Students at Floyd C. Fretz Middle School set aside their usual technology Feb. 13, taking part in a schoolwide “unplugged” day focused on hands-on learning and face-to-face connection. Principal Melissa Merry said the idea for the initiative came after hearing about a similar effort at another school. “I listened to a podcast from another school where students had taken part in a similar day,” she said. She later presented the idea at a meeting and asked teachers if unplugging for the day would negatively impact their ability to teach. “I didn’t hear any objections, so we rolled with it, and I’m so glad we did,” Merry said. While cell phones are not typically an issue during the school day, she noted that laptops still present challenges when it comes to maintaining student focus. “We all worry about our kids’ screen time,” Merry said. “When we think about screen time, we often think of cell phones, but laptops are screens too.” All Fretz students took part. Merry said both students and teachers enjoyed face-to-face conversations and solving problems with pen and paper. Students participated in activities ranging from group projects to more traditional assignments. The day also offered lessons that went...
Fretz students unplug for a day
