Lisbon School Committee reviews state "phone‑free" law and lays out local implementation plan

The Lisbon School Committee on July 13 held a first reading of Policy Packet 26‑10, which includes a state‑mandated phone‑free schools policy for students and a new employee cell‑phone policy. Chair called in a school administrator, Julie, to explain the district’s plan to implement the law and communicate changes to families.

Julie said the district expects pushback from families but must adopt the policy because of state requirements: "the law is written bell to bell," she said, meaning phone restrictions would apply from the start of the school day until dismissal. She told the committee administrators reviewed examples from other districts and received input from the Maine School Management Association when drafting the local language.

On device scope, Julie quoted the state language as covering "any personal electronic device that can connect to the Internet," and noted that may include smartwatches and some ear pods. She said the policy will allow documented medical exemptions for students who require phones or other devices as part of an IEP or medical plan.

To reach families, Julie described a multi-pronged communications approach: messages through ParentSquare, robo calls and texts, one‑page flyers at before‑school open houses, and requests that PTO groups share posts on social channels. "Please download this [app] and...we'll be sending out things like the school calendar...one of the most important things being the phone free policy," she said.

Committee members raised implementation concerns: whether all grade levels have lockable storage, consistency of discipline across the district, and how staff phone use is addressed in the employee policy. Julie said building administrators will finalize enforcement procedures with staff during the first days of school, and that the employee-use paragraph was intended to explain the policy’s rationale rather than permit routine phone use by staff.

The committee did not vote on the policies; the packet was introduced for first reading and will return for further action. The district aims to have the policy adopted and communication completed before the start of the school year, consistent with the timeline Julie provided.