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RSU 09 board discusses student-inclusive task force to draft high school cell-phone policy
Summary
The Education Policy Committee approved forming a task force to recommend a high school cell-phone policy that would include administrators, teachers, staff, parents, board members and students, aiming for a January draft; administrators will solicit volunteers and the committee will be publicized in the district newsletter.
The RSU 09 board discussed forming a student-inclusive task force to craft a high school cell-phone policy, following a resolution approved by the district’s Education Policy Committee.
The task force, as described in the committee resolution cited at the meeting, is to include two administrators (who will chair the group), one teacher, one support-staff member, two board members, two parents and two high-school students, with a target of producing a draft policy by January. ‘‘It’s come quite obvious to many of us that we need a cell phone policy here at the high school,’’ said Speaker 8, who outlined the committee composition and deadline.
Speaker 4 said administrators will solicit volunteers and that the group will be advertised for parent involvement. ‘‘When that will be something for the newsletter,’’ Speaker 4 said, noting the district’s communications would announce openings. Speaker 4 also emphasized including student voices: ‘‘it would be great if a couple of our board member students could help be part of this suggestion…to get input.’’ Speaker 5 added that a high school senior had provided a memo to share with the committee.
Board members debated the scope of the policy, with Speaker 4 urging the group to consider whether enforcement alone would address classroom interruptions or whether policy should include guidance on teaching digital literacy. ‘‘We don’t want those cell phones… but if the tool is being used as a tool, that’s one of the things we have to wrestle with,’’ Speaker 4 said, framing the trade-offs between limiting distractions and leveraging devices for instruction.
The Education Policy Committee approved the resolution at the committee level; meeting speakers clarified the full board does not need to ratify that committee resolution. Administrators are expected to collect volunteer applications and return a membership slate for the task force; the process and timeline will be announced in the district newsletter.
Next steps: administrators will solicit volunteers for parents and staff, identify the two administrative chairs, and circulate the student perspective and external examples (including a recent Portland high-school policy noted by Speaker 8) for committee review. The committee aims to deliver a draft policy by January.
