IMPACT IT’S EASIER TO IMPROVE A CELL PHONE ADDICTION OR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE ADDICTION IF WE ALL BAND TOGETHER. DEER CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAYS TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME IS A BAD CONNECTION. IT’S NOT JUST PHONES, IT’S THINGS LIKE VIDEO GAMES AND TABLETS AND JUST ANY KIND OF SCREEN. THAT’S WHY THEY INVITE THE COMMUNITY OUT TO THEIR SHOWING OF SCREENAGERS. THIS WILL BE THEIR SECOND YEAR SHOWING IT. IT’S A MOVIE THAT GOES INTO IT’S IT’S PUT TOGETHER BY A DOCTOR WHO DID RESEARCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT GOES INTO JUST SCREEN TIME THAT TEENAGERS SPECIFICALLY HAVE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM AVERAGE UP TO 11 HOURS A DAY. IT’S A WAY TO INFORM PARENTS AND THE PUBLIC THE DANGERS OF TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME. THE WORLD OF SCREENS AND HOW TO HANDLE THAT, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, AVOID CONFLICT WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO LIMIT SCREEN TIME WITH THE KIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. CELL PHONES ARE SOMETHING THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH AND NOT JUST CELL PHONES. LIKE SHE MENTIONED, TABLETS, AIRPODS, ANY SORT OF DEVICE THAT CONNECTS TO THE INTERNET IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST AS AN ISSUE THAT INTERFERES WITH THE SCHOOL DAY. DEER CREEK SAYS WITH THE NEW IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILL TO BAIL, SCHOOL CELL PHONE BAN POLICY, THEY’VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. IT’S BEEN PRETTY SEAMLESS. SO WE’VE SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT NOT ONLY IN OUR ABILITY FOR STUDENTS TO STAY ENGAGED IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT WE’VE SEEN KIDS INTERACTING TOGETHER MORE AT SCHOOL AND ASSEMBLIES AT LUNCH. THEY’RE PLAYING GAMES TOGETHER. THEY’RE LOOKING UP, THEY’RE TALKING TOGETHER. THEY’RE ALSO ADDING IN A SCREENAGERS CURRICULUM IN THEIR FOURTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADERS THIS SCHOOL YEAR. THEY HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT SUCCESS AS THEY SPREAD THE MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT THIS COMMUNITY EVENT IS IS POWERFUL AND CHANGING THE NARRATIVE ABOUT HOW WE GET KIDS OFF THEIR
Deer Creek schools address screen time with community event
Deer Creek Public Schools is tackling excessive screen time among teens by hosting a community event featuring the documentary ‘Screenagers’
Updated: 5:12 PM CDT Sep 24, 2025
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Deer Creek Public Schools is addressing the issue of excessive screen time among teens by hosting a community event featuring the documentary “Screenagers” and implementing a cellphone ban policy during school hours.>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelKendall Dowling, assistant principal at Deer Creek High School, spoke about the importance of collective action.”It’s easier to improve cellphone addiction or electronic device addiction if we all ban together,” Dowling said.Stephanie Andraszek, assistant director of student services at Deer Creek Schools, highlighted the broad scope of screen time issues.”It’s not just phones, it’s things like video games, and tablets, and any kind of screen,” Andraszek said.The district is inviting the community to their second annual showing of “Screenagers,” a documentary created by a doctor who researched screen time among teenagers, revealing that some average up to 11 hours a day. “It’s a movie that goes into, it’s put together by a doctor who did research, and it goes into screen time that teenagers specifically have, and some average up to 11 hours a day,” said Andraszek.The event aims to inform parents and the public about the dangers of excessive screen time and provide strategies for managing screen use. “The world of screens, and how to handle that, and avoid conflict when you’re trying to limit screen time with the kids, and things like that,” Andraszek said.Dowling noted the challenges posed by various devices. “Cellphones are something that we struggle with. And not just cell phones, tablets, AirPods, any sort of device that connects to the internet is something that we have seen in the past that has been an issue that interferes with the school day,” Dowling said.Since implementing the “Bell to Bell” school cellphone ban policy, Deer Creek Public Schools has observed a significant increase in student engagement. “It’s been pretty seamless. We’ve seen an improvement in not only our ability to see students stay engaged in the classroom, but we’ve seen kids interacting with each other more at school, in assemblies, at lunch, they’re playing games together, they’re looking up, they’re talking to each other,” Dowling said.The district is also introducing a “Screenagers” curriculum for 4th through 8th graders this school year, hoping to continue their success in promoting healthier screen habits. Dowling expressed optimism about the community event’s impact. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.”I think this community event is powerful in changing the narrative about how we get kids off their phones,” Dowling said.Top Headlines2 detainees killed and another critically injured in Dallas ICE facility, Homeland Security saysNorman City Councilwoman Bree Montoya announces resignation after social media commentsGet the Facts: Fact-checking Trump administration link of Tylenol use during pregnancy to autismGet the Facts: Autism rates increased to 1 in 31, this is where the CDC got its numbersFarming accident claims life of young woman in Woods County
Deer Creek Public Schools is addressing the issue of excessive screen time among teens by hosting a community event featuring the documentary “Screenagers” and implementing a cellphone ban policy during school hours.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
Kendall Dowling, assistant principal at Deer Creek High School, spoke about the importance of collective action.
“It’s easier to improve cellphone addiction or electronic device addiction if we all ban together,” Dowling said.
Stephanie Andraszek, assistant director of student services at Deer Creek Schools, highlighted the broad scope of screen time issues.
“It’s not just phones, it’s things like video games, and tablets, and any kind of screen,” Andraszek said.
The district is inviting the community to their second annual showing of “Screenagers,” a documentary created by a doctor who researched screen time among teenagers, revealing that some average up to 11 hours a day.
“It’s a movie that goes into, it’s put together by a doctor who did research, and it goes into screen time that teenagers specifically have, and some average up to 11 hours a day,” said Andraszek.
The event aims to inform parents and the public about the dangers of excessive screen time and provide strategies for managing screen use.
“The world of screens, and how to handle that, and avoid conflict when you’re trying to limit screen time with the kids, and things like that,” Andraszek said.
Dowling noted the challenges posed by various devices.
“Cellphones are something that we struggle with. And not just cell phones, tablets, AirPods, any sort of device that connects to the internet is something that we have seen in the past that has been an issue that interferes with the school day,” Dowling said.
Since implementing the “Bell to Bell” school cellphone ban policy, Deer Creek Public Schools has observed a significant increase in student engagement.
“It’s been pretty seamless. We’ve seen an improvement in not only our ability to see students stay engaged in the classroom, but we’ve seen kids interacting with each other more at school, in assemblies, at lunch, they’re playing games together, they’re looking up, they’re talking to each other,” Dowling said.
The district is also introducing a “Screenagers” curriculum for 4th through 8th graders this school year, hoping to continue their success in promoting healthier screen habits.
Dowling expressed optimism about the community event’s impact.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
“I think this community event is powerful in changing the narrative about how we get kids off their phones,” Dowling said.
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