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High school teacher tells board cellphone ban hurt yearbook, theater and band
Summary
Matt VanderVelde, a high school teacher, told the Board the district's complete cellphone ban hindered his yearbook class because camera quality and upload workflow are inferior to phone use; he said theater and band also faced setbacks.
During public comment at the June 9 work session, Matt VanderVelde, who identified himself as a high school teacher, told the Orchard View Board that the district’s complete cellphone ban has had negative instructional effects.
VanderVelde said his yearbook class was constrained by relying on a single 2017 digital camera, producing photos of lower quality than student cell phones and adding time-consuming steps to transfer images (SD card to a classroom computer, then upload to the Jostens app). "On a cell phone, any student can also go directly to the Jostens app and upload the photo," he said. He also described workarounds in theater and a return to paper-based drill markings in band after phones were restricted.
The minutes record the comment as part of the public-comment period but do not show any immediate administrative response or an agenda item to revisit the cell phone policy at this meeting.
