Blackfoot School District Announces Innovative “No Tech Day” Initiative to begin on October 28th

Blackfoot, ID (KIFI) - The inaugural "No Tech Day" is set to launch this fall in Blackfoot County Schools, promising a refreshing break from technology to foster creativity and social interaction among students. This innovative experiment aims to reduce dependence on technology in the classroom and encourage traditional teaching methods.

The district has scheduled the first "No Tech Day" for Tuesday, October 28th, with all faculty and students involved in the experimental learning schedule. On this day, educators will refrain from using technological tools and will focus on delivering lessons through more conventional, face-to-face approaches.

This initiative is inspired by recent nationwide technological outages, including incidents involving malicious cyber activity affecting local districts.

"While technology is a vital part of education, we believe it’s important to prepare for situations where it may be unavailable," Bryan Tess, the Blackfoot Superintendent, said. "This initiative is designed to help both students and teachers become more versatile, adaptable, and resilient in the face of unexpected disruptions."

The district initially considered a full week without technology but opted for one day per trimester to better accommodate students' and staff's needs.

District officials emphasize that personal student devices will not be permitted during instruction on these days to maintain the integrity of the experiment. Though the concept presents some challenges, district leaders are optimistic about the potential benefits.

"This could be our first and last 'No Tech Day," but it’s an opportunity worth exploring," Bryan Tess said.

The district encourages support and understanding from parents and the wider community as it moves forward with this novel approach to education.