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Danvers High considers classroom phone lockers as middle step toward bell‑to‑bell ban
Summary
Administrators presented a proposed limited‑use cell phone policy that would require students to place phones in classroom lockers at the start of each period, following surveys that showed strong parental and student concern about phone distraction.
Danvers High School presented a proposed update to its student cell phone policy that would require students to store phones in a classroom lockbox at the start of each class period.
Principal Damaro summarized the district’s current policy — “Students are not permitted to use any electronic device during instructional time except with the consent of the teacher” — and said inconsistent classroom practice has prompted the school to seek a more uniform approach. The proposed limited‑use model would require phones to be placed in a classroom “cell phone locker” at the beginning of each period and returned at period end.
Damaro said the district surveyed families and students. As of the data presented on Friday, 76% of family respondents said phone use in school is “harmful or very harmful” to a safe environment; 70% saw phones as a significant distraction; and 70% supported restricting phone use during the school day. Damaro said 129 family responses had arrived by his slide deadline and that more had come in since.
Administrators described three policy models from the state toolkit — bell‑to‑bell secure storage, off‑and‑away (powered off and stored), and limited‑use during designated times — and said the classroom locker approach represents a limited‑use compromise that keeps phones in the room but out of reach during instruction. Principal Damaro said the boxes could be moved if teachers needed to leave the classroom in an emergency rather than storing phones at a central office area.
Committee members asked about likely effects on passing times and tardiness given short passing windows; Damaro said other districts reported only short “growing pains” that resolved after a few weeks. The school scheduled a family and community policy review workshop next week to collect further feedback before placing a final version in the student handbook for a vote in August.
Students were engaged in focus groups and an all‑school assembly; administrators said student feedback included reluctance about losing autonomy but also recognition of distraction. Committee members encouraged the production of outreach materials and suggested the district produce a short video explaining the policy for families.
