St. Charles D303 outlines new cell-phone procedure after year-long advisory process

Summary

At its April 14 meeting, St. Charles CUSD 303 officials presented a community-developed cell-phone procedure that limits device use by grade level and sets an implementation timeline; the board received the plan and administrators described staff training and community outreach but did not record a formal vote on policy adoption.

St. Charles CUSD 303 administrators on April 14 presented a districtwide cell-phone procedure developed over several months with a 70-person advisory group and a separate implementation team, describing grade-level rules, an implementation timeline and training for staff and families.

District leaders said the procedure is a district-level procedure — not a change to an existing board policy — and that it is intended to improve student attention and reduce classroom interruptions. The presentation summarized research used by the advisory group, results from a ThoughtExchange survey that drew more than 2,400 participants, and next steps for staff training this summer and rollout in the 2025–26 school year.

District officials said the plan follows a collaborative process that elevated student voice, staff feedback and community input. Audra Christiansen, assistant superintendent of secondary education, described the work as “listening to the community” and said the advisory group used small-group discussions and research review to shape the recommendation. Michael Vaughn, director of communications and community relations, said the ThoughtExchange engagement yielded an average thought rating of 25 (well above the typical engagement…

St. Charles D303 outlines new cell-phone procedure after year-long advisory process

Summary

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