Pelham board approves changes to wireless-device and internet-safety policies
July 29, 2025 | Pelham City Schools, School Districts, Alabama
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PELHAM, Ala. — The Pelham Board of Education on July 28 approved amendments to its student-device and internet-safety policies, including renaming Policy 6.18 and adopting changes to Policy 4.9.0.5.
The board approved a revision to Policy 6.18, previously titled “electronic communication devices,” to read “wireless communication devices,” and approved updates to the district’s internet-safety policy. The changes had been presented at a prior work session, and board members voted to adopt them at the regularly scheduled meeting.
The revisions reflect a narrower, more nuanced approach to student device use than the district’s earlier, stricter policy. Superintendent Doctor Costanza said the district will issue communications and frequently asked questions to parents and students to explain the changes and the disciplinary responses that follow. “We're gonna be getting that out as of tomorrow,” Costanza said, describing a principals-led outreach plan.
Board members emphasized that principals will lead school-level communications and that the policy text had been circulated to members in advance. The internet-safety update was described at the meeting as incorporating several specific edits (referred to in the packet as changes g, h, i and j) into the district policy.
Formal action: the board moved and seconded the recommendations and approved both policy amendments by voice vote; no recorded roll-call votes or dissents were noted.
Why it matters: Board members said the revisions aim to clarify expectations for parents, students and staff and to give principals clear language to use in communications. The board did not detail enforcement protocols beyond saying that disciplinary responses and FAQs would be distributed.
What the record shows: The meeting packet included side-by-side copies of the previous and revised policies; the superintendent and staff said those documents had been discussed at a prior work session. The transcript records no public comment or member dissent on the policy items at the meeting.
The board approved a revision to Policy 6.18, previously titled “electronic communication devices,” to read “wireless communication devices,” and approved updates to the district’s internet-safety policy. The changes had been presented at a prior work session, and board members voted to adopt them at the regularly scheduled meeting.
The revisions reflect a narrower, more nuanced approach to student device use than the district’s earlier, stricter policy. Superintendent Doctor Costanza said the district will issue communications and frequently asked questions to parents and students to explain the changes and the disciplinary responses that follow. “We're gonna be getting that out as of tomorrow,” Costanza said, describing a principals-led outreach plan.
Board members emphasized that principals will lead school-level communications and that the policy text had been circulated to members in advance. The internet-safety update was described at the meeting as incorporating several specific edits (referred to in the packet as changes g, h, i and j) into the district policy.
Formal action: the board moved and seconded the recommendations and approved both policy amendments by voice vote; no recorded roll-call votes or dissents were noted.
Why it matters: Board members said the revisions aim to clarify expectations for parents, students and staff and to give principals clear language to use in communications. The board did not detail enforcement protocols beyond saying that disciplinary responses and FAQs would be distributed.
What the record shows: The meeting packet included side-by-side copies of the previous and revised policies; the superintendent and staff said those documents had been discussed at a prior work session. The transcript records no public comment or member dissent on the policy items at the meeting.
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