Mount Carmel Junior-Senior High School Principal Amy Duckworth presented details Monday night on a proposed smart device policy expected to take effect for the upcoming school year.
Speaking to the District 348 School Board, Duckworth said the policy would require students to leave backpacks, phones, smart watches, earbuds, AirPods, and other smart devices locked in their hallway lockers during the school day.
Duckworth said the goal is to create classrooms with fewer distractions and more meaningful engagement between students and teachers. She noted the new policy would bring the high school more in line with existing smart device rules already in place at the elementary, grade school, and junior high buildings.
Under the proposal, students would still have access to their devices during the high school’s open-campus lunch period, especially for those leaving campus during lunch.
Duckworth also explained that language allowing device use “at teacher discretion” would be removed from the handbook in an effort to improve consistency throughout the building.
Board members asked questions about possible exceptions for students with medical needs. Duckworth said accommodations would be considered on an individual basis through 504 plans or individualized education plans, commonly known as IEPs. She added that some students require smart devices for medical monitoring, including blood sugar tracking, and those needs would continue to be addressed appropriately.
Duckworth emphasized that the focus of the policy is positive engagement and classroom focus, with consequences aimed at non-compliance rather than simply possession of a device.