Groveport Madison holds first read of device policy; administrators propose phones off and out of sight during school day

Groveport Madison Local School District administrators presented a consolidated cell-phone and personal electronic device policy for a first read and told the board they plan to return with a final draft for formal consideration before the start of the next school year.

The superintendent's staff and safety committee recommended that, as a baseline, students keep cell phones and personal electronic devices off and out of sight from the time they arrive on campus until dismissal; administrators said the draft policy aligns with Ohio Revised Code 3313.753 and guidance from the Ohio Department of Education.

Why it matters: The policy affects most students and families across the district, touches bus and extracurricular logistics (more than 80% of district students ride buses according to staff), and requires communications and procedures that the district must finalize before school begins.

Deputy Superintendent Mister Smathers, who has led the district safety committee's work on the topic, described the proposed approach: "From the start of school until school is finished, that the cell phones are to be off and out of sight and not a distraction," he told the board. Administrators said the elementary schools already largely enforce phones kept in backpacks and that the high school will pose the greatest implementation challenge.

The board discussed operational questions the staff must resolve before final adoption: exceptions for walks to and from school or bus rides (parents sometimes want students reachable for safety), procedures for extracurricular activities and evenings, how to handle phones discovered in violation (parent pickup vs immediate return), equity concerns for families that cannot leave work to retrieve devices, and whether disciplinary steps should be embedded in the policy or left to administrative procedures.

Staff said the policy as circulated is a consolidated draft that draws from Ohio's model policy on cell phones and from other districts' language; it does not finalize every procedural detail. Administrators requested additional time to cross-reference contract language (GMLEA and other negotiated agreements) and requested that the policy be added to board documents so it can be included in the formal two-reading process.

Timeline and next steps: Board and staff agreed the document could be treated as a first read at the special meeting and that a second read and vote could be scheduled for the July regular meeting, giving administration time to finalize procedures, develop communications for parents and staff (videos, email, website postings), and bring recommended tiered corrective actions to the board.

Ending: The board recessed to allow staff to compile materials; administrators said they will continue district safety committee and parent advisory discussions and aim to have a finalized draft for the July meeting so the district can communicate expectations well before students return to class.