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Gilmer County Schools places employee attendance and cell-phone policies on 30-day public comment
Summary
The board voted to post for 30 days a new employee attendance policy that establishes progressive discipline for unauthorized absences and a student personal electronic device policy aligned with state House Bill 2003; both measures will be open to community feedback.
The Gilmer County Schools Board of Education voted to place two district policies on 30-day public comment: a revised employee attendance policy and a personal electronic device (PED) policy required by West Virginia House Bill 2003.
Dr. Minnie, superintendent, said the employee attendance policy is intended to align district practice with state code and to address employees who take unapproved days off. The proposed approach uses progressive steps: an initial conference, an improvement plan for repeated unapproved absences, short paid-or-unpaid suspensions for additional unauthorized absences and potential termination after repeated violations. "The whole goal of this is we're making some really big progress with test scores. And we want to have the teachers in the classroom," she said, explaining the rationale for stricter enforcement.
On personal electronic devices, the superintendent said House Bill 2003 (effective July 9, 2025) requires districts to limit device use during instructional time. The district policy mirrors the state guidance: students may bring devices to school but must turn them off and keep them stored during instructional blocks; violations carry progressive consequences (confiscation, parental pickup and temporary suspension) and repeated offenses can result in loss of the right to carry a device for the remainder of the year. The draft also describes exemptions for documented medical needs and work-based learning programs.
Both proposals were placed on public comment for 30 days by majority voice votes. Board members said they expect to review community feedback and consider refinements—one member suggested consistent terminology (use of the acronym "PED") and another said the district could revisit a full ban if midyear implementation proves unworkable.
What’s next: The district will publish the drafts in student and staff handbooks and on district communication channels, collect public feedback for 30 days, and return any recommended changes to the board for further action.
