Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Wellbeing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cell‑phone task force recommends maintaining current device policies, offers education and community actions; forum set for May 27
Summary
After a year‑long task force review, the committee received eight recommendations in three categories — policy, education and community — and plans a public panel discussion May 27 at Thurston Middle School to discuss device and social‑media norms.
The Westwood School Committee reviewed recommendations from a year‑long cell‑phone task force at its May 8 meeting and set a community panel for Tuesday, May 27, to discuss device use and social media with families.
The task force presented eight recommendations grouped into policy, education and community actions. Key policy recommendations were to continue enforcing existing school handbook electronic‑device rules across elementary, middle and high schools and to add consistent language in elementary handbooks where needed; to continue collecting and reviewing implementation data; and to ask student activity groups and athletic teams to use approved school platforms for communications rather than social media. The task force recommended the district monitor pending state legislation on electronic devices before making major policy changes.
On education, the group recommended expanding experiences that emphasize face‑to‑face interpersonal communication, and a multidisciplinary approach so students learn appropriate use of technology across curricula and grade spans. For community engagement, the task force recommended family education partnerships with municipal offices, youth and family services and the police department, and encouraged town‑level discussion about delaying social‑media access for adolescents. The task force cited research recommending delaying social‑media use until around age 16 and framed a town discussion to support norms aligned with that research.
The school committee and task‑force members announced a panel discussion set for May 27 at Thurston Middle School from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m., immediately after sixth‑grade orientation. Panelists named in meeting materials include Katie Colthard (Youth & Family Services), SRO Chris Elcock (Westwood Police), Todd Danforth (Thurston psychologist), Dr. Tina Feeley (pediatrician and parent) and Matt Kuklans (principal, MJ). The panel will accept questions submitted in advance; the committee said it will categorize questions and forward them to panelists.
Committee and building leaders described mostly positive effects in the year since secondary‑level device rules were added: decreased classroom access to phones, improved instructional climate, more hallway face‑to‑face interactions and broad parent support at the middle school. Staff noted remaining challenges, including hallway use and consistent enforcement across classrooms, and recommended ongoing data collection and community education.
The committee did not change district policy at the meeting; it will monitor state legislative activity and continue outreach and education efforts.
