The District 200 School Board met for a special session on Wednesday, Aug. 7 to discuss among other issues, the district’s forthcoming cell phone policy that is set to be enacted for the 2024-2025 school year in accordance with the changes from the 2024 Omnibus Education bill (SF 3567).
The bill requires districts to enact a policy on students’ possession and use of cell phones within schools by March 15, 2025. While Hastings already has a cell phone policy, it is within Policy 524 internet acceptable use and safety. In order to comply with the new policy, the district must create and enact a standalone cell phone policy. This standalone policy doesn’t necessarily mean a radical change of the current cell phone policy for the district, however.
District 200’s current cell phone policy prohibits students’ use of cell phones during the instructional day. It also prohibits students from using cell phones to engage in other prohibited activities like “cheating, bullying, harassment, and malicious and sadist conduct.” In addition, the policy allows the search of student cell phones if the student is suspected of violating “a school policy, rule, or law by use of a cell phone or other electronic communication device.” Students’ cell phones can be confiscated if they are used during the instructional day or if they are used in violation of school district policy.
Much of the language sent to parents in July was pulled directly from this existing policy including language about the prohibition of student cell phones during the instructional day.
The district was provided with a Cell Phone Toolkit from the Minnesota Elementary Schools Principals’ Association (MESPA) and Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP). The goal of the toolkit is to “provide model guidelines that school districts can adopt for student possession and use of cell phones in school,” with the option for districts to adjust and modify guidelines as needed.
Several reasons for the creation of a cell phone policy listed in the toolkit include improved academic performance, enhanced mental health, better classroom environments, and supporting effective teaching.
The toolkit walks through two distinct options for schools: no cell phones allowed during the academic day and limited access to cell phones during passing periods and lunch for high schools. Currently, all District 200 schools follow the former plan as laid out in policy 524.
The toolkit also lists steps for dealing with violations of the cell phone policy including the creation of personal plans for students who continually violate the policy. It also provides sample handbook language and parent/guardian letters for the updated policy.
Also discussed at the meeting was a proposal from the City of Hastings for the district to pay for 30% of the improvements to the Hastings Civic Arena including a conversion of the refrigeration system, the replacement of the west rink roof, and the addition of a 160 kW solar array. This $5.3 million project, if accepted by the district would cost it some $1.5 million without interest if payments were spread across a 10- or 20-year timeline. According to the letter from City Administrator Dan Wietecha, this 70/30 split is the same process by which “construction of the east rink was financed in 1998.”
To view the full agenda for the special session, visit https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/931