Student advisory urges locker-based storage as district readies June 15 cell-phone policy vote

Student members of the superintendent’s student advisory group urged the Brown County School Board on June 1 to adopt a secure-storage approach to a new state-mandated cell phone policy, recommending lockers as the district’s preferred method.

Alison Young, a member of the superintendent’s student advisory group, told the board the group weighed four storage options — lockers, office cubbies, leaving phones at home or keeping devices in cars — and concluded that lockers best balance accessibility, safety and enforcement. “Our top pick overall is lockers,” Young said, arguing they keep phones “non accessible, stored away, out of sight” while avoiding the chaos staff reported can occur in the office.

Why it matters: the state’s new bill requires districts to limit student access to personal wireless devices during the school day. District staff and students said the local policy can still choose between a no-device rule and a secured-storage model; the board’s staff said a first draft of the district policy will be brought forward at the June 15 board meeting for formal review.

Board members and teachers pressed for implementation details: how to handle wireless accessories such as AirPods and smartwatches, how to accommodate students with 504s or IEPs, and who would monitor devices at scale. A teacher warned that students “are smart” and may try to circumvent storage rules by listening to audio from other devices; presenters and staff described monitoring and keyword-filtering tools for district-managed devices and confirmed that documented medical and educational exceptions (IEPs, 504 plans) would be honored.

Staff said office cubbies exist at some buildings (clear boxes with separate keys) and that the district’s intent is not to keep phones overnight absent parental request. For repeat policy violations staff described progressive consequences including temporarily requiring a student to leave a phone in the office for the remainder of the school year.

Transportation and off-campus issues also shaped the discussion. District staff indicated phones would be allowed on buses and said juniors and seniors who sign out of campus for lunch or internships would regain possession when they leave campus but would be required to secure devices when they return. Board members asked staff to explore ParentSquare and other email-import options so parents can reach students during the day without needing to contact the front office.

Next steps: staff will present the district’s draft policy at the June 15 board meeting and the board will consider formal adoption in its policy process. The superintendent and staff indicated they expect enforcement and parent communications to be central to implementation planning.