Janesville committee forwards updated cell-phone and weapons policies to full board

The Janesville School District committee voted to send updated NEOLA personal communication device and student weapons policies to the full board for adoption.

Superintendent Hollesman, presenting the draft policy updates, said the revisions are intended to comply with a state law requiring updated school-device policies by July 1 and largely codify the district’s current approach. "This policy basically goes back to what our current practice is," she said, noting the draft adds explicit language about wearable technology and other scenarios not previously spelled out.

Under the proposal, K–8 students would not be permitted to use personal technology at any time during the school day; secondary students (grades 9–12) would continue under a "no cell from bell to bell" model clarified in the text. Hollesman told the committee the weapons policy update narrows and clarifies what the district classifies as a weapon, and that, if adopted by the full board, the new language will replace overlapping district provisions.

A committee motion to forward the NEOLA package passed with the transcript recording the outcome as three votes in favor, zero opposed, with Commissioner Hayworth absent. The motion text and mover/second were not recorded verbatim in the public transcript.

Why it matters: The changes formalize classroom and hallway device rules that affect all students and staff and update disciplinary definitions used by building administrators. The committee’s action moves the matter to a full-board, public decision; any final policy adoption will occur at that subsequent meeting.

Next steps: The package will appear on the full Janesville School District board agenda for consideration and potential adoption. The committee did not adopt final policy language at this meeting; it forwarded the draft for board review.