Camas board reviews CAC draft for student cell phone policy, asks for vetting and procedural clarifications

The Camas School District board discussed a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) recommendation to replace the district's existing student telecommunication-device policy and asked staff to refine the draft, run it past principals and cabinet, and have legal counsel review it before bringing it to a formal reading.

Board members said the CAC's draft — which separates expectations for elementary, middle and high school and emphasizes teacher support and restorative practices — addressed concerns about classroom engagement more clearly than the older policy. "I really appreciate that you broke out elementary, middle and high school; that wasn't in the old policy," a board member said, adding that the clearer categories help teachers and families understand expectations.

Why it matters: The district has been operating under an older device rule. The CAC's draft aims to define permitted and prohibited uses more precisely, outline supports for teachers (for example, phone "caddies" to store devices during class) and set a framework for restorative responses before punitive discipline where appropriate. Board members emphasized that policy should state principles and that detailed enforcement rules belong in procedures the administration can adapt.

What the board discussed most: - Device definitions and examples: Board members asked that the policy…