October 17, 2024
Good afternoon Prince George Families,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to share some information regarding our commitment to providing distraction-free learning environments for our students while at school.
On September 17, 2024, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) shared its final guidance regarding cell phone usage by students while in school settings, providing valuable information for school divisions and families regarding the framework of future policies aimed at cell phone-free education in schools.
In general, the Guidance for Cell Phone-Free Education differentiates age-appropriate cell phone restrictions in Virginia's elementary (Pre-K-5) and secondary (6-12) schools. With this guidance now available to school divisions and local school boards, we are collaborating with the Prince George County School Board to develop a local policy consistent with the state’s guidelines over the coming weeks and months.
Wednesday evening (October 16, 2024), a draft personal communications devices policy was presented to the Prince George County School Board during their regular meeting. This draft policy and supporting PowerPoint presentation are linked below. The documents outline student use of personal cell phones, personal communication devices and accessories in alignment with the Guidance and Executive Order 33.
- CLICK TO VIEW: Presentation - Draft Cell Phone Policy Following State EO33
- CLICK TO VIEW: Document - Draft JFC Policy, Personal Communication Devices
Generally, this draft policy states students are prohibited from using personal communications devices, including cell phones, during instructional time or in instructional settings, which comprises places such as a classroom, auditorium, gymnasium, and any location where a school staff member is providing instruction or related activities.
- Elementary school students are not permitted to use personal technology during the school day.
- Middle and High School students must keep their devices silent, not visible, stored in their backpack or another phone storage location away from students during the school day. These students may be able to use their devices before or after the school day concludes as permitted by the school’s administrators.
Our draft policy provides pathways for those families of students who may need personal communication devices as part of their child’s documented Section 504 plan, Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and/or individualized healthcare plans.
Additionally, we understand the importance of being able to reach your child in the event of an emergency and transparency during an emergency response. School staff will continue to have access to communications during instructional time and will be able to contact the school office in the event of an emergency. Further, during a school emergency, students who access stored personal communications to make calls for assistance will not be penalized. As always, our division will provide regular communications through our electronic mass communication systems.
We look forward to partnering with the Prince George County School Board to create a policy that supports our students by providing reduced distractions during the school day, ensuring our students who need assistive technology receive those resources and that families can reach their children when they need to in both emergencies and non-emergency instances.
As outlined in the VDOE’s Guidance, local school divisions should have their local policy for student cell phone use in place by January 1, 2025, but districts and schools can begin preparing for the policy’s implementation prior to this date.
We will continue to share updates as we progress through the policy-development process alongside the board and our school community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Wayne Lyle
Superintendent
Prince George County Public Schools