BVA discusses new cell phone policy
Students may not have access to their electronic devices during school.
The Belle Vernon Area school board discussed a potential new cell phone policy Tuesday aimed at addressing student phone usage in the classroom.
The policy would limit the use of electronic devices, including phones, watches and earbuds. Superintendent Dr. Timothy Glasspool said they’re hoping to have more conversations about the policy and it could change, but if anything is adopted, it would apply for the 2025-26 school year.
“Students’ personal electronic devices (phones, watches, earbuds, etc.) must be turned off and not in sight while on campus and must be kept in lockers or other authorized areas as designated by the administration,” the proposal reads.
It adds that students would have to turn off their electronic devices prior to entering their building or district transportation. If an electronic device is visible to faculty, staff or administration, it would be confiscated and held in the main office.
Some school board directors approve of the new policy, but board President Stacey Livengood opposes the current draft and said the district should get community feedback.
Livengood was concerned that if students locked away their devices, they wouldn’t have access to them in an emergency. Livengood referenced a shooting that took place Tuesday at a school in Austria, where 10 students were killed before the shooter took his own life.
“So essentially, whenever the child enters a building, it goes in a locker, and then they cannot access that,” Livengood said. “If there’s an emergency, there’s a lockdown, parents do not have access to their child whatsoever. As a parent, not comfortable with that. I’ve seen teachers in the high school that have pockets on their doors that they go in the pocket assigned so that way, at least if there’s a lockdown, the child has access.”
After the meeting, Glasspool told the Mon Valley Independent that they’re still determining where they will have students place their phones.
“There is no doubt that cell phones in schools are an issue,” Glasspool said. “I think we can all agree to that, right? Cell phones in school are an issue. They’re distracting. They take away from focus, energy and attention. There’s no doubt about that.”
The district would have a three-tier offense rule for students under the proposal. For their first offense, an administrator would meet with the student and take their phone, but it would be returned at the end of the school day.
On a second offense, a phone call would be made to their parent or guardian, a verbal warning would be issued and the device would be returned to the student at the end of the day. On a third offense, the phone would be confiscated, the student would be assigned an appropriate consequence and the cell phone would be returned to their parent/guardian at an agreed time.
After multiple offenses, the student may have to turn in their device to the school office at the start of the school day, where it will be stored until the end of the day.
“Parents and students are reminded that the intention of this policy is not to limit contact among families,” the drafted policy continues. “Parents may call the school’s main office to have important messages forwarded to students. Students may also, with permission, utilize the office phones.”
Glasspool said they hope to have the policy ready by the July 15 meeting.
Final budget
At its next meeting, the board is expected to vote on its final budget for the upcoming school year. According to Crystal Clark, the district’s chief financial officer, there have been no changes to the proposed budget, and there are still no tax increases.
If approved, the budget would keep the real estate rates at 91.30 mills for Westmoreland County and 20.32 mills for Fayette County. It has revenues and expenditures balanced at $46,200,000.
