In a recent government meeting, school officials discussed the implementation and enforcement of cell phone policies across secondary schools in the district. The meeting highlighted the varying practices among middle and high schools regarding student cell phone usage during school hours.

Officials confirmed that all secondary schools have established clear expectations for cell phone use, which align with district policies JFCEB and JFCebar. At the middle school level, students are allowed to have their phones in designated areas, such as cafeterias, before the school day begins. However, once classes commence, phones must be turned off and stored away. For instance, Kalapuya Memorial and North Albany Middle School require students to keep their phones off during instructional time, with specific accountability measures in place for violations.

The accountability measures vary by school but generally include a progressive discipline approach. For example, at Kalapuya, a first offense results in a warning and reteaching of expectations, while subsequent offenses lead to the phone being taken and stored in the office, with increasing parental involvement for repeated violations. Similar protocols are in place at other middle schools, emphasizing the importance of reteaching expectations before imposing stricter consequences.

High schools, such as Albany Options and South Albany, have also established their own measures. At Albany Options, students who refuse to comply with phone storage policies are referred to the principal, while South Albany employs in-school suspension for repeated offenses, with parents being notified after each incident.

The meeting underscored the necessity of maintaining a structured environment conducive to learning, with school officials expressing a commitment to ensuring that students adhere to these policies. The discussions revealed a concerted effort to balance the use of personal electronic devices with the need for focused educational engagement, as schools prepare for the upcoming academic year.