Siren School Board adopts interim cell-phone policy after staff enforcement concerns

The Siren School District board voted to adopt an interim version of policy 443.5 governing possession and use of personal electronic devices in schools, after weeks of staff feedback and debate about enforcement.

Board members said the immediate goal was to place a clear policy on the books by July 1 while allowing further revisions before the school year. "We have to have this done by July one," the chair said during discussion, and the board agreed to use the first of two written consequence options so staff and families have a consistent baseline to follow.

The board’s conversation emphasized inconsistent enforcement across classrooms. Several members said staff reported differing views about who would enforce the rule and where disciplinary consequences should begin. One board member summarized staff feedback as "a lot of inconsistency" on enforcement and said the district must ensure all staff are "on the same page" before the policy is fully enforced.

After discussion the board voted to adopt the first consequence option and directed staff to continue fact‑finding and return a revised draft in July when the new administrator is available for additional review. The adoption was characterized as a "work in progress"; board members said refinements to clarify staff roles and classroom enforcement will follow.

The board did not change instructional‑time protections discussed in the draft; members noted the state's guidance frames the policy’s limits on device use during instruction. No enforcement timetable beyond the interim adoption was set; the board scheduled additional review at next month's meetings.

What happens next: staff will consolidate the enforcement guidance collected from employees, the new administrator will review the draft, and the board will vote on subsequent amendments in July.