Mount Lebanon displays draft technology‑usage rules: K–8 'away for the day', nuanced high‑school guidance and AI cautions

Mount Lebanon School District administrators unveiled draft technology‑usage guidelines and an implementation plan at the June 9 board meeting that would prohibit personal electronic devices during the school day in K–5, restrict them in grades 6–8 and allow more limited, supervised use in high school while adding guidance on generative artificial intelligence.

Superintendent Dr. Chrissy Friess framed the work as one of the district’s annual goals and described the process used to develop the draft: a survey sent to roughly 7,700 recipients with about 2,500 respondents, 28 focus‑group sessions with 518 participants, and work group meetings with the teachers' association and administration. “We will be informing families about these technology guidelines through email notification, our newsletters, student handbooks, starting this summer,” Friess said when describing the communication plan.

What administrators proposed: For K–5, the draft handbook language says “the use of any personal electronic device is prohibited during the school day,” devices must be turned off and stored and “devices that go off in class, ring, or vibrate will be confiscated,” language presented by Dr. Joseph Shula. The recommended elementary practice described in the slide was that phones “shall be turned off and put away in a student's locker unless approval has been…