Recommended Actions

Our school district presently does not have an official policy relating to student cell phones, or student bullying and harrassment that may include electronic resources including instant messaging, email, weblogs, and webpages.

Based on our current board policies and research on this issue, we recommend the following steps be taken by the school district.

• Student Cell Phone Use Policy: We recommend adopting the following policy relating to the possession and use of cell phones on school campuses:

  The District prohibits students from using electronic communication devices without permission at school during the instructional day and lunch.  The instructional day is determined by the principal.  Electronic communication devices include, but are not limited to:

  • Cellular phones(including camera phones)
  • Digital phones
  • Two-way radios
  • Pagers/beepers
  • Any other electronic device capable of transmitting  electronic signals, including infared technology.

  Secondary students may possess electronic communication devices, however, such devices shall not be visible and shall remain off during the school day.   Students may use Personal Digital Assistants(PDA"s) with the permission of the classroom teacher for instructional purposes only. 

  This policy is violated when an electronic communication device possessed by a student is either visible, and/or  on without the express permission of a school official.  The device will be confiscated and returned to a parent only after a parent conference.  The second violation of this policy will result in the confiscation of the device, the loss of privileges for the student to carry the device on campus for the remainder of the school year, and a $15 administrative fee in order for the device to be returned at the end of the school year.The third and subsequent violations will result in the confiscation of the device not to be returned.  Electronic devices confiscated under this policy will be returned to Student Services for proper disposal.

  Elementary students are prohibited from possessing electronic communication devices on district premises during the instructional day and lunch, unless,  such use is approved by the staff for use during instruction, or other school-related functions.

• Student Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy: We recommend adopting the following policies relating to student bullying and harassment: four steps for eliminating disruption, incivility, and violence in schools:

  • fostering social bonding and academic achievement;
  • fostering positive use of electronic devices
  • promoting norms of nonviolence;
  • teaching skills for living according to nonviolent norms (skills include anger management, conflict resolution, and problem-solving);
  • eliminating firearms and other weapons.
• Parents must be partners in any effort to change school culture. The expectations of schools must be supported and reinforced in the family and throughout the community.
• Continuing with our 'zero tolerance' policy for harassment involving both students and staff, the district will expand the language in our discipline handbook to include "harassment by electronic means."  Schools must send a clear message of zero tolerance for harassment, put-downs, weapons, and bullying. Schools won't eliminate cliques and differences among students. They can, however, demand that students respect one another, despite those differences, and treat every student with the dignity he or she has a right to expect in the public school system.
• Our policy will encourage students as well staff to report incidents of bullying, theft, crime, or any antisocial behaviour directly to schools. - A district "harrassment reporting" email address and "harassment hotline" phone number will be created by allowing schools to offer pupils the chance to email or call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to report any problems they may have or observe.  These communications will remain confidential and investigated by school administrators, as well as local law enforcement personnel when appropriate. Only school staff can access the information. Then appropriate action can take place.

• Education / Public Relations:
  1. Parent Education Initiative: During start of year open house events and initial parent / teacher conferences, district teachers will discuss with parents both the student cell phone use policy and the student bullying and harassment policy. Informational videos about both these new policies will be added to the school district website, to accompany links to the actual policy texts.
  2. Student Education Initiative: Students enrolled in district technology application courses using digital video will be charged with creating a series of videos highlighting the issues, district policies, and potential consequences for policy violations. These videos will be shown to students in grades 3-12 during school time, posted to the school district website, and shown periodically on the school district television station channel as short advertisement spots.
  3. Teacher / Administrator Professional Development Initiative: At the start of each school year, campus administrators will address specific details and issues pertaining to both the Student Cell Phone Use Policy and Student Bullying and Harassment Prevention Policy with all campus staff during initial professional development time.

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