Cell Phone Regulations & FAQ

At school, our students need to be able to focus, learn, interact with each other, have in-person interactions, and fully engage with their teachers. Research consistently shows that the presence of a cell phone, even if it's put away in a backpack, can negatively impact student academic performance and mental health.

A school environment free from phones and social media gives students crucial opportunities for development. It allows them to better focus on their studies, build stronger in-person connections with peers and educators, and fully experience the school community we strive to create. 

Any electronic device that can send or receive communication, including but not limited to smartphones, tablets with cellular capabilities, and wearable devices (smartwatches) that can connect to the internet, collect, process and transmit data and communicate with other devices and networks or equipment on which digital images can be taken or transmitted.

The initial rollout of the cell phone-free environment initiative will apply to Fairfield Warde High School, Fairfield Ludlowe High School, and Walter Fitzgerald Campus.

Middle school students will adhere to the current administrative regulations of storing cell phones in their lockers during the day. 

High School Student to Parent Communication: During the school day when students cannot access their personal devices and in the case of a genuine emergency (e.g., a medical crisis, safety threat, or a family emergency), students may use the landline phone in the house office or ask office personnel to contact parents.  Otherwise, students may contact parents during their lunch period.

Middle School Student to Parent Communication: During the school day when students cannot access their personal devices and in the case of a genuine emergency (e.g., a medical crisis, a safety threat, or a family emergency), students may use the landline phone in the main office, counseling office or ask office personnel to contact parents. The main office phone may be used with an administrator or main office staff permission.

School security experts and law enforcement officers say phones can make children less safe in crisis situations for the following reasons:

• Students using cell phones during an emergency can distract their attention from safety and emergency response directions being given by school staff or first responders.
• Cell phone use by students can hinder rumor control and, in doing so, disrupt and delay effective public safety personnel response.
• Cell phone use by students can impede public safety response by accelerating parental and community arrival at the scene of an emergency during times when officials may be attempting to evacuate students to another site.
• Family members trying to get through can jam communications, interfering with first responders.

Parents and/or guardians who need to contact their student during the school day can email their student on their school email or may do so by calling the house/main office. By having 24/7 access, we prevent growth opportunities that our children need educationally, socially, and developmentally. If students text their parents every time they have a question, they miss the opportunity to think for themselves and develop critical problem-solving skills.

If a student needs to contact their parent or guardian during the school day, a phone will be available in the house office.

Students need consistency and one set of rules for the entire school benefits all students. Teachers will regain classroom instructional time by not having to police phones, as monitoring phones takes time and energy away from teaching and supporting all students. If there is a consistently enforced building-wide regulation in place, students are less likely to push back on the rules.

Students need to be given independence from their parents or guardians during the school day to develop foundational skills. Constant contact can fuel a cycle of anxiety for both students and parents. Research shows encouraging independence fosters a child’s self-confidence, resilience, problem-solving ability, and mental health.

The school will require documentation from a licensed medical professional to support an exemption such as diabetes or seizure monitoring and must go through the Nurse’s Office. This exception is specific to the need only and still prohibits cell phone use for any other purpose.

If this situation does arise, documentation is required, and the exception is specific to the need only and still prohibits cell phone use for any other purpose. Please notify the case manager ahead of the meeting so that the school nurse is included in the invitation. 

Yes, students may access their phones at the end of their school day.

High School: 

•  1^st Offense: The device and/or cellular phone will be confiscated, stored in a safe place in the main/house office. A parent or guardian will be contacted. Students may pick up the personal electronic device or cellular telephone at the end of the school day.
• 2^nd Offense: Referral to the Dean. A parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the personal electronic device or cellular telephone at the end of the school day. Students will receive a Saturday detention.
• 3^rd Offense: Referral to the Dean, conference with parents. All personal electronic devices and cellular telephones will not be permitted at school for 10 days. Students will receive an In-School suspension.
• 4^th Offense: Referral to the Dean, conference with parents. All personal electronic devices and cellular telephones will not be permitted at school for the remainder of the school year This includes a personal laptop computer or tablet that a student in grades 9-12 may be using in lieu of a school issued device. Students will receive an In-School suspension.
• Destruction of school property/pouch will result in further discipline. 
• Any egregious or criminal violation of school policy such as plagiarizing, posting unauthorized pictures or videos, bullying, or cyberbullying will be treated in accordance with Board discipline polices.

Middle School:

• 1^st Offense: The device and/or cellular phone will be confiscated, stored in a safe place in the main office, a parent or guardian will be contacted and will need to pick up the device or cellular phone at the end of the school day.

• 2^nd Offense: The device and/or cellular phone will be confiscated, stored in a safe place in the main office. A parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the personal electronic device or cellular telephone at the end of the school day. Students will receive a detention.

• 3^rd Offense: Referral to the Dean, conference with parents, and suspension of personal electronic devices and cellular telephones on school grounds for 10 school days. Students will receive a detention.

• 4^th Offense: Referral to the Dean, conference with parents. All personal electronic devices and cellular telephones will not be permitted at school for the remainder of the school year. Students will receive an In-School suspension.

• Personal electronic devices and cellular phones should never be used for violating school policy including, but not limited to, bullying, plagiarizing, or posting unauthorized or inappropriate pictures or videos.

• Destruction of school property/pouch will result in further discipline. 
• Any egregious or criminal violation of school policy such as plagiarizing, posting unauthorized pictures or videos, bullying, or cyberbullying will be treated in accordance with Board discipline polices.

At the high school level cell phones will be secured in a Safe Pouch. Middle school students will secure cell phones in their lockers. 

Safe Pouch utilizes a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone. Each student will be issued a school-assigned secure phone pouch, barcoded and registered in Destiny, which must be used from the first bell until dismissal each day.

Students are responsible for their pouch and must replace it if lost or stolen. They must return it at the end of senior year with all other school-issued items.

• Students will enter the building, power off their phones and place it in a pouch.
• The pouch will be locked and will remain with the students throughout the school day*. 
• At the end of the school day, students will have their pouch unlocked with one of the magnetic unlocking stations.  

*Process will vary slightly at Walter Fitzgerald Campus