Newport School Board votes to limit middle school student cell phone use

By Noelle Kronberg
EAGLE TIMES EDUCATION REPORTER
The Newport School District, with strong support from the school board, is looking to crack down on cell phone usage, adopting a clearer and more strict policy.

At the school board meeting on Aug. 10, Superintendent Donna Magoon and the administration at each of the three Newport schools presented updates and changes to their handbooks for the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

Most changes and subsequent recommendations from the board were updates to dates and fixes in wording. 

However, a significant change to the cell phone policy at Newport Middle School was recommended and unanimously approved by the board.

School administration cited cell phone use of middle schoolers as a leading cause of behavioral issues, including bullying. She said the administration believes that eliminating the use of cell phones during school hours will help alleviate some of those issues. 

Magoon acknowledged that some parents prefer their children to have cell phones to use before and after school to communicate with home, but she does not believe there is a reason for students to use them during the day.

She added that in previous years, it was difficult to enforce a policy prohibiting students from carrying their cell phones with the because students were responsible for providing their own locks for lockers. The school could not ensure a phone kept in a locker would be safe and secure. Now, the district has purchased locks for every locker, so students will be able to store their cell phones there during instructional hours.

School administration officials havw created posters that make the policy very clear. The poster will hang up in the hallways and in every classroom. The policy will also be addressed with parents at the orientation night on Aug. 30. Magoon said she is anticipating some push back.

“We want to be sure everyone is aware: Anything that comes on school property, we can seize,” Magoon said. “People say we can’t, but by law, we can, so if it’s an issue, we will confiscate it.”

Board Vice Chair Jenna Darling said she is looking forward to the policy being enforced evenly, where in the past, it was perceived as not applying to all students. 

The Newport High School administration noted that they will not be implementing a similar policy because the students at the high school are learning how adults live and work, including when and where cell phone usage is appropriate.

Students at the high school are not allowed to use cell phones during instructional time, unless a teacher directs them to do so because it is related to learning (such as accessing an educational website or app). 

Board Chair Steven Morris said: “The focus of schools is on education, not texting.”