Clinton trustees defer final approval of cell‑phone policy after agreeing on classroom lockboxes and exceptions

The Clinton School District Board of Trustees reviewed a proposed cell‑phone policy (Policy 36‑30) and agreed on an operational approach but deferred final approval until trustees can review specific exception language.

Superintendent (S3) described the plan: "We bought lock boxes for every single one of the classrooms so the kids will have a number that matches with their laptop, and they will put them in their lock boxes for the day." Under the proposal, students in grades 4–8 would secure devices in lockboxes during class; the superintendent said teachers would maintain procedures and that middle‑school homerooms could use phones for administrative tasks such as checking missing assignments in Infinite Campus during homeroom time.

Trustees pressed for explicit wording about exceptions. The superintendent said students leaving campus for athletic events or academic field trips would be allowed to take phones for travel and parent pickup, and agreed to draft concise language covering "field trips and athletics" and bus‑crossing scenarios. The board requested that the exceptions either be incorporated into the policy itself or put into the handbook with a cross‑reference; several trustees said they preferred exceptions be visible in the policy text.

Because the exception language was not yet in the packet, the board agreed to postpone final approval and asked the superintendent to circulate proposed wording ahead of the August meeting for formal consideration.