Students cannot use phones during class and advisory (including in the hallways). Earbuds/headphones and smartwatches are considered phone use. Students will be provided with a way to store their phones and pick them up at the end of the period.

First Offense: Phone taken by teacher and returned to student at end of class. Teacher will contact the parent or guardian using the provided template.

Second Offense: phone taken by teacher and delivered to Flex office, where it is logged. The grade-level administration will communicate with the parents, and the student may pick up the phone with their administrator after school.

Third Offense: Phone taken by teacher and delivered to Flex office, where it is logged.  The grade-level administration will communicate with the parents.  The student will need to turn in their phone to the FLEX Office at the beginning of school and retrieve it after school, everyday for 3 school days.  At the end of the 3rd day, the student after school will be required to attend a restorative circle with their grade-level administrator, Mr. Cason, and Ms. Brown to pick up the phone.  The following people will be invited to the conversation, but not required to attend: parent(s), the student’s counselor, and the student’s teachers. This will be documented in the student’s file.

Frequently Asked Questions for families

Are phones banned completely from campus?

No, students are still allowed to possess phones, and may use them during non-instructional times, such as passing periods or lunch. Our goal is to promote healthy boundaries with phone use, so there are times we do not feel phone use is inappropriate. We want to promote students' independence and self-management, and want them to practice recognizing when it is, or is not, appropriate to use their phones.

Does this apply to AirPods or smart watches?

Yes, any device that requires an active connection to a cell phone to function is included in this policy. Smart watches may only be used to tell time.

Don’t students need to use phones for schoolwork?

When designing lessons, teachers plan around students using school-issued chromebooks, or student-provided computers, and not cell phones. Under this policy, teachers may give students permission to use phones. However, students must have received permission from their teacher and are expected to put their phones away without additional prompting once the task is complete.

What if a guardian urgently needs to communicate with a student during class time?

AHS has 4 full-time secretaries who can summon students from class in an emergency

        Main Office                510-558-2500

        Attendance Office        510-558-2600

        Flex Office                510-559-6570

The AHS website lists the phone numbers for all of the offices as well.

We strongly encourage all guardians to refrain from contacting students during the school day to promote student autonomy and a focus on learning.

What if a student refuses to hand over their phone?

California state law permits school staff to confiscate any items that are interfering with learning. Under Education Code Section Section 48901.7 schools specifically have the right to regulate cell phone use. If a student refuses to turn over their cell phone after inappropriate use, they will be referred to their grade-level administrator for defiance. The consequences for defiance are outlined in the Behavior Matrix on the AHS website, and may include detention, student/family/administrator conference, suspension, and/or restorative steps for the student to repair the relationship with affected staff members.

My student already has a very unhealthy relationship with their phone, and I don’t want them to come into conflict with school staff.

Our goal is to help your student develop healthy boundaries with phone usage, and we know some students and families may need additional support. We have found that many students develop unhealthy relationships with their phone due to other underlying mental health issues. If you believe this is the case for your student, you can reach out to your student’s school counselor who can connect you with our mental health staff, who can provide resources or direct support.

The goal of this policy is to maximize learning for all students. We will only remove students from class for significant acts of defiance.