instructional periods, as we evaluate our next steps and consider interventions that fully restrict access during the school day.

Last week over 300 parents attended an outstanding community session on the topic of social media, smartphones, and other related issues in a keynote presentation/Q & A by Max Stossel. The feedback was incredibly positive.

When I learned that Wilton High School was implementing a full smartphone ban, I decided to slow our process down so that we can learn from our peers’ experience.

Today I would like to recap the efforts taken so far, what is on the horizon, and what I anticipate as culminating steps.

Efforts taken so far:

  • Last June I provided the Board of Education with my recommendation and supporting rationale
  • In September, I worked to personally engage all Staples faculty in small groups to gather their input and feedback. While some opinions varied, a strong majority supported moving toward greater restrictions on smartphone use, including a full ban during the school day.
  • Staples High School hosted filmmaker and primary care physician Dr. Delaney Ruston in grade level student assemblies, along with a parent evening event.
  • Last week, the district hosted former social media strategist Max Stossel at both middle schools for grade level assemblies and an evening parent event.
  • A comprehensive research review has been conducted to accurately identify the latest findings on the impact of smartphones and wearable technology on student learning and well-being. This will be part of any final presentation and action steps.

Next Steps:

  • In November, Wilton High School implemented a full smartphone ban. Their experience has provided us with an opportunity to learn before finalizing any changes in our district. Our site visit is February 13. A team of Staples faculty and administrators will attend, along with a parent representative and 2 reporters from the Staples student newspaper, Inklings.
  • A town hall event for parent input/feedback, as well as one for students will be held after the site visit.

Culminating Steps:

  • Following the site visit and town hall events, I will bring this topic back to the Board of Education to share my recommendations for next steps.  I suspect this will be in the early spring.

Stay tuned as we continue this deliberate process to ensure we make the best decisions regarding the presence of smartphones and wearable technology in our schools.

No Place For Hate Gallery on District Website: 

The district is committed to implementing the No Place for Hate program. We have developed a microsite on our website with the overview. In addition, we have added a photo gallery.  You can stay up to date on the activities by following the postings on the microsite.

AI Pilot:  

In December I recommended to the Board of Education that the district pursue a bold strategic vision to position the Westport Public Schools as a national leader in public education’s artificial intelligence revolution. I will return to the Board of Education in the spring with a clear strategic plan to these ends.

In the interim, I am enthused to share that Westport has been selected as one of 7 districts to participate in an AI Pilot through the State Department of Education.

This pilot will occur in March, April and early May in the 6th grade at Bedford Middle School (language arts, math,sScience and social studies), and across a small number of science electives at Staples.

Parents of students in this pilot will receive additional information before the pilot begins. The curriculum units will not change, but the use of the tool SchoolAI will be employed by faculty. This tool has been approved by the state Department of Education and aligns with the Connecticut Data Privacy Act.

Results of the pilot will be shared widely, and help inform long term efforts in the district. This pilot will serve as one effort to consider the role of AI in our schools. Much, much more to come on this topic in the coming months.

 

(“06880” regularly covers Westport schools: achievements, trends, issues and more. If you appreciate our hyper-local coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

15 Comments

Posted in Education, Staples HS, technology

Tagged , , ,

Scarice: Important Updates On Social Media, Smartphones And Students

Posted on January 8, 2025 | Comments Off on Scarice: Important Updates On Social Media, Smartphones And Students

Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice says:

Greetings and Happy New Year!

As you settle back into routines following our winter break, I would like to flag an important event for all parents on Wednesday, January 29, at 7 p.m. in the Bedford Middle School Auditorium.

I am excited to invite all parents and families to “Social Media and Your Kids” with Max Stossel, a special event hosted by Westport Together and the Westport Public Schools.

This engaging and insightful conversation will explore the impact of social media on our children’s mental health and well-being, while offering practical strategies for creating healthier digital habits. All families are encouraged to attend this important event to better understand the influence of social media and how we can work together to support our youth.

Max Stossel is an award-winning artist, and the founder of Social Awakening: an organization dedicated to helping young people survive and thrive in the modern world.

Before working in this field, Max was a media strategist with an extensive background in social media.

He ran social media for big brands, and later worked for a social media company. He has spent the past 10 years speaking with over a million students, parents, and educators around the world about social media’s impact on our lives, and creating resources to help manage that impact.

Registration is quick and easy. Click here to register.

In addition to this invitation, I would like to provide an update on the steps the district has taken, and will be taking, to further consider my recommendation to restrict access to smartphones and wearable technology across all grade levels during the school day.

On September 20 I met with all Staples faculty members in small groups to discuss my recommendation and solicit their feedback. My recommendation was widely supported by faculty, provided that the district supply the necessary tech tools for implementation of the curriculum where smartphones and related technology have been used.

On September 22, all Staples students attended grade level assemblies to hear Dr. Delaney Ruston’s presentation discussing the rising addiction to social media in youth.

On the evening of September 23, Dr. Ruston discussed ways that parents can address screen-time issues with their children, in a parent workshop at the BMS auditorium.

In the coming weeks:

    • On January 28 and 29, Max Stossel will lead grade level student assemblies at both middle schools sharing his insights.  I attended Max’s keynote address to New Canaan High School students, and have complete confidence that he will deliver a powerful and engaging message to our middle school students.
    • An opportunity for parents to share their feedback on this recommendation will be scheduled in a “town hall” style setting. A similar event will be scheduled for students.
    • A site visit will be scheduled to Wilton High School for a team of faculty, students and administrators. Wilton High implemented a smartphone ban in early November during the school day, and there is a great deal that we can learn from their experience.

We are moving deliberately through this process so that the school community can learn about the impact of smartphones and wearable technology on student well-being and academic performance. This event with Max Stossel is a vital part of that effort, offering valuable insights and practical strategies to help our community understand the risks and challenges posed by these technologies.

We are committed to making informed, thoughtful decisions that prioritize the health, well-being, and educational success of our students.

I encourage all parents to join us on January 29 as we continue this important journey together.

Comments Off on Scarice: Important Updates On Social Media, Smartphones And Students

Posted in Education, technology

Tagged ,

Roundup: “Screenagers,” Kawa Ni, Beer Garden …

Posted on September 11, 2024 | 2 comments

As our town (and the rest of the nation) debates the impact of smartphones on kids, the Westport Public Schools take a lead role.

In partnership with Westport Together, the district is hosting Dr. Delaney Ruston. A Fulbright Scholar, physician and filmmaker, she created the 2016 documentary “Screenagers.“

The event — “Parenting Screenagers:  Tips for Success” — is set for Monday, September 23 (7 p.m., Bedford Middle School auditorium). Ruston will share tools that help parents manage screen time issues.

Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice says, “the community is well aware of my convictions about the negative impact that smartphones and social media have had on our children, from elementary through high school.

“I strongly encourage you to make every effort to attend. I will be there, alongside our families and school community.”

Click here to register. 

Dr. Delaney Ruston

==================================================

Huge congratulations to Bill Taibe and Massimo Tullio. Their Kawa Ni restaurant has just earned a Michelin star.

Well, not the Bridge Square restaurant. This one goes to Kawa Ni Denver, the Rocky Mountain outpost of his Japanese and pan-Asian restaurant.

But the Colorado Kawa Ni is — as local diners who have been there know — very similar to the original one here.

Félicitations, Bill and Massimo. And おめでとう! (Hat tip: Dave Briggs)

==================================================

Speaking of food and drink: It’s called a Beer Garden, but Wakeman Town Farm’s Sunday, October 13 event (noon to 4 p.m.) is fun for the whole family.

The day includes live music by Hitch and the Giddy-Up + Rob Morton, lawn games, bubbles, animal encounters, and pumpkin crafts.

Among the lunch options: Pizza by Tony Pizza Napolitano, treats from Food Truck Refinery, and ice cream from Saugatuck Sweets and LANDTECH!

Adults enjoy local beers from Greens Farms Spirits, and spirits by 5th State Distillery.

Tickets are $10 for adults; kids go free. Food, beverage and craft purchases are a la carte. Proceeds benefit Wakeman Town Farm educational programs. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

==================================================

As everyone some people only astronomers know, this Saturday is International Observe the Moon Night.

The annual worldwide event encourages observation and appreciation of (duh) the Moon.

Thanks to the Westport Astronomical Society, you can do it in their great observatory (182 Bayberry Lane, 8 p.m.).

If skies are clear, they’ll open the dome and use their telescopes to look at features on the waxing gibbous moon.

The WAS says: “The giant satellite has been Earth’s constant companion for an estimated 4.5 billion years, and viewed by every human that’s ever walked the Earth.

“It’s one of the solar system’s most remarkable objects, and quite likely a major reason that life even exists on our planet. The moon is an incredible body that has fascinated and puzzled our ancestors from the very first time we looked up.

“Don’t know your Mare from a Mons? Can’t tell a Sinus from a Vallis? A Crater from an Oceanus? Saturday is the night to find out. We’ll point out the Apollo landing sites as well as craters, the ‘oceans’ of the Moon, and features like the Straight Wall. See you for some lunacy at 8 p.m.”

=================================================

Westport chefs are on the menu at Harvesting Hope.

The benefit for Bridgeport Rescue Mission (September 19, 6 p.m., Aitoro Appliances, 401 Westport Avenue, Norwalk) — a night of delicious food tasting and philanthropy.

Among the 8 celebrity chefs cooking for guests: Bill Taibe (owner of Don Memo, The Whelk and Kawa Ni), and Matt Storch of Match Burger Lobster.

Extra course: A special presentation by Michel Nischan. The leader in sustainable food practices and 4-time James Beard Award winner is also a founder of the Westport Farmers Market.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

==================================================

Staples High School Class of 1961 graduate Michael Friedman brought his rock ‘n’ roll photos from 1969 to ’73 — of the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, The Band and so many others — to yesterday’s Westport Rotary Club meeting.

Friedman — a producer and manager in the music business from the ’60s through the ’80s — described the long, strange trip his negatives took, from the heyday of rock to their discovery by his wife in 2017.

They’ve now been published in a book called “Exposed: The Lost Negatives and Untold Stories of Michael Friedman.”

Friedman told the Rotarians about many of the performers he represented, including the Stones, Joplin, Band, Tina Turner, Rita Coolidge and his “hero and inspiration,” Kris Kristofferson.

Michael Friedman, at yesterday’s Westport Rotary Club. (Photo/Dave Matlow)

=================================================

Weston resident Hilary Gibson died Saturday, in Weston. She was 66.

After graduating from WC Mepham High School on Long Island in 1975, she earned a BA from Tufts University in 1979, and an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1982.

Hilary worked in financial services as a chief of staff at Marine Midland, Lehman Brothers, CS First Boston and Credit Suisse Private Banking until 1998, when she retired.

She and her husband moved to Atlanta, and focused attention on their son Ted.

Hilary was an avid long distance bike rider, hiker and sailor. She trekked in the Himalayas, sailed in the Caribbean, and skiing in the East and West.

After living in the Netherlands while her husband was with ING, Hilary and the family returned to Westport in 2004. Among other activities, she was head of education at the Westport Historical Society.

Hilary is survived by her husband Weston; son of New York City; cousins RuthAnn Stafford of Boseman, Montana, and Toby Meshberg, of Fairfield, and brother, Zachary Wechsler of Torrance, California.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Thursday, September 12, 1 p.m., Temple Shalom, Norwalk. Burial will follow at Willowbrook Cemetery in Westport.

Shiva will be observed at the home of William Gibson in Weston tomorrow after the internment, until 8 p.m. For more information, to join a livestream, or to share a condolence message, click here.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Hilary’s memory.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Dr. James Harding, and the entire staff at MSK-Westchester.

Hilary Gibson

==================================================

Patti Brill calls today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo — taken near her Saugatuck Shores home — “Breakfast.”

We call it an image that looks almost like a painting.

Bon appétit! 

(Photo/Patti Brill)

==================================================

And finally … in honor of both International Observe the Moon Night, and Harvesting Hope (stories above):

(You rely on “06880” to tell you what’s going on in Westport. We rely on our readers’ support to keep doing it. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

 

2 Comments

Posted in Education, Entertainment, Obituaries, Restaurants, Teenagers

Tagged , , , , , , ,

OK To Delay: Westport Parents Find Strength In (Cellphone) Numbers

Posted on August 21, 2024 | 3 comments

The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 — and all the smartphones that soon followed — was not the direct reason for all the social ills it is blamed for today: teens and tweens’ increasing rates of depression, bullying and suicide; preoccupation with body image; decreasing ability to focus; weaker personal relationships; more time spent indoors, and higher rates of obesity; lowered standardized test scores, and more.

Blame for that is more specific: apps that are engineered to be addictive, especially for the developing brain.

And cameras, which allow anyone to record anything, any time and anywhere. The front-facing camera — with the self-indulgent selfies that result — was a particularly powerful innovation.

Selfies may not be as innocuous as they seem.

A move to rein in smartphone use by young people has gained national momentum.

It has two prongs. One is to eliminate phones from schools. Greens Farms Academy will do that, beginning next month. The Westport Public Schools have begun discussions on it.

The second prong involves limiting the age at which children get their first phones.

And doing it in a community-wide way, so parents won’t feel guilt-tripped by their but-everyone-else-has-one-and-you’re-ruining-my-life-wailing/begging kids.

That second approach intrigues Erika Brunwasser.

Erika Brunwasser

The mother of 2 girls, ages 8 and 5, she’s on the cusp of dealing with those very important social and family issues.

The Westport resident’s full-time job is associate regional director of ADL Connecticut.

But she has a master’s degree in counseling and education. She spent 8 years — from 2009 to 2017 — as a counselor in New York city public and charter schools.

What she saw then — as smartphones evolved from time-saving, fun amenities to devices that rule our days — stunned, angered and terrified her.

“It’s completely changed the way kids socialize and engage with each other,” Brunwasser says.

As a counselor handling 500 students at Robert F. Wagner Middle School, Brunwasser says “every social-emotional issue came through me. There were so much social drama, with group texts, FaceTime, and everything else.”

That was in the mid-2010s. Now, she notes, “things are way worse.”

With her first-hand view of what was happening to other kids’ lives via clicks, tweets and likes, she and her husband have treaded carefully with their own children.

The parents don’t have phones at meals. Their daughters use iPads only on long drives.

A familiar scene.

A friend introduced Brunwasser to Ariella Feldman and Jessica Hirsch. They lead the Greenwich chapter of OK to Delay.

Founded in Darien, the group has a dozen chapters in Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, Ohio and Florida.

OK to Delay’s mission is to unite parents who are concerned about the effects of early and excessive use of social media and smartphones.

The goal is to to “build a community of informed and empowered parents who will delay giving their kids smartphones, and reverse the devastating trends we are seeing with teen mental health.”

The focus is on elementary and middle school parents and families — the ages when the discussions about when, where and how to use smartphones begin, and are most fraught.

In April, Brunwasser posted on Facebook’s Westport Front Porch page about Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”

Reaction was immediate. Two mothers of boys — Nicole Glick and Becca Zipkin — joined with Brunwasser to form a Westport chapter of OK to Delay.

Becca Zipkin and Nicole Glick.

Nearly every school in town now has an “ambassador.” They’re trained to give and lead informal talks, and help move the “delay” concept forward.

Okay to Delay is inclusive. “If you’ve given your kid a phone already, we want you to come to meetings,” Brunwasser says.

“There’s no shaming. You can learn about research, and how to set boundaries.” Simple ideas include phone-free meals, and leaving smartphones in the kitchen at night.

The whole point, she adds, is “to give childhood back to children. Being on Snapchat 24/7, looking at where your friends are and wondering why they didn’t invite you, is a horrible way to have an adolescence.”

A town-wide launch is set for Tuesday, September 17 (7:30 p.m., Westport Library). Attendees are asked to RSVP: OkaytoDelayWestport@gmail.com.

(For more information on OK to Delay, click here. To learn about the Westport chapter, email OKtoDelayWestport@gmail.com, or follow on Instagram: @OkaytoDelayWestport. To take their survey — Westport parents only, please! — click here.)

SMARTPHONE STATS:

  • 13-18-year-olds spend an average of 8 hours a day on screens. They receive an average of 237 notifications daily.
  • Since 2010, 18-25-year-olds have experienced a 92% increase in anxiety.
  • Suicide rates follow a similar trend: up 134% for girls ages 10-14, and 109% for boys since 2010.
  • Time spent face to face with friends has decreased by 50%, comparing Gen Z to the millennials before them.
  • 90% of girls and 50% of boys (in the UK) reported being sent explicit pictures of videos on social media or via text.
  • By age 13, 80% of girls are distorting the way they look online by using filters and special apps.
  • There is a direct relationship between the age at which a child is given a smartphone (between ages 6 and 18), and their mental health outcome by ages 18-25. Depression, suicide, self-image, depression, aggression, suicidal thoughts, low self-confidence, poor self-image, detachment and weak relationships all increase for every year younger a child receives a smartphone.

(Sources available upon request.)

(Reading about children’s issues is important to “06880” readers. And your support is important to “06880.” Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution to your hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

3 Comments

Posted in Children, technology, Westport life

Tagged , , ,

Schools’ Smartphone Ban: Scarice Talks Tech, Teens & Tweens

Posted on June 24, 2024 | 28 comments

Last Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a statewide ban on smartphone use in public schools.

Tom Scarice beat him by 2 weeks.

Earlier this month, Westport’s superintendent of schools offered a plan like Newsom’s, on a smaller scale: our town’s 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools — and Staples High.

It’s a stark reversal from current policy.

But it comes on the heels of a nationwide debate on smartphone use by children and teenagers.

It’s in line too with a drive by Greens Farms Elementary parents — and at other schools — to not give smartphones to youngsters until after 8th grade.

Currently, all smartphones (and wearable technology) is banned at the elementary level. Middle school students must put them in lockers or backpacks for the school day.

Staples students are required to put personal technology devices in wall-mounted holders during class time.

Smartphone holder.

Scarice’s proposal would make all Westport Public Schools “completely ‘phone-free’ environments” (including wearable technology).

The district would use “tools and/or methods that do no require faculty and staff to be responsible for the primary enforcement” of those restrictions.

That is the superintendent’s “unequivocal recommendation,” as conveyed in a memo to the Board of Education and parents. (Click here for the full document.)

However — mindful of the importance of community input — he will withhold any implementation plan until he determines there is “sound consensus (not necessarily unanimity)” supporting the move.

Scarice cites many reasons for the recommendation. They include the dangers of smartphone addiction; distraction and lack of focus; adverse effects on mental health; the potential for cyberbullying. and improved academic performance in “phone-free” schools.

He adds that smartphone use currently accounts for “a preponderance of student discipline matters,” and that teacher enforcement of the current policy is “unsustainable.”

There will be exceptions. They include students who need smartphones because of medical conditions like diabetes or disabilities.

Students may bring their own laptops and tablets. The district’s technology department will continue to block access to certain websites and apps.

Scarice understands that parents want to communicate with their children during the day. Tools exist to allow alternatives to smartphones. “It will be a matter of finding the most effective, if there is the collective will,” he says.

Addressing concerns that smartphones may be needed in the event of an emergency, the superintendent notes that there are hardwired phones throughout the schools — and over 300 smartphones in the hands of adults at Staples.

It has taken a few years — and a great deal of thought — for Scarice to come to his present position.

Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.

He expects a robust discussion on his proposal, involving all stakeholders: students, parents, teachers, administrators, first responders, pediatricians, child psychologists and more.

He wants people to weigh in. But he holds no illusions that there will be easy answers.

“It’s like school start times. This is a heavy lift,” he says.

He also notes that there may be differences within groups. Older parents, he hypothesizes, might have one predominant view; younger ones, with elementary and middle school students, may have another.

Scarice hopes the debate will be thoughtful, and nuanced.

“Will students be against it?” he asks rhetorically.

“They could be. But the question shouldn’t just be ‘should we ban phones?’ We can ask, ‘How might your school experience be different without smartphones?'”

Scarice — who prefers conversations to surveys — plans to engage teachers and administrators in small-group settings. At Staples, he may meet with each department separately. The technological needs of science teachers, for example, may be very different from English or art instructors.

There are plenty of solutions, he says. And many of them may be obvious.

“Look at what a smartphone does. There are other devices for a lot of them. You can do a lot with a calculator and camera.”

The issue of smartphone use is not abstract. Scarice is not just the superintendent of a district with over 5,300 students.

He’s also the father of 3. Two of his children are in college. One is in high school.

“I relate to all this. I text my kids all the time,” he admits with a laugh. “I’m guilty.”

Not long ago, Scarice was about to address a PTA meeting. His phone vibrated. His son texted that he did not have enough money in his lunch account.

Scarice transferred funds, texted his son that it was done, then spoke at the meeting.

“Would it have been better if he sucked it up for a day? Sure,” Scarice says.

“And I suspect he was in class when he texted me.”

Scarice knows too that the district itself has made technology an integral part of the school day.

“Google Suite, Schoology, PowerSchool for grading — we use all of them to ‘conduct school.'” The IT department is looking into ways to use those tools without smartphones.

Superintendent Scarice (and Governor Newsom) did not start the debate about smartphones in schools. It’s simmered for a while.

But recently — sparked in part by Jonathan Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” — a national conversation has blazed.

The body of research is still small, Scarice knows.

But, he says, “I wanted to open the conversation. I dug into that nascent research. I collected information, and made my recommendation to the Board of Ed.

“Now we have to engage all the stakeholders. Then we’ll come to a consensus, and figure out operationally how to make it work.”

 (“06880” is your place for hyper-local journalism. If you value our work, please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)

28 Comments

Posted in Children, Education, Staples HS, technology

Tagged ,

The Device Shop Cracks A Key Market

Posted on May 23, 2024 | 2 comments

When iPhones first came out, everyone loved them.

Until they dropped them.

Same with tablets.

Even laptops get dropped.

More than a decade ago, Matt Nathanson looked at all those cracked screens, and saw something more than broken glass.

He saw a business opportunity.

Matt Nathanson

He and a partner started one of New York City’s first phone repair companies.

Matt knew nothing about fixing phones. His college major was “interactive systems”: websites, photo design, audio and video editing.

After graduating he freelanccd for a music PR firm. He was worked on Counting Crows’ MySpace — the early social networking service peaked right around the time Apple introduced its iPhone — and with bands like Florence & The Machine.

But Nathanson is the kind of guy who figures things out. He learned how to fix screens. He built a website. And he started dispatching guys on scooters to pick up broken phones all over the city, bring them to his Upper East Side apartment, and — after a $100 repair — return them to their owners.

The business grew. At its height — working in shared office spaces — Nathanson was working with clients like the NFL, Skadden Arps and Viacom.

Those are big companies. They had lots of broken screens. And they wanted them fixed, fast.

Repair at work.

For a variety of reasons, Nathanson’s New York business took a hit during COVID. But he had a fallback: Westfield, New Jersey.

He’d expanded there in 2016 at the urging of his wife, a Garden State native. When the pandemic struck — and work migrated to people’s dining rooms and bedrooms — “we became everyone’s IT department,” he says.

In January 2020 — a few weeks before COVID hit — Nathanson and his wife visited Westport.

It was cold and rainy. Looking for something to do, his wife said, “Let’s look at houses.”

They walked into a Wright Street open house, and started chatting with realtor Michael Mombello.

They had no intention of buying. But he was happy to show them houses, and they were having fun seeing houses they were not going to buy.

The seventh house was an 1868 home on Wilton Road, with slanted floors and un-level door frames. They loved it.

The couple closed 2 1/2 months later, just as COVID hit.

“It’s the best thing we ever did,” Nathanson says. “If it was 3 months later, we couldn’t have afforded it.”

Nathanson commuted to Westfield — a town he calls similar to Westport.

But he began looking for space here too.

Finally, he found it: a spot on Riverside Avenue, next to Jr’s Deli & Grille.

The Device Shop opened last month.

They fix plenty of screens, on all kinds of devices (usually within an hour). They use all original Apple parts — no knock-offs.

They repair Microsoft Windows PCs too.

But they do plenty more. They diagnose problems; install hardware and software, and remove viruses and spyware.

They replace batteries, handle camera issues and charging problems; recover data, and troubleshoot printer problems.

Relax while your repair is made — or go next door to Jr’s, for coffee or a meal.

In New Jersey, Nathanson works closely with local school districts. He just picked up 100 Chromebooks that need work, and will drop them off soon. He hopes to establish relationships with districts in this area too.

Also ahead: on-site, in-home, small business IT, and home automation with products like Sonos and Nest.

Word of mouth is spreading. Nathanson loves Westport, and customers are loving his work.

The Device Shop is getting more and more calls every day.

Often from devices with cracked screens.

(Click here for The Device Shop’s website. The Instagram is @TheDeviceShopWestport.)

(Whatever device you use, you can click here to contribute to “06880.” We rely on reader support. And we thank you for it!)

2 Comments

Posted in Local business, technology

Tagged , , ,

Wait Until 8th?

Posted on August 11, 2017 | 14 comments

I don’t have an 8th grader. I don’t have any grader, in fact.

I’m not a Westport mom. I’m not any mom.

But I do love WestportMoms.com. And the other day the moms — Megan and Melissa — posted an interesting story.

Whether you’ve got an 8th grader, a 3rd grader or no grader at all, if you’ve lived or spent any time at all in Westport, you’ve noticed cellphone creep. More and more, younger and younger kids carry phones.

Which means they’re texting, swiping, and in every other way glued to their devices.

All the time.

OMG!

The WestportMoms story was headlined: “The ‘Wait Until 8th’ Pledge — Let Kids be Kids a Little Longer.”

The idea is for parents to delay giving children a smartphone until at least 8th grade. “By banding together, this will decrease the pressure felt by kids and parents alike,” they wrote.

The story offered several reasons to wait — and noted that “top Silicon Valley executives” agree.

Smartphones:

  • Are addictive
  • Are an academic distraction
  • Impair sleep
  • Interfere with relationships
  • Increase the risk for anxiety and depresson
  • Put children at risk for cyber-bullying
  • Expose children to sexual content.

(They are of course also fun, empowering, and facilitate communication between kids, friends and parents. That was not in the story, but I felt compelled to toss it in.)

What do you think? As the school year races toward us, is the “Wait until 8th” pledge important? Necessary? Unnecessary? Futile?

Click “comments” below.

And kids, if you want to text me — wait, no..

14 Comments

Posted in Children, Media, technology, Teenagers

Tagged , ,