Intentional Skill-Building
Midland teaches students how to use technology with purpose. Our students write, research, collaborate, and engage with emerging tools, while also living days that are active, social, and fully present. They build focus, form strong friendships, and learn to think for themselves, alongside the digital fluency they need for college and beyond. We prioritize technology use that strengthens learning and connection, and step away from it where it competes with attention, rest, and community. Over time, students develop the ability to direct their own time, their own focus, and their relationship with technology, to their lifelong benefit.
Cell-Phone Free Campus
Students at Midland spend most of their time with other people, in class, at work, and in conversation. They get to know one another quickly and spend time together without splitting their attention between the room and a screen.Personal cell phones are not part of that environment during the school term, which keeps daily life centered on what is happening here.
At the same time, campus life still includes movie nights, shared media, music, and time to relax together. Technology shows up in ways that are social, shared, and part of the rhythm of the week.
Laptops & Wifi
Students use school-issued laptops throughout the academic day for writing, research, and collaborative work… and yes, the occasional YouTube video. Wifi is available across academic spaces for both schoolwork and appropriate personal use.
Outside of those settings, students are encouraged to spend time offline, in nature, or with friends. For those who love music, movies, or have a favorite meditation podcast, no fear. Downloads on non-wifi devices are more than welcome.
Connection to Friends & Family
We know that staying connected to friends and family back home is incredibly important to our students, and we absolutely encourage them to use wifi and free time to call, chat, or video with their loved ones. The goal of our technology policy is not isolation, but to allow relationships to flourish, including the ones students have said a temporary goodbye to when they join us here on campus. We also have landline phones available across campus for a good old-fashioned call home!
TIME-BACK: WHAT STUDENTS DISCOVER WHEN THEY LIVE OFF-ALGORITHM
Space for Real Life & Learning
The combination of intentional use of technology, proximity to the natural world, and a community that deeply matters...that combination raises successful, resilient young people. We put that into practice here, every day.