Board schedules special meeting next week to revisit student cell-phone policy

Board members agreed at the July 17 organizational meeting to hold a special meeting next week to begin a focused discussion on the district's cell-phone policy.

Members described mixed results from staff surveys and public comments: some teachers reported ongoing classroom disruption and extra supervisory burdens while others said implementation has improved at schools with established no-phone cultures. One board member urged immediate action to remove phones from classrooms; others said the board should consult administrators, the district's policy counsel and teacher representatives before making operational changes.

The board adopted a motion (6 in favor, 3 opposed) to convene a special meeting the following week to discuss the policy and possible guardrails that would limit student physical access to phones during the school day and set progressive interventions for repeated violations. Board officers agreed to invite key staff and policy counsel for an initial conversation and to plan a follow-up meeting that would include broader stakeholder input.

Members noted logistical constraints and the limited time to procure hardware (lockers/pouches) before school starts; some said guardrails could be framed as direction to the superintendent rather than prescriptive operational orders so staff have time to prepare.