The Woodland Park School District announced new cell phone restrictions, eliminating cell phone use in classrooms starting this academic year.

WPSD joins an avalanche of school districts in keeping phones out of the classroom. Recently, District 11, Colorado Springs’ largest school district, and Cripple Creek-Victor banned cell phones.

Woodland Park students are required to place their cell phones in a designated area selected by their teacher during classroom time. Access to cell phones during class will be prohibited unless granted by the teacher for special lessons or circumstances. This initiative is designed to minimize distractions, allowing students to better concentrate on their studies and actively participate in classroom activities.

“We believe that reducing cell phone use in the classroom will significantly improve our students’ focus and engagement, leading to greater academic success,” said Superintendent Ken Witt.

In the case of urgent matters, the school’s front office will be available to assist in communicating messages to students during the school day.