Vincennes Community School Corp. tightens phone rules and approves handbook updates

At a regular meeting of the Vincennes Community School Corporation board, trustees approved revisions to multiple school handbooks and adopted a stricter student-device rule for Lincoln High School requiring phones to be turned off and stored in lockers for the entire school day on regular school days.

The change to the Lincoln High handbook was presented to the board as part of a package of routine handbook updates. Administrators told the board that current practice allowed phones in lockers with limited access, but the updated language adopts a full-day off-and-stowed requirement next school year; administrators said the change aligns handbook language with recent legislative changes that affect student-device policies.

Board members discussed related devices including AirPods, smartwatches and e-bikes and said the handbook language was broadened to address those items as well. Administrators noted the district will permit students who need devices for bus travel to carry them to and from school but not to access them during the day. The board also approved similar updates for Clark Middle School, WLA and Alice Academy handbooks to ensure consistent language across buildings.

The board took the changes by voice vote after motions and seconds were recorded on each handbook item. The meeting agenda and discussion included a disclaimer that building principals, working with the district’s policy vendor, may make timely statutory updates as state legislation evolves.

The handbook approvals followed staff recognitions and routine consent-business items; administrators said any additional handbook tweaks identified during the attorney and policy-vendor review will be returned to the board as needed.