Sign up for email newsletters
Sign up for email newsletters
Top Picks:
The Williamsburg-James City County school system wants to continue using technology to help prepare students for today’s digital-based world, but also is intent on making sure it’s used appropriately.
Staff discussed student screen time and how students are using digital tools to enhance learning during the school board’s Tuesday work session.
Superintendent Daniel Keever presented initiatives ranging from continuing to use the internet responsibly to creating a focus group. Continuing to provide children with physical activity opportunities throughout the day was also a goal, noting elementary students specifically.
Keever said preparing students to be life ready requires them developing the ability to research, collaborate and learn to navigate in an increasingly digital world.
“As technology becomes increasingly prevalent in students’ lives, helping them become responsible, ethical and informed digital citizens is an essential part of our work,” he said.
Following this year’s General Assembly session, school divisions will be required to provide instruction on the addictive potential of screen time beginning July 1.
As part of the WJCC Schools’ study, the division used software to track student screen time usage during the month of March. More than 10,500 student devices were analyzed to showcase their daily school browser activities, said Kristin Barr, the school division’s instructional technology supervisor.
For kindergarteners and first graders, in-school usage averaged around 27 to 28 minutes. Across all elementary levels, usage averaged less than 90 minutes, increasing as students progressed grade levels, said Barr. Middle and high school student screen usage was consistent across grades, not averaging past two hours per day.
The most visited website across kindergarten to 12th grade was Canvas, an online platform used to help students and teachers keep their digital resources organized. Teachers also use a platform called IXL learning to provide feedback and support.
Fourth through 12th grade students reported using computers daily, but noted the amount was based on their teacher’s technology proficiency, class subject and time of year, Barr said. Some students said they preferred to use computers for organization while others thought writing helped with remembering their work. Students said some classes never had digital work while others classes used devices a majority of the time.
The division also held walk-through observations at all three school levels, mostly at the middle schools. Of 101 observed lessons, technology use was found in 82% of lessons. Of that, 76% was done by the entire class while 16% was held in small groups.
The division also offers Securly, a student internet safety program provided to both teachers and parents. Securly Classroom allows teachers to monitor student screens, block specific websites and minimize distractions. Securly Home allows parents to manage school-issued devices after school hours by blocking sites, pausing internet access during certain times and receiving weekly browser activity reports.
Currently, 34% of parents have activated their Securly Home accounts, said Brian Landers, the school division’s senior technology director.
“We will continue listening, continue learning and continue refining our practices to ensure that every decision we make supports the success and well-being of all of our students,” Keever said.
James W. Robinson, 757-799-0621, james.robinson@virginiamedia.com
Copyright 2026 Daily Press. All rights reserved. The use of any content on this website for the purpose of training artificial intelligence systems, algorithms, machine learning models, text and data mining, or similar use is strictly prohibited without explicit written consent.
Leave a Reply