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Proviso 209 task force proposes ‘phone homes’ and bell‑to‑bell cell phone enforcement
Summary
A district task force recommended consistent, districtwide enforcement of the board’s cell phone policy for the 2025‑26 year, including classroom 'phone homes' and a tiered disciplinary approach, plus staff training and a communications rollout.
A district task force presented a recommended, districtwide approach to enforcing the board’s cell phone policy at the July 8 Proviso Twp HSD 209 board meeting.
The task force recommended maintaining the board policy that student devices not be used during class time except with administrative or teacher permission, while creating consistent implementation across all buildings for the 2025‑26 school year. The centerpiece of the proposal is a bell‑to‑bell policy where student phones are placed in a classroom device holder, described by the task force as "phone homes." The task force argued the classroom holders are more feasible than district‑wide locker solutions for rapid rollout.
The proposal includes an MTSS‑style tiered disciplinary framework (tier 1, tier 2, tier 3) to define consequences for unauthorized use and a robust early enforcement plan for the first weeks of school with administrative and security staff support. The task force also recommended multilingual communications to families and staff training during district professional development prior to the start of school to ensure consistent enforcement.
Presenters said the task force met multiple times, consulted teachers, students, parents and administrators, and reviewed proposed state policy developments regarding cell phones so the district policy will align with any future Illinois requirements.
Why it matters: Task force members said inconsistent enforcement across classrooms has confused students and staff; the task force recommended consistency to support academic outcomes and reduce disciplinary discrepancies across the district.
What the board heard: The presentation focused on practical implementation steps (classroom phone holders, early enforcement, staff training and an MTSS disciplinary structure). The transcript records district staff describing the recommendation as a feasible near‑term policy to be communicated widely before school starts.
Next steps proposed by staff: finalize implementation details with building leaders, present administrative procedures and MTSS tiers to the board, include the plan in teacher institute training and begin registration‑period communications to families in multiple languages.
