Elementary Screen Time Updates
September 3, 2026
Dear Southampton Elementary School Families,
We look forward to welcoming you back on September 8th, 2026! As educators, our responsibility extends beyond academic achievement. We are entrusted with helping children develop the skills, habits, relationships, and confidence they need to thrive. Because the early elementary years are such an important period of brain development, we are taking a thoughtful and intentional approach to the use of one-to-one devices in our school.
Recent developmental neuroscience and pediatric research continues to highlight the importance of protecting time for the experiences that young children need most: conversation, physical movement, imaginative and hands-on play, social interaction, reading, writing, and meaningful relationships with adults and peers. Research has also raised concerns about excessive or unmonitored screen use, particularly when digital media displaces these essential developmental experiences.
Our goal is not to eliminate technology from learning. Rather, we want to ensure that technology is used purposefully. For this reason, we are implementing updated digital-use protocols in Southampton Elementary School.
Please note : Some students may be permitted to use a screen when their individualized learning or communication needs require it, while other students may not be using a screen at that moment. Children may notice these differences. We will help students understand that we all learn and communicate in different ways, and students receive the tools they need to be successful. We also want families to understand that one-to-one instructional devices and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices serve very different purposes.
For our youngest learners, we will place an especially strong emphasis on adult-guided learning, movement, play, conversation, and hands-on experiences.
Pre-K
Pre-K students will not have one-to-one devices..
Hands-on learning, sensory experiences, movement, play, conversation, and peer interaction will remain central to the Pre-K experience.
Kindergarten and Grade 1
Students will use one-to-one devices for the i-Ready Inform assessment three times per year.
Instruction will continue to prioritize reading physical books, handwriting, manipulatives, art, movement, discussion, collaboration, play, and other developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
As students progress through elementary school, technology can increasingly support collaboration, creativity, research, typing, writing, and other academic tasks. At the same time, we want to prevent digital activities from replacing opportunities for deep reading, handwriting, physical activity, face-to-face interaction, and other forms of learning.
Grade 2
Students will use one-to-one devices for the i-Ready Inform assessment three times per year.
Students may use i-Ready MyPath for a maximum of one hour per week in the dual language program and 40 minutes per week in the monolingual program.
i-Ready MyPath minutes are not required. Students who miss i-Ready time because they are receiving services such as ENL, Reading, Math AIS, Speech, OT, PT, or other support do not need to make up those minutes.
Teachers may begin incorporating technology for purposeful collaboration and creative work.
Students should not exceed one hour per week of one-to-one device use, outside of the i-Ready Inform assessment.
Grade 3
Students will use one-to-one devices for the i-Ready Inform assessment three times per year.
Students may use i-Ready MyPath for a maximum of 1½ hours per week in the dual language program and one hour per week in the monolingual program.
i-Ready MyPath minutes are not required. Students who miss i-Ready time because they are receiving services such as ENL, Reading, Math AIS, Speech, OT, PT, or other support do not need to make up those minutes.
Teachers will provide opportunities for students to use technology for collaboration, creativity, typing practice, and responding to writing prompts.
Students should not exceed 1½ hours per week of one-to-one device use, outside of the i-Ready Inform assessment.
Grade 4
Students will use one-to-one devices for the i-Ready Inform assessment three times per year.
Students may use i-Ready MyPath for a maximum of 1½ hours per week in the dual language program and one hour per week in the monolingual program.
i-Ready MyPath minutes are not required. Students who miss i-Ready time because they are receiving services such as ENL, Reading, Math AIS, Speech, OT, PT, or other support do not need to make up those minutes.
Teachers will provide opportunities for collaboration, creativity, typing practice, and responding to writing prompts using one-to-one devices.
Students should not exceed 2 hours per week of one-to-one device use, outside of the i-Ready Inform assessment.
No One-to-One Devices Will Be Sent Home. To support this balanced approach, one-to-one instructional devices will not be sent home with elementary students.
We are committed to developing young minds and our classrooms should be places where children talk, question, read, write, build, create, move, imagine, collaborate, and form meaningful relationships.
We recognize that families may have questions about these changes. Please feel free to reach out to the building administration for any questions. We appreciate your partnership as we work together to create healthy and developmentally appropriate learning environments for our children.
Thank you for trusting us with the education and development of your children. We are proud to partner with you in creating schools where technology is used thoughtfully, while childhood remains at the center of learning.
With gratitude,
Dr. Fatima Morrell
Superintendent
Southampton UFSD
