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Board reviews proposed cell‑phone policy to align with Maryland law; debate over bus and procedure details
Summary
District staff proposed a systemwide cell‑phone policy to comply with HB525 (Joanne Ann C. Benson Maryland Phone‑Free Schools Act) effective 2027–28; the policy would remove high‑school lunch phone use and set consistent exceptions; board members asked for clearer procedures and whether bus time should be covered.
Director of Student Services Sabrina Bergen presented a new Administrative Policy (proposed 3175) designed to implement the Joanne Ann C. Benson Maryland Phone‑Free Schools Act across Calvert County Public Schools. Bergen said the policy "establishes clear district wide expectations for student use of and storage of personal electronic communication devices during the school day" and noted the law requires districts to have a policy in place by the 2027–28 school year.
Board members asked operational questions about the policy’s scope and enforcement, including whether bus time should be expressly included (staff said the code of conduct currently covers devices on buses). Members also asked that procedures be detailed and consistent across schools; Bergen said a committee will draft procedures. The policy will be posted for 30 days for public comment.
