Board updates student handbooks; middle/high schools adopt new backpack expectations
Summary
Cannon Falls trustees approved revisions to middle‑ and high‑school handbooks, including a policy change encouraging backpacks to be stored in lockers to reduce classroom clutter and safety hazards; administrators said staff surveys supported the change.
The Cannon Falls School Board approved several handbook updates for 2025–26, including a new expectation that students store backpacks in lockers rather than leaving them in classrooms.
Administrators presented the proposed changes and said the backpack guidance resulted from a staff safety and workflow review; a teacher who spoke during discussion said classroom backpacks had become hazards and that many students do not routinely visit lockers. The presenter noted that staff surveys showed several teachers supported moving backpacks out of classrooms to reduce tripping risks and improve organization.
The board also approved small edits to the elementary, middle and high school handbooks and the coaches and advisors handbook; most changes were described as routine updates to contact information, evaluation procedures and end‑of‑season reporting. Trustees approved each handbook by voice vote.
