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Cell Phone Policy & Procedure
Student Telecommunication Device Use Policy
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FAQ
Our K-12 student telecommunication device policy is Board Policy 3245, which can be read at THIS LINK. In general this policy makes all classrooms free of telecommunication devices, which includes:
- Cell Phones
- Smart Watches
- Ear bud style headphones
- Personal tablets and laptops
- Any other device that can send and receive texts, connect to the internet and take pictures
The policy also empowers our buildings to set procedures that are more strict than the district’s procedure. Please refer to your school’s student handbook for specific information about telecommunication device use at your school.
We Want Your Input
During the 2025-2026 School year, our district will be offering opportunities for education and conversation about the topic of student use of telecommunication devices.
We want your voice to be part of this process! Send an email to communications@chehalisschools.org if you would like to be added to our mailing list.
Chehalis Student Cell Use Policy Advisory Committee
In an effort to continue to stay at the forefront of isssues like student cell phone use, the Chehalis School Board passed Resolution 24-25-017 establishing a Committee to Review Student Cell Phone Use in School. This committee was tasked with:
- Reviewing current district policies and practices regarding student cell phone use
- Gathering input from stakeholders regarding the impact of cell phone use on student learning and school climate
- Researching best practices and policies from other districts
- Providing informed guidance to the Board regarding whether the current policy should be maintained, revised, or replaced and report back to the board by July 31, 2025
Committee Members:
- Aiden, Student, Class of 2029
- Valerie Corniel, District Parent
- Heidi Fagerness, Chehalis Middle School Principal
- Stephanie Fox, Chehalis Middle School Teacher
- Kelsi Hamilton, District Parent & School Board Member
- Alicia Hill, Chehalis Middle School Counselor
- Shawna Herriford, District Parent
- Caty Lieseke, W.F. West High School Teacher
- Brandon Marskell, Chehalis Middle School Assistant Principal
- Katie Meier, District Parent and School Board Candidate
- Brice Meldrum, Chehalis Middle School Teacher
- Denise Obtinario, Chehalis Middle School Teacher
- Libby Rakevich, District Parent & W.F. West High School Counselor
- Emma Reynolds, Hi-Cap, MLL
- Carrina Stanton, Chehalis School District Public Information Officer
- Kyle State, Chehalis Middle School Counselor
- Todd Thornburg, District Security & Safety Officer
- Troy Thornburg, District Security & Safety Officer
- Christine Voelker, W.F. West High School Assistant Principal
Subcommittee Research/Reports
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- Stakeholder Engagement Final Report/Recommendations
- Stakeholder Engagement Survey Results
- Stakeholder Engagement Focus Group Questions
- Stakeholder Engagement Focus Group Answers
- “A Community First Approach to Cell Phone Bans” by Common Sense Media
- “How to Ban Phones Effectively” by Thomas Fordham Institute
- “Take Cellphones Out of Classrooms, Educators Say” from NEA Today
- “The Evolution of a Cell Phone Ban” by NASSP
- “Do Smartphones Belong in Schools? A Look at Different Approaches” by ISTE
- “Cell Phone Ban Adopters Share How they Did It – And How It’s Changed Students” from Ed Week
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- Student Impact & Learning Final Report/Recommendations
- Read “The Effects of smartphone addition on learning: A Meta-Analysis” at THIS LINK
- Read “Adolescent Smartphone Use During School Hours” at THIS LINK
- Read “Research Finds New Insights Into Teen Smartphone Use” at THIS LINK
- Read “What Science Says: Smartphone Use in Schools” at THIS LINK
- Read “2 Ban or Not 2 Ban: Contrasting Views on Cellphone Use in Schools” at THIS LINK
- Read “Focus on the Classroom: 11 States Limit Students’ Access to Media and Create Phone-Free Classrooms in 2024” at THIS LINK
- Read “Hold the Phone: Recent State Activity on Cell Use in Schools” at THIS LINK
- Read “Schools are enacting cell phone policies: are they working” at THIS LINK
- Read “School Board Adopts Option 3 for Cell Phone-Free Education Policy” at THIS LINK
- Read “The Newsfeed: Phone restrictions paying off at one WA School” at THIS LINK
- Read “What’s behind the ban on cell phones in K-12 schools?” at THIS LINK
- Read “Ill Communication: Technology, distraction and student performance” at THIS LINK
- Read “School phone bans alone do not improve grades or well being, says UK study” at THIS LINK
- Read “Smartphone bans in Dutch schools have improved learning, study finds” at THIS LINK
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- Equity & Implementation Final Report/Recommendations
- Read “ Secondary School smartphone policies in England: A descriptive analysis of how schools rationalize, design and implement restrictive and permissive phone policies” at THIS LINK
- Read “Model Legislation to Restrict Smartphone Use in K-12 Schools” at THIS LINK
- Read “Effective Technology Policies: How to Create and Implement An Effective Policy for Personal Devices in Secondary Schools” at THIS LINK
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