As the Sioux Falls School District wraps up the first quarter of the 2025-26 school year, we wanted to hear directly from students about how one of this fall's biggest changes is going - the updated high school cell phone policy.
To gain an honest assessment of how things are going so far, our Community Relations team sat down with a group of Washington High School students to hear their thoughts. The discussion brought out a mix of perspectives, from initial frustration to surprising acceptance.
"I was very unhappy with it at first," said Mollie Kruse, WHS senior. "I found out midsummer and sent it to all my friends like, 'Are we serious right now?"
Others said they were sure what to expect. "My only concern was enforcement," explained Amen Tereda, WHS sophomore. "But it has been better than expected."
Now, officially a quarter into the school year, the group agreed that the transition has gone smoother than anticipated. Many even noticed unexpected positives.
"I realized that I was talking to people more in the hallways," said senior Rylee Grieme. "The first week of school, I had like ten people say hi to me between classes. That hadn't happened in a long time."
Students also mentioned being more focused in class and less tempted to check notifications. Mollie said, "I realized that I was no longer looking down at my backpack to see if someone messaged me...I was more focused and not worried about if I was missing something, like in the past."
Still, the conversation wasn't entirely all praise. Students acknowledged areas where they would still like to see some adjustments. For athletes and students involved in extracurriculars, communication can be tricky when coaches or advisors send updates during the day.
"There are times when I wish I could just check a text from my coach," said WHS senior football player James Sindjeu. "Sometimes schedules change, and we won't know anything until last minute."
Others noted that during AP study periods or downtime in the library, it might make sense to allow limited use.
Despite these challenges, most agreed that the benefits of the policy outweigh the frustrations, especially since it is consistent across all four high schools. "I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything," said Mollie. "My best friend goes to Lincoln, and it's the same there as it is here...I never have to worry about something crazy happening and me missing out...it's a lot easier that way because I no longer feel like I'm missing something because everyone is the same."
The conversation reflected what educators hoped for when the policy began this year: fewer distractions, more connections, and a greater sense of balance.
See the whole conversation here! --->