The School Board received feedback on its new personal electronic devices policy during its latest meeting, following a state law passed earlier this year requiring a “bell-to-bell” ban on cell phones and similar devices in classrooms.
Superintendent Dan Moulis reported that teachers generally feel the policy is working well in classrooms. The biggest challenge, he said, is managing non-classroom time.
“The biggest challenge we face is ‘managed time,’ which includes things like hallway time and the cafeteria,” Moulis explained. “That’s when it becomes more challenging.”
Despite those issues, Moulis said teacher feedback has been largely positive.
Hudson Memorial School Principal Keith Bowen admitted there were concerns early on about how the policy would be received.
“We’re very pleased it hasn’t caused much disruption at all,” Bowen said, noting that only about a half-dozen warnings have been issued for cell phone use. He added that most students have been respectful of the rules.
Alvirne High School Principal Steve Beals offered a different perspective, saying compliance has declined since the start of the school year.
“The first two weeks of school were good, and then it’s gone downhill since,” Beals said. He cited inconsistent enforcement as a major issue, which prompted a meeting with SAU and high school administrators.
While Alvirne has seen more infractions than other schools, Beals said most students respond quickly when reminded.
“In many cases, we just have to look at a student and they put their cell phones away,” he said, adding that the cafeteria remains the hardest area to manage.
Beals recommended eliminating verbal warnings and moving to immediate consequences: the first offense would require the phone to be placed on a teacher’s desk or in a holder, with repeat offenses escalating to the assistant principal.
He noted that tracking verbal warnings is difficult, as students can receive multiple warnings in a single day without accountability.
Beals also stressed the importance of parental involvement and suggested student-led campaigns to reinforce the message.
School Board Chair Maureen Dionne said the Board has received feedback from parents, students, and faculty and will continue to review the policy.
“We appreciate the feedback and could bring this back to the Policy Committee for review before presenting any proposed changes to the Board,” Dionne said.
The next School Board meeting is scheduled for Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m.
