For those of you who know boarding schools, what is their general policy re phones/iPads/video games etc for students outside of the classroom? My husband went and he is of the opinion that screens/phones are simply not allowed, but in this day and age, I’m hard pressed to believe him. My elementary-age son now has to do many school assignments on his iPad. Thanks!
They are totally allowed
You would be hard pressed to find a good boarding school that doesn’t have students use laptops in the classroom and for assignments. Most schools allow kids to have their phones out in between class periods. At some schools (and this varies) students have to hand in their phone during study hall. Some schools will also turn off the wifi during certain hours.
“Most” of the schools that we looked at did not allow cell phones to be out & visible during the school day (including between classes & at lunch), and they had to be turned in during study hours for the younger kids. Quite a few schools also do limit wifi and/or access to certain social media sites during study hours. That said, every one of those schools allows or encourages or enables the use of laptops in class.
Daughter’s school makes 9th and lower graders turn in phones at light out. Also the school’s wifi network blocks certain sites. But I question it’s effectiveness with the prevalence of unlimited data plans.
We visited a girls dorm where the dorm parent had one of those hanging shoe organizers with clear plastic pockets outside her door for students to put their phones in during study hours. When I mentioned that this was a clever use for a shoe organizer our tour guide said, “I guess you could use the phone organizer for shoes, too… I’d never thought of that.” She looked perplexed 
Phones in hall during 2 hr study hall in evenings. Rest of time it can be with the student. Laptop or computer in hall unless being used for school work (underclassmen; jr/sr are trusted with theirs in room).
Schools vary in their policies.
Whatever the policies, pay attention when you visit to whether students are immersed their phones and other devices or interacting with each other and their surroundings.