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Updates to ICCSD Cell Phone Policy

Student raising their hand in class
Updates to ICCSD Cell Phone Policy

We would like to share information about the newly approved ICCSD Secondary School Personal Device Policy, which will go into effect across all middle and high schools starting January 21, 2025. The new guidelines are designed to reduce distractions, ensuring students stay engaged during instructional time while also helping students develop healthy digital habits.

Key Points of the Policy:
Instructional time is defined as the time between the tardy bell that starts each class period and the dismissal bell that ends the class period.

  • During Instructional Time:
    • Cell phones must not be seen, heard, or in use.
    • Phones must be stored in backpacks, purses, hanging pouches, or lockers, with ringers silenced.
    • Headphones and earbuds are also prohibited during instructional time and must be stored away.
    • Smartwatches may be worn but cannot be used for communication during class.
  • During Non-Instructional Time:
    • Middle Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods and lunch but not during study hall.
    • High Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods, lunch, study hall, and open hours, but they cannot use them in hallways during instructional time.

This policy aims to create a more productive and inclusive environment for all students while allowing reasonable device use opportunities during appropriate times. 

Prior to implementation, we will be working with students and staff to educate them on the new policy and how it will look within their school. At the same time that we implement this new secondary policy, we will be simultaneously reinforcing our elementary cell phone policy. That policy can be found in the Elementary Handbook. Future communication will also detail our expectations for elementary-age students.

For more details, including information on implementation procedures, consequences, and exemptions, you can review the full policy below.

DRAFT ICCSD Secondary School Personal Device Policy:

For the purposes of this policy “instructional time” is defined as the time between the tardy bell that starts each class period and the dismissal bell that ends the class period.
 
Student cell phones shall not be seen, heard, or in use during instructional time.  
 
Cell phones must be detached from the student’s body during instructional time by being placed in a backpack, purse, hanging pouch in the classroom, or the student’s assigned locker.  Ringers must be silenced.
 
Students are not allowed to have headphones/earbuds on or in their ears during instructional time.  Headphones and earbuds must be detached from the student’s body by being placed in a backpack, purse, hanging pouch in the classroom, or the student’s assigned locker.
 
Students will be allowed to wear smartwatches during the school day. If the smartwatch distracts the classroom environment, teachers will follow the sequence of consequences below. Students can wear smartwatches but smartwatches shall not be used for communication purposes during instructional time.
 
At the middle schools, students may use cell phones during passing time between class periods and during the student’s assigned lunch.  Students' cell phones shall not be seen, heard, or in use during study hall.
 
At the high schools, students may use cell phones during passing time between class periods, during the student’s assigned lunch, open hour(s), and during study hall.  Students on an open hour shall not use cell phones in the hallway during the instructional time of class periods until they reach the designated area within the school.  Hallways are not designated areas for cell phones during instructional time.
 
Implementation Procedures
Upon entering the classroom all phones, earbuds, and headphones must be detached from the student’s body by being secured in a backpack, purse, hanging pouch in the classroom, or the student’s assigned locker.  Ringers must be silenced.  Phones, earbuds, and headphones must remain detached from the body until the student leaves the classroom at the end of the class period.
 
Teachers will begin each class period by saying “Your devices should be secured”.  This statement is the only warning given to students.
 
If a cell phone, earbuds, or headphone is seen, heard, or in use during instructional time the teacher shall contact the office via their school’s help email (e.g. _____Help@iowacityschools.org).  The office will send the Engagement and Intervention Strategist (EIS), Supervisory Para, Facilitator, or an Administrator to confiscate the phone, earbuds, and/or headphones.
 
The confiscated device(s) will be held in the main office until the end of the student school day.
 
If a student refuses to give up their phone, earbuds, and/or headphones, the student is removed from the classroom and taken to the main office.  If the student continues to refuse, the administrator shall call the parent/guardian.  Additional school consequences may apply.
 
Consequences For Policy Infractions:
  • 1st Offense: Loss of phone, earbuds, and/or headphones for day; Student signs documentation sheet to receive their device(s) at end of their school day and acknowledge their violation of the policy
  • 2nd Offense: Loss of phone, earbuds, and/or headphones for day; Student signs documentation sheet to receive their device(s) at end of their school day and acknowledge their violation of the policy and that an additional infraction will result in parent/guardian(s) being contacted
  • 3rd Offense: Loss of phone, earbuds, and/or headphones for day; Parent/Guardian contacted by administration; Student signs documentation sheet to receive their device(s) at end of their school day and to acknowledge a parent/guardian meeting will be held if another infraction occurs
  • 4th Offense: Loss of phone, earbuds, and/or headphones until parent/guardian meeting. Administration contacts parents/guardians; Student signs documentation sheet to acknowledge the policy infraction
  • 5th Offense: Technology Plan Implemented.  Administration contacts parents/guardians; Technology plan created during the parent/guardian meeting.
Documentation will be completed through a policy documentation log that’s accessible by building staff. Documentation will not be done through office disciplinary referrals in Infinite Campus.
 
Any student who videotapes a fight/disruption, or actively encourages inappropriate behaviors will be subject to disciplinary consequences.
 
Exemptions
Exemptions to the policy will only be granted if one of the following criteria is met: 
  1. Required for the implementation of a student's individualized education program or 504 Plan,
  2. Authorized by an administrator for educational purposes, or
  3. Pre-approved on an individual student basis by an administrator due to documented health concerns.
Related Board Policy Language 
As written in ICCSD Board Policy: The use of non-district owned recording devices on school property and at school events will be regulated. Students, parents and community members will not be permitted to take recordings of other students or employees during school hours unless the recording is authorized in advance by building administration. Students and employees found to violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary measures consistent with board policy and applicable student and employee handbooks. This policy will not be construed or enforced in a way that infringes on employee activity otherwise protected by law. (Board Policy 804.6 and 804.6R1)