Dr. Gray told the Board of Education that the district has a range of communications tools — school and district websites, the Synergy student information system, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, a district mobile app, KTVS television and a biweekly Community News email — and that the district will use those channels to publicize an updated cell-phone policy.

Why it matters: The board and administration said they want parents informed of a revised policy before the first day of school to reduce confusion and anxiety about how families will contact students during the school day.

Dr. Gray outlined the district’s outreach plan: publish the policy on the district and school webpages and the Board of Education page, include it in the student handbook and school newsletters, present it at “meet the teacher” events at the school level, and encourage principals to provide professional development for staff on implementation. He said families can choose whether they prefer phone calls, text messages or email for district communications and that the district uses Synergy to capture parent contact preferences. The administration agreed to use the district’s automated phone/text system to remind families a week before school starts and to include guidance in in-person back-to-school events.

Dr. Gray also reviewed other back-to-school highlights: new-staff orientation July 28–30 at Bishop, district convocation at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6 at Stormont Vail Event Center, K–5 “meet the teacher” night Monday, Aug. 11; first day for transitional grades (kindergarten, sixth and ninth) Aug. 12; first day for all students K–12 Aug. 13; Family Fitness Fun Night Sept. 24 5:30–8 p.m.; and United for a Successful School Year on Aug. 2 at Ross Elementary from 8–10 a.m. He said the district will introduce electric buses to the fleet in October with a ribbon cutting.

Board members asked operational questions about how parents will contact schools if students must relinquish phones and whether school phone lines will be answered promptly. Dr. Gray and staff said schools will provide contact numbers at meet-the-teacher nights and district staff will gather examples from each school of how they will ensure parents can contact a school and then circulate that information to the board.

Testimony from community partners: Tani Gibbs, who runs Get to Lead Basketball Camp, described the volunteer-run, donation-funded summer camp that provided meals and programming to roughly 70 young people this week and said the camp has served hundreds of kids over five years.