Students' cellphone access restricted

PERKINS TWP. — Perkins Schools' board of education has joined other state districts in updating its cellphone policy for students. The new policy prohibits students from using cellphones during the school day — including during lunches and between classes — unless the use falls under an exception, like for emergencies or health and educational purposes. The policy applies to all students at all buildings but excludes teachers and administration. Prior to the policy's approval, students at the high school and middle school were allowed to have phones during the school day, but they were to be in a locker or phone caddy during instruction, according to the district's website. The district's younger students at Furry Elementary and Meadowlawn Intermediate schools could not have a cellphone at all. During a public board meeting in October, the board went through a first reading of a new cellphone policy restricting use as well as the exceptions to the policy. District policy states that policies cannot be enacted until a subsequent meeting is conducted. In terms of the new phone policy, the subsequent meeting occurred on Wednesday night. It was approved with a 5-0 vote. "There's nothing foolproof, but if we have to do this, this is probably the way that's most effective for us," Superintendent Lonny Rivera said. The new policy is set up as a way to address health, achievement and distractions, according to the new policy and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Rivera agrees that the policy will support students in all three areas. When students have phones, they are not communicating with each other and there are discipline problems in the classroom. He admitted students will need to adjust, but believes it is an overall positive for the district. The new policy comes due to a decision made earlier this year at the state level. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law, stating school districts must restrict students' access to cellphones by adopting a new policy by Jan. 1. This means eliminating devices while in the classroom, hallways, lunchrooms and study halls. Following Norwalk's lead The district will follow in the footsteps established by Norwalk Schools by incorporating Yondr-brand pouches, cloth bags sealed and unsealed with magnets, into its district buildings. Before making this decision, Perkins administrators, including high school principal Jeff Harbal, visited Norwalk Schools. He said Norwalk is in its second year of using the pouches and is sharing its information with the Perkins administration. The top concern with taking cellphones away centers on student safety. Harbal said the pouches can easily be cut open in emergency situations using scissors. Another factor to consider is students who are enrolled in college classes. There are times when these students must use their phones for tasks like two-factor authentication, referring to a process where a second method is needed to log in to an account, for example, a code texted to someone's cell phone. In these circumstances, teachers will open students' pouches, then close them after the authentication. It's believed that all area school districts have already, are in the process of or soon will be creating similar policies to comply with the law. Community comment The school district and the Register announced the expected adoption of the policy ahead of Perkins' school board meeting time. Community members expressed their opinions: • Hillary Marcel "Would love to also hear DeWine's plan to ensure students are safe while in school." • Pat Wolf "When I was in school, if you needed to get a hold of your parents for an actual (good) reason, you would go to the office and tell them the issue, and they would call your parent for you. Phones shouldn't be allowed inside of schools, plain and simple." • Kim Majoy "It is so wonderful to have students talking to each other during the day. Even the students would say they became okay with not being distracted by their phones." • Kenda Van Ness Aldrich "What happens, if God forbid a tragedy happens? Who's going to call 911 and all the parents? I understand restricting them in classrooms - put them on a shelf, but they should be available in an emergency." Community members from other districts have also shared their experiences with their districts' policies: • Heather Nicole Hackathorn "Norwalk has done this. (In my opinion) I believe it has helped with grades, as well as attentiveness and cyberbullying, etc. We didn't have phones back then and we were fine. They even have to put them in a locked phone pouch. If it's an emergency, the parent can call the office. If the parent needs to get a message to the kid, they can call the office. If the student needs to call and it's an emergency, they can use the office. They thought it would be a lot in the beginning, but over time, they have gotten used to it, and it has worked well. Us parents thought it would be a nightmare due to safety, scheduling changes, sports, etc, but (in my opinion) it's worked out well and it made my daughter even more structured than she already was as far as planning, scheduling ahead, etc." • Mandy Brown "Margaretta has gone to this (no cellphone) policy. I do think it is appropriate during class. I do find it difficult to get in touch with my daughter with pickup & drop off arrangements, and sporting event changes. I am sure that teachers appreciate students not being on their devices in class. Our kids' phones are to be kept in their locker at all times from the start of school till the end. I wish there were a system set up that they turned phones in before class and then received them back at the end of class. That way, in lunch, they were able to check messages." Others gave additional suggestions on how to improve policies: • Tom Hanson "I think they should have one phone in each (class) in case there is an emergency or a kid needs to call home or parents need to contact them, but teachers have full control over this phone." • Teri Gerber "I've heard of teachers using a hanging plastic bag with multiple pockets (like a shoe storage bag) to collect cell phones before class...and it's their way of taking attendance. End of class, phones go with the student, so messages can be checked between classes, before (being) turned in at the beginning of the next period." • Jay Dank "For the fact of no pay phones in schools or anywhere anymore. Study hall and lunch should be an option to have their phones. The schools are too busy to tell each student from a parent or student to a parent."