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Hardy County Board adopts new athletics, telecommunication rules; administrators retain day-to-day phone discretion
Summary
The Hardy County Board of Education on July 20 approved updates to its athletics policy (JGF) and its telecommunications/PED policy (IED), clarifying pre-practice safety meetings, attendance consequences for repeated tardiness and giving school administrators authority to set phone-use parameters during the school day.
The Hardy County Board of Education voted unanimously July 20 to adopt two student-focused policies: an athletics policy (JGF) that requires coaches and athletic directors to meet with parents and students about injury risk before practice, and a telecommunications/PED policy (IED) that allows administrators to set school-level rules for phone use during the day.
At the meeting, a board member asked whether the required safety meeting for athletics must occur at the start of practice; staff replied that “that has to happen before any athlete can begin practice” and that districts conduct the session as a group, handing out concussion protocols and permission contracts. The athletic policy also includes a conduct-related rule: after three tardies, a student is barred from playing or practicing on days they are tardy. A board member pressed how repeated tardiness is handled; staff said the restriction applies each time the student is tardy on a practice or competition day.
The telecommunications policy generated questions about a local school’s stricter approach. Several board members cited Moorefield High School’s decision to require students to keep phones locked in lockers during school hours. The countywide policy states students “may use their phones before and after school or at lunchtime” and allows administrators to define allowable use during class periods; staff said medical exceptions (for students with health needs) also remain in place. A board member expressed concern about enforcement burdens on principals; staff acknowledged enforcement would be a local responsibility.
Both policies were approved after discussion and vote. The board also agreed to invite Moorefield High School administrators to present their local implementation of the modified phone rule at a future meeting if the board wants further detail.
The actions take effect according to the language in each policy; no special conditions or rollbacks were recorded during the meeting.
