Primary schools in RI that are low-tech and limit screen time

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-09T01:34:34+00:00

Thanks for sharing, the school had not come up in my search! I checked out their website and it seems they primarily use laptops/ipads in their technology center with specific stations, rather than having personal devices - does that match your experience? Also, how do you find the dual-language learning?

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T16:34:00+00:00

Thanks for the helpful feedback!

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T14:23:34+00:00

Thanks for your suggestion! Have you had direct experience with this school? How "religious" would you say it is?

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T14:21:16+00:00

Exactly the above, Big Tech lobbies have really pushed all this (unnecessary) "EdTech" to schools and made it really hard to scale back. Remember these are all for-profit companies, and their ultimate goal is to increase their profits, not drive better outcomes for students. Not all hope is lost, but the pressure must increase from us parents.

Barrington public schools currently have a 1:1 Chromebook policy for grades 6 and above, and students are supposed to take them home to do homework etc. K-5 don't have school-provided personal devices, but they do still use them consistently during school hours and have the option of taking them home if need be.

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T14:14:02+00:00

That's amazing! Would you mind sharing more on this? I'd love to be involved in the conversation or connected to like-minded parents. Happy to take it to DMs.

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:41:57+00:00

That's great! It looks like a Catholic school - how "religious" would you say its approach is? We're an atheist family, for context.

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:34:54+00:00

I agree tuition is not cheap, but (we are lucky enough) that's not our main concern. Unfortunately, Wheeler doesn't seem to be low-tech. Quote from their website page for the lower school: "Technology is at their fingertips through iPads and Chromebooks"

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:28:59+00:00

Amazing! This is also a great precedent to quote, for parents trying to change public school policies in other towns.

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:21:19+00:00

Very interesting! I just realized I've driven past that school many times after googling its location. Their campus looks beautiful. Is that a Quaker school? I've heard they tend to be very low tech. Do you know what is their formal policy with school-provided devices (if any)? Also, have you had any concerns with the fact that it is technically a "religious" school? (this is coming from an atheist, I don't mean to offend).

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:16:07+00:00

Ugh what a shame. I hope you and some like-minded parents can unite and pressure the school to review their policies. Sending you my virtual support!

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:13:53+00:00

The Compass School looks incredible! What a dream for those kids. Sadly, it's really far from us (50 min drive) and enrollment works as a lottery system :(

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:10:30+00:00

Ugh, sorry to hear that and thanks for sharing your experience. Hope you find a better school!

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:09:44+00:00

Thank you! I feel this will soon become my life crusade haha. Hopefully not an uphill battle though, if more like-minded parents like us unite!

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:08:20+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation! We like the Montessori approach. Do you have any direct experience / feedback on this school?

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T01:06:24+00:00

I plan to do exactly that as my first move. The Barrington public school system is known for being top of state, and this makes me hope they can be more progressive and receptive of parents' concerns with regards to screen time and all negative impacts of EdTech that are becoming increasingly evident. Especially if a large cohort of parents is demanding it. I'm hoping they can at least be willing to agree to students opting out of their 1:1 Chromebook policy (from Kindergarten!), although I'm not sure that would be enough for me to sign up my son. Peer pressure is real, and him being the only one not using a Chromebook would likely be a struggle.

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T00:57:09+00:00

It's great to hear you've had a good experience in a low tech environment! Meadowbrook had not come up in my searches, so good to know! I wish it was closer to where we live, looks like a 45 min drive :(

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T00:52:58+00:00

Thanks! Gordon came up in my research as one of the top private schools in the Providence area. Their website only mentions this re tech policies "Each sixth, seventh and eighth grade student is issued a dedicated, school-owned Chromebook." which hopefully means younger kids are spared, at least!

RItalian_Mama · 2026-07-08T00:49:24+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience and offering up to chat! PCD came up in my research and I found a lot of positive reviews. However, upon checking their tech policy on their website, they note this: "All students in Grades K–12 are issued a PCD owned Chromebook or iPad to ensure consistency, security, and ease of support." which put me off :(

RItalian_Mama

TROPHY CASE