The Northampton School Committee spent extensive time on June 12 reviewing two draft cellphone policies and seeking direction on whether to adopt a prescriptive ban, or a shorter policy that gives administrators and the superintendent latitude to set school-specific procedures in consultation with students and staff.

At the start of the conversation the committee heard a presentation of national and local statistics characterizing the scale of student cellphone use and potential harms. One speaker summarized the research: "97 percent of students use cell phones during the school day. 72 percent of high school teachers report that it’s a major distraction in classes," and noted concerns about cyberbullying and adolescent mental health.

Committee members broadly agreed that the issue should be approached differently across grade levels. Several members said elementary and middle school students should have phones stored out of sight during the school day; many favored a shorter, framework-style policy that charges the superintendent and building administrators to design operational details rather than adopting a long, prescriptive rule at the committee level.

Student participation: multiple committee members and students asked that Northampton High School students be engaged directly in drafting high-school-specific rules. Member Pfizer Freund said she “feel[s] strongly that we need to not think the same way about elementary school students as we think about high school students” and urged involvement of juniors and seniors in policy development. Student union representatives present asked to be formally included; the committee acknowledged that and several members pointed to existing outreach and a parents’ forum held earlier in April.

Exceptions and implementation: the committee discussed how medical or IEP-based exceptions would be handled, whether exceptions would be accommodated through a guidance or nurse’s office, and how to avoid teacher-to-teacher inconsistency. Members asked administrators to provide clearer protocols for documented exceptions (medical/IEP) and to design enforcement that minimizes punitive contact between teachers and students.

Direction to staff: the committee asked administration to draft a two-track approach: a shorter, all-district policy framework that requires phones to be secured out of sight for elementary and middle schools and a development process for a high-school policy co-drafted with NHS students, staff and families. Members suggested a phased rollout (start elementary/middle first), with the administration returning to the committee with a recommended implementation plan and timelines in August. The committee did not adopt final policy language on June 12.

Quotable: “I would not support any policy that is a blanket policy for all ages,” said Member Pfizer Freund, calling for separate processes for older students. Member Hennessy said she supported a short policy for the lower grades and charging high school administration and students with designing an NHS-specific plan.

Next steps: administration was asked to (1) draft implementation guidance for a short districtwide policy for elementary and middle grades, (2) convene a student-inclusive working group at NHS to craft high-school rules, and (3) bring a recommendation and draft language back to the committee in August for further action.