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Board tightens 7—12 student handbook on cell phones; guidance calls for lockers and limited exceptions
Summary
After an extended discussion, the board approved revisions to the 7—12 student handbook that narrow device use during class time, permit phones at lunch/passing/honor study hall (subject to supervisor guidelines), and establish a process for medical exceptions and teacher-requested instructional uses.
The 3 Lakes School District board spent a large portion of its meeting revising the 7—12 student handbook, focusing on electronic-device rules and enforcement. Staff presented language that replaces ambiguous phrases like "instructional time" with "class time," clarifies confiscation procedures, and establishes lockers as the primary place for phones during class.
Justin (staff) told the board the goal was to remove subjective language that allowed inconsistent enforcement across classrooms. He proposed the following core elements: remove the clause "so long as the device does not disrupt the educational setting," replace "instructional time" with "class time" (bell-to-bell), and state that devices "may not be possessed during class time." The draft would permit phone use before school, after school, during passing times, at lunch and in honor study hall under supervisor-guidelines; medically necessary devices would be exempted with documentation.
Board members, coaches and teachers raised enforcement and fairness questions. One longtime teacher argued that a district-wide locker expectation (phones stored in lockers during class) would reduce distractions and benefit students' mental health and learning: "If we went to a beginning of the day, end of the day, phones are just gone," the teacher said, noting research trends on social media and student well-being. Staff cautioned that a cultural change and communication to parents would be required: administrators emphasized an education campaign and consistent staff enforcement before a hard ban.
The board discussed exceptions for honor study hall (an earned privilege where phones may be used under supervision), temporary teacher requests for instructional uses (to be approved by administration), and addressing smartwatches/Apple watches as part of the broader definition of "digital communication devices." The board asked staff to vet final language and anticipated putting the paragraph out for parent notice and returning with any administrative refinements.
The board approved revisions to the 7—12 student handbook "as presented with any other modifications made by administration" and directed staff to continue refining implementation details and communications to families.
What's next: Administration will finalize handbook language, add a medical-exception note, define honor study-hall expectations, and run an education/communication plan with parents and staff before the policy takes effect.
