The South Central Calhoun (SCC) Community School District’s School Board has approved the new policy, eliminating cell phone use for students in the district during school hours for the upcoming year. Last spring, the school administration brought the topic to the district’s School Improvement Advisory Committee, addressing an issue that seems to be at the forefront of school discipline. Superintendent Brad Anderson says a survey was sent out to students, parents, and community members asking about the proposed change, with a majority of the results in favor of the new policy.
Once the school day commences at 8:15 a.m., students will need to have phones, smart-watches, and other personal devices placed in a locker, backpack, or checked in with teacher if at the high school level. Middle school and elementary school students will be asked to keep all devices at home. If a student is caught with any technology not approved for educational use, Anderson says it will be confiscated, and the student may face disciplinary action.
Students with specific needs for a device, such as diabetes, to check blood sugar or diagnosed anxiety will be permitted to have that device, with the approval from the SCC Administration in a written learning plan. Anderson says this will be a learning process for everyone, and he hopes that by implementing this, the district will reduce the number of discipline issues that need to be addressed that involve a cell phone.
The new policy will be implemented for the upcoming school year, first day of school for the SCC District is on Aug. 23.
