Student ambassadors urge review of phone/device rules, cite lost email access during lunch

Two student ambassadors at the Coffee County Board of Education meeting on Sept. 8 asked the board to reconsider how the district’s device and phone rules affect students’ ability to access email and online coursework during free periods. They also described plans and activities for homecoming week.
Jones Wagner, a student ambassador, told the board that the district’s temporary device restrictions make it harder for students to access messages from counselors and advisors and to use devices for dual‑enrollment work. Wagner said students receive “emails nonstop” from counselors and club advisors but sometimes lack access during lunch and free time.
“...we're in a lunch period where we don't have access to those Chromebooks,” Wagner said. “If we need to email a teacher about something, we're not taking that out of a different class period to email.”
Classmate Christian Galindo added that some students must wait until later classes to check messages and that delay has led to missed deadlines. Both student ambassadors asked the board to consider limited access during lunch or to allow use of personal laptops for coursework that school chromebooks don’t handle well.
The ambassadors also outlined homecoming activities including themed dress‑up days and a Friday “carnival” with a talent show and student‑organized events, and said the school plans an October club and career showcase to connect community groups with students.
Board members thanked the students for the presentation and said they would discuss the device and access concerns with administrators. There was no formal change to district policy at the meeting.