The iPhone 5S, left, and iPhone 5c are displayed in 2013. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
SNOHOMISH — A formal policy to restrict using cell phones and electronics during school will be discussed by the Snohomish School Board at its meeting Wednesday, Dec. 11.
The board will have a final vote Jan. 8 to establish the policy starting with the spring semester.
The meetings are at 6 p.m. at the district’s administration building at 1601 Ave. D.
Snohomish’s schools already have developed guidelines over time to control cell phone use, Superintendent Kent Kultgen said in an interview. The board would be voting to set a universal, consistent policy, he said.
The board has been talking about this since September.
The rules won’t be more restrictive than the guidelines that individual schools already are using, according to Kultgen. No phones locked in bags or anything like that.
“We’re not trying to be the ‘cell phone police’ but we’re trying to create a culture” of learning, Kultgen said.
“We truly believe we want to minimize or eliminate distractions during educational time,” Kultgen said.
Principals developed school guidelines over the years, district spokeswoman Kristin Foley said.
A synopsis of the draft policy is:
• Elementary students may only use cell phones or personal electronic devices such as tablets or headphones before or after bell. At other times, they must be silenced and put away.
• Middle school and high school students may only use cell phones or personal electronic devices before and after school, at lunch, and during transition periods. At other times, they must be silenced and put away.
All ages may wear a smartwatch, but must keep them in “school mode.” School mode typically means the smartwatch can’t take phone calls, be used for text messaging or take pictures. It’s somewhat similar to airplane mode.
Exceptions would be granted for students whose documented learning plans, 504 disability plans or medical plans require having devices such as cell phones.
Cell phone policies have begun being deployed at school districts across the nation to fight distraction in the classroom. This fall the Monroe School District began restricting using cell phones and other electronic devices such as headphones during all times of the school day for all students.
