Winchester School Committee adopts 2025–26 handbooks; defers cellphone rules to policy subcommittee

The Winchester School Committee voted to adopt the 2025–26 student handbooks for the elementary, middle and high school levels while pausing formal language changes on personal devices and asking the policy subcommittee to verify that handbook text matches policies the committee has approved. The committee took separate roll‑call votes approving each handbook and recorded unanimous aye votes by the five members present. The committee also agreed the handbooks are “live” documents that can be updated during the year.

The action matters because the handbooks set rules used by teachers, families and students — including how families should contact students during the school day. Committee members said they want a single, consistent cellphone and smartwatch policy across levels and asked staff to return recommended language to the committee.

School staff who presented the documents told the committee most of the handbook changes are technical (personnel updates and redlined edits) and policy clarifications. Committee members asked that any full text of school‑committee policies that appears in the handbooks exactly reflect the language the committee has voted; the committee will rely on the policy subcommittee to make those alignments.

The committee agreed in principle that parent communications about student needs during the school day should go through the main school office rather than direct contacts to a student’s personal device; staff said that language will be incorporated with the cellphone policy. Presenters noted that current practice at the elementary level prohibits personal devices but that smartwatches and the detailed handling of devices are among the items the cellphone discussion will address.

Votes and next steps: The committee approved all three handbooks with the provisos described above. Members agreed to schedule additional work on device language and to have principals reiterate final, approved communication procedures to families at the start of school. The committee set August meetings to continue work on remaining policy language.

Less central but included in the handbooks were items the committee did not alter at this meeting (for example, inclusion of a disclaimer noting the committee’s policy supersedes handbook text and the insertion of links to full policy text where appropriate).