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Pittsylvania County school board adopts new cell-phone policy and updates health and academic policies
Summary
The Pittsylvania County School Board voted to adopt a revised cell-phone policy to conform with recently enacted state law and approved several related policy updates, including policies on naloxone availability, accelerated middle‑school math placement and student‑athlete heat safety.
The Pittsylvania County School Board on June 10 adopted a revised policy restricting student cell‑phone use during the school day to align the division with newly enacted state law and approved additional policy changes including an opioid‑antagonist policy, guidance on accelerated middle‑school mathematics placement and student‑athlete heat‑safety protocols.
Board leaders said the cell‑phone policy change followed an executive order and subsequent legislation signed by the governor. Dr. Eric Moon, assistant superintendent of operations elect, told the board the district’s updated policy aligns local practice to the state requirement and that principals reported the school‑level rollout has been working well. “An out‑of‑school suspension just for violating the cell phone policy, in other words, having it on them, is prohibited,” Dr. Moon said, describing how the code limits suspension for mere possession while preserving disciplinary responses when phones are used for disruptive or harmful purposes.
Board members and staff said the revised policy clarifies definitions and protocols (for example, whether phones must be kept in lockers at middle school), and that handbooks will set the local sequence of responses — from in‑school discipline through potential temporary revocation of privileges for repeat violations. The board voted on the policy by roll call and approved it.
The board also approved a new policy (EBBC) to formalize the availability and storage of opioid antagonists such as naloxone, a new policy (IGAJ) to guide placement of students into advanced mathematics for grades 5–8, a new student‑athlete safety policy (JJAC) that codifies multi‑tier heat‑response guidance, and a policy (KGD) formalizing notification procedures for school‑connected overdoses after an executive action became law. Board staff said many of the changes reflect state code updates and model language provided by the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA).
Board Chair Dall opened the agenda item and members discussed timing and administrative implementation. Staff said building principals, school nurses and athletics staff were consulted while drafting the protocols and that the district already had many of the operational practices in place.
The board directed staff to finalize administrative procedures and student‑handbook language reflecting the new policy language and to report back if implementation issues arise.
Reported next steps include distributing finalized protocols to principals and incorporating the changes into fall handbooks and staff training.
