GRAFTON 鈥 The previous 鈥渙ut of sight鈥 policy for cell phones at Grafton High School will become 鈥渙ff their person" as students head back to school today.
The Grafton School Board last week approved a policy that would require students to leave their cell phones with their instructors before each class, with some limited exceptions.
Simply put, it is interfering with instructional time and creating distractions, GHS Principal Scott Mantei told board members at the Aug. 26 meeting.
鈥淭he vast majority of students keep their cell phones on their person and really what that does is it leads to frequent opportunities for them to check their cell phones, to be distracted by their cell phones, to be tempted by their cell phones at any point during the class period,鈥 Mantei said.
Even during the minute or two it takes a teacher to hand out documents to a class, the first instinct for students is to go to their phone, he said. It creates a distraction in the room for both instructors and students. Teachers, Mantei said, are forced to spend 鈥渁 significant amount of time鈥 trying to redirect or re-engage students.
GHS Associate Principal Mike Kalina added that the new policy is also good for mental health 听and possibly reducing cyberbullying.
The policy says that, before entering a classroom, a student must check their phone into the cell phone caddy located near the teacher desk and must be off the student for the duration of the 85-minute class.
Teachers will assign students a specific slot in the caddy for their phone and will use this to take daily attendance.
Mantei said that teachers will keep the caddies near their desks and away from the doors as a security precaution.
Cell phones are allowed in the building and can be used before school, after school, during passing time and during lunch. In addition, students may use cell phones with teacher permission during study hall and Black Hawk time.
John Long Middle School already has a policy that requires students to keep their phones in their lockers. There is no policy at the elementary schools.
The GHS policy mirrors that of many school districts 鈥 and states 鈥 across the country. Indiana, Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina all ban cell phones in schools.
Locally, the Homestead High School policy is similar to Grafton鈥檚, banning cell phones from classrooms and restricting where they can be used.
鈥淪tudents may use personal wireless electronic devices (WED) before or after school, during the school day, and at school-sponsored, school-approved or school-related activities only when and where deemed appropriate and at the discretion of the teacher and/or district-authorized personnel,鈥 according to the policy.
It does not specifically address leaving them outside of the classroom door or providing a space to keep them.
鈥淲e recognize that electronic devices have a variety of applications and features that can be utilized to enhance a student鈥檚 learning experience. If a teacher gives permission to use an electronic device in their classroom for the purposes of a classroom lesson, students may then use their electronic device in order to engage in that particular lesson. Students may not use an electronic device in a classroom unless permission has been granted by the teacher, this includes the use of air pods and headphones,鈥 according to the policy.
The Cedarburg School District allows cell phones to be brought to school, but they must be kept out of sight during instructional time unless the teacher permits use for educational purposes.
In an Aug. 23 newsletter, Cedarburg High School Principal Casey Bowe included several paragraphs about cell phone use and the importance of keeping classrooms and hallways free from their use during instructional blocks throughout the day.
鈥淲hile we recognize that technology can be a valuable educational tool, it can also be a significant distraction during instructional time,鈥 Bowe said. 鈥淎s a parent of cell phone-wielding children myself, I understand the complex relationship we have with our devices, and I also understand our families are busy and often pulled in many directions, which often requires communication and coordination throughout the day.鈥
He advised parents who want to speak with their child to call the attendance office and said a staff member will connect them.
Below are the disciplinary measures that will be taken, depending on the number of violations:
- First violation: The phone will be confiscated for the remainder of the school day; the student will meet with an administrator and the warning will be documented in the student鈥檚 file;
- Second violation: The phone will be confiscated for the remainder of the school day; the student will use the phone check-in/check-out system in the main office for the remainder of the week; the student will meet with an administrator and a parent will be contacted;
- Third violation: The phone will be confiscated for the remainder of the school day; the student will use the phone check-in / check-out system in the main office for five days; the student will meet with an administrator and a parent will be contacted; the student loses Wednesday morning late start privilege for a 听minimum of two weeks and reports to an assigned study hall.
Subsequent violations will include a conference with the student and their parents, loss of an exam exemption privilege and further discipline resulting from insubordination up to and including suspension from school.
There is an exception to the policy for students with a medical need that requires them to have a phone.
The new policy is being communicated to parents and students in multiple ways, including promotional flyers on 鈥渢he power of being present.鈥