Lake Holcome School Board - A new cell phone policy is in the bag
A bill has now passed the Wisconsin State Assembly, which will soon be signed into law, if all goes according to plan, which requires school districts to enact strict cell phone policies. Before that happens, the Lake Holcombe School Board decided to get a jump on it and passed their own policy, July 21.
Based on feedback from staff at the end of last year, the consensus was, that teachers are tired of battling with middle and high school students, who are on their personal communication devices, instead of paying attention to the lesson.
“It’s not like we aren’t giving kids access to technology, because we’re handing every student a Chromebook at the beginning of the school year, that they need for educational purposes,” said district administrator Kurt Lindau.
The policy states that students must remain off of personal devices (phones and smartwatches) and away for the entire school day, which means the devices are stored from 7:55 a.m. to 3:21 p.m., in a YONDR pouch. The pouch is specially designed to hold a cell phone, but once it’s in the pouch, it cannot be accessed, until it is passed over a special magnetic unlocking device.
The magnetic unlocking device will either be stationed somewhere in the school or held by a staff member.
“It’s not going to be fail safe, we know that,” said Lindau. Any phone seen outside the pouch during the prohibited hours, will be confiscated and will not be returned until an adult family member personally comes into the office to retrieve it.
“This is about student engagement,” said Lindau. “It’s that distraction piece,” agreed principal Chris Stalheim.
The administrators have observed that the phones are creating social anxiety, where they want to create an environment where kids begin talking to each other again, face to face.
As for extracurricular activities, phone use is up to the coach or adviser.
So families are not burdened by the expense of a YONDR pouch, the school will provide them, but if they are lost or damaged, the family will be billed. Students are expected to keep the pouch with their Chromebook.
Tess Engel, board member, asked if there is a way for students to use the Chromebooks for behaviors that are associated with cell phones, such as inappropriate photos or bullying.
“They’re innovative,” she said.
However, Engel was assured the Chromebooks are monitored. There are certain words that are red flagged to the technology director, while accessing certain sites is a violation of the acceptable use policy. The board approved the policy, to take effect this school year, as well as purchasing 170 YONDR pouches, for $6,027.
They also approved a 25-cent increase on breakfast and lunch prices, to get the food service fund balance back on track. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) forces a district to spend their fund balance down, but Lake Holcombe is below the healthy threshold, with a goal to break even. “We knew that we would probably be running a deficit for this year, in food service, which, we are,” said Lindau.
Lindau also mentioned that the blacktop project is complete, behind the school.
“It looks really, really nice and it’s smooth, like it should be,” he said.
Administration is also seeking bids for the boiler room roof project, which could be completed this year, if it goes well.
“There are only two remaining roof sections that will need to be done, some time in the future,” said Lindau.
It was also reported that the Community Foundation of Chippewa County notified the school, that they are closing the PRIDE pass-through fund, because it has been inactive for too long. Therefore, the district will open a student activity account and wait for word from the PRIDE Committee, to hear how the funds should be allocated.
