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School committee reviews first read of high‑school handbook; proposed changes include phone‑free classrooms and open gradebook
Summary
Administrators presented a first read of the student handbook. Key proposed changes include opening PowerSchool gradebooks for families for the full year, an expanded cellphone‑cubby practice to keep instructional time phone‑free, updates to graduation requirements and competency determination, and clerical reorganization of the handbook.
The School Committee received a first read on a comprehensive revision to the district’s student handbook, including language to open PowerSchool gradebooks to families year‑round, strengthen a high‑school cellphone policy for instructional periods, and update graduation requirement language now that the MCAS competency requirement has been removed.
Dean (title provided in materials), a high‑school administrator, said the proposed handbook shows deleted text in red and new text in blue in the draft materials. The administration proposes to open the gradebook at the beginning of the year so families and students can view PowerSchool throughout the year; the proposed text is on page 15 of the draft.
On cell phones, the proposal asks teachers to have students place phones in classroom “cubbies” — described as shoe‑rack‑style holders in many classrooms — during instructional time to reduce distraction. "We want to ensure that the instructional time in classes is really phone free," the administrator said. The draft preserves student access to phones during lunch, free periods and common spaces, and allows phone use in emergencies.
Committee members raised questions about practical details: how cubbies are organized, whether mandatory placement increases theft or damage risk, and how a statewide ban (if adopted) would interact with local practice. Administrators said most high‑school rooms already have cubbies and that in other districts the approach has been implemented without widespread phone loss; they noted that full device‑locking systems (Yondr pouches) are expensive and would require additional staffing and infrastructure.
Other handbook changes include an additional arts elective for the class of 2029 and updates to competency determination language following changes to MCAS requirements. The administration said it reorganized the table of contents to remove redundancy and clarified clerical items throughout.
The handbook was presented for first read; the committee will accept written feedback (administrators asked to receive it by the following day) and will take a second vote at the next meeting. No policy was adopted at this session.
