RSU 5 board directs policy committee to draft bell-to-bell ban on personal electronic devices

The RSU 5 Board of Directors voted to ask its policy committee to draft a policy that would implement a bell‑to‑bell ban on cell phones and other personal electronic devices in district schools.

The board’s decision followed public testimony urging a full‑day ban and a lengthy discussion of how such a policy could be implemented, funded and enforced. Speakers at the meeting included Annie Ware of the RSU 5 Alliance for Thoughtful Technology and parent Kelly Delaney, both of whom urged swift action to address the effects of smartphone use on student attention and mental health. The administration described two primary product options discussed by multiple districts: flexible magnetic pouches (Yondr) and a…