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Parents urge Cheltenham to pursue phone‑storage pilots; committee keeps policy flexible
Summary
During public comment the committee heard parents press for phone storage and stricter limits during instruction; the committee noted schools can already regulate devices and recommended more consistent school‑level enforcement and exploration of pilot storage systems.
Parents and community members urged the Cheltenham School District Policy Committee on March 25 to pursue stronger limits on student phone use and to fund phone‑storage systems.
Katie Quinn, a North Park resident and parent, cited research and a national movement calling for restrictions during instructional time and asked the district to explore phone‑storage solutions funded by a state grant. "I think having the phones out throughout the day increases the anxiety... I'm hoping that our schools can do better at restricting at least the time when they're in school to be able to focus," Quinn said.
Ashley Lee, a Glenside parent, urged a more muscular approach, describing full‑day bans in other large districts and reporting positive classroom changes. Administrators noted some schools already use pocket or pouch systems — the EPIC program was cited as an internal pilot where students place phones in a pocket before class — and staff flagged the need for equitable access to storage hardware across schools.
Committee members discussed policy versus school‑level implementation: the updated device AR clarifies that principals have the authority to regulate device use and to require safekeeping methods (collecting devices, numbered pouches or lockers). Members emphasized the need for consistent implementation across schools, additional principal guidance, and possible pilot programs over the summer with principals and parent partners. The committee did not adopt a wholesale ban or a single district‑wide approach at first reading; it asked administration to return with options for pilot implementation and cost estimates.
