WHEELING — Educating students is about more than just giving them the latest technological gadgets, according to Justin Zimmerman, head of school at The Linsly School.

“There is a fully renewed interest in building a student’s character and leadership qualities,” he said. “We’re making that a part of our college prep program. We are not just preparing them for college but also developing their skills of resilience and independence. We want them to have a strong moral compass.

“There has been a major shift in our focus, as now our concern is on technology’s effect on a student’s well-being. We now recognize limiting distractions is necessary, as well as fostering in-person connections and emphasizing deeper learning and real world problem solving.”

His biggest concern is “the impact of social media and smartphones on attention spans and student well-being.”

“Unrestricted use of cellphones is harming students and their ability to engage and build relationships. We have made changes,” Zimmerman said. “Our students are phone free during school hours. We made that change to make sure our students are fully present and engaging with each other during the education process.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and teaching students at home via computer taught educators much about student learning, Zimmerman indicated.

“We learned through the pandemic the emphasis on face-to-face interactions and having the skills to communicate and give a presentation,” he said. “Being able to look somebody in the eye is growing in importance.”

Zimmerman noted his journey to become head of school was shaped by his “commitment to education and community.”

Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, he started his education career as both a biology and science teacher and a coach of hockey and lacrosse at private schools in Indiana and Northeast Ohio.

“During those experiences, I saw the impact strong mentorships have on students,” he said.

From there, he moved into more administrative roles, where he said he has tried to create the best learning environment.

Globalization is reshaping private education, Zimmerman noted.

“We are much more diverse than we were 10 years ago,” he said. “We have students from 24 different countries here, though that is not unusual for private schools like us.

“We will continue to place a growing emphasis on character development. We are looking at a world where knowledge isn’t enough. Education is not just about test scores, but about leadership and integrity. We are striving to instill these traits in our students.”

Zimmerman is energized by what he sees happening with education in the future.

“It excites me, the trajectory where we are heading,” he said. “Our students are becoming rooted in high levels of engagement. School is not just a place for information and learning the fundamentals, but experiencing education as you move through.

“I wish I were still in school. School is exciting. The kids are excited to come, and that feeling is important for them to have in the future,” Zimmerman added.