This year, NC was lucky enough to have enough money for cell phone lockers. Although they help with the phone usage around the school, was the price worth the purchase?  Mr. Dresang actually said, “You could definitely buy a few Ford Focuses with the budget for the lockers.”

Although they’re expensive, cell phone lockers help the school in many ways. They help with the phone usage that’s been going around for years in classrooms. The lockers allow teachers to get the students’ full attention while they teach their students. During previous school years, such as the 2018-19 school year, NC students were on their phones all the time during class. 

Many teachers agree with the addition of cell phone lockers while others think this action may have gone a little too far and was a little too expensive. While visiting Mrs. Baker’s classroom, Baker was asked about the usage of cell phone lockers and if she thinks they benefit the school or not. “No, I don’t use them personally,  but I think it does help with other classrooms and how they run. I think they help eliminate distractions for teachers while teaching.” Mrs. Baker said that it’s just never been that big of an issue for her classroom. 

After interviewing a few students, one was asked if they have to use the lockers in every class? “The only class I have to use the cell phone lockers is Mustang Connections,” Shacoda Ruimvelds said. 

Overall, cell phone lockers have helped with the distractions as well as the focus  of students during class. After a few weeks of using the cell phone lockers, teachers and students have become accustomed to using the locker.  Dresang said, “I would ban all cell phones, and district Board Policy 5376 would support such a move as they are often a distraction in class when not managed well.”  The school district has very little sympathy for cell phones in general. 

Both NC and KW have enforced the cell phone lockers. Kelly Walsh had to spend additional money securing them inside walls, where NCHS secured them to walls. Dresang would pay any amount of money to not have to deal with cell phone related discipline on a daily basis. The total spent on cell phone lockers for NC came to about $150,000.