District staff presented a draft approach to implement a governor’s executive order that requires schools to restrict student personal electronic devices during the school day. The board discussed practical enforcement, exceptions for medical needs and instructional use, and the timeline the order establishes: policy in place by Oct. 1 and implementation by Jan. 1, though staff said they intend to start the school year with handbook language rather than wait midyear.

Under the draft handbook language discussed at the workshop, students would not be allowed to use cell phones or other personal electronic devices on campus from the first bell until the last bell; devices must be kept in locked lockers or in backpacks, not on the student’s person or in a coat pocket. If a student is seen using a phone on campus, staff would confiscate it under the proposed rules. The draft explicitly addresses smart watches: district staff proposed allowing watches for the purpose of timekeeping only; communication or app use on wrist devices would be subject to the same confiscation rules as phones. Personal laptops and school-issued devices used for instruction would be allowed for learning purposes; personal tablets and phones used for non-instructional apps would be prohibited during school hours.

Board members asked staff about instructionally approved uses of personal devices and clarifications on related terms; staff said the policy would allow use when the district implements curriculum that explicitly uses personal devices and that OSBA (Oregon School Boards Association) sample language and legal guidance were expected. The board asked staff to prepare final language consistent with the governor’s executive order and OSBA guidance and to ensure medical exemptions (for example, devices required for health monitoring) and documented accommodations are preserved.

Staff said they would not wait until October to prepare for the school year; instead they plan to present handbook revisions reflecting the executive order so families and staff start the year with consistent rules. The board did not vote on final policy language at the workshop; staff will finalize handbook revisions with input from administrators and legal counsel and return with proposed final language in August.