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Pequannock board plans policy meeting after debate over high‑school phone restrictions and commencement requests
Summary
Policy committee members agreed to continue work on amendments that would tighten smartphone use at the high school and add criteria and a 45‑day request deadline for community members to present diplomas; the board plans a policy committee meeting before August and expects possible first reading in September.
Board members discussed proposed amendments July 20 to the district’s student‑device and commencement policies and set a plan for further policy committee work.
A policy committee member said the committee will meet again before the board’s next meeting to review suggested language. "We'll have another policy meeting, be before our next meeting in August," the committee member said, urging committee review prior to full board consideration.
Administrators and the policy committee described the substance of the proposals: amend the commencement policy to allow, in extraordinary circumstances, community members outside the current list (faculty, administrators, board members and previous board members) to present diplomas under defined criteria, and set an advance written‑request deadline (committee members recommended "at least 45 days" rather than a strict 45‑day cutoff for clarity). On phones, administrators said state requirements will limit high‑school phone use — removing hallway and lunch access — and recommended updating handbooks and communications so families receive notice.
Doctor Portis recommended including handbook language for the high school that notes the new policy and labels it "pending board approval" to reduce confusion at the start of the school year. Board members also discussed operational questions such as cafeteria point‑of‑sale systems and whether mobile payments would create policy implementation gaps.
The board did not vote on policy language at the workshop; the policy committee will refine the draft and return recommendations to the board, with a potential vote in September.
