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VUSD Secondary (6-12 Grade) Student Cell Phone/Earbud Expectations and Violation Protocol

First page of the PDF file: 08-22-23VUSDearbudsandphones

VUSD is launching an initiative at the start of the 2023-24 school year to clarify for secondary students (6-12) the expectations surrounding student cell phones and earbuds on campus and during instructional time. The rules and expectations and their enforcement are designed to promote respectful learning environments between teachers and students, and minimize distractions to maximize learning. VUSD is a 1:1 district; as such, all students have a district-issued device/Chromebook and therefore there is no need for cell phones in an educational setting. Students will still be allowed to possess cell phones on campus for use during emergencies. 

Purpose of the Student Cell Phone/Earbud Expectations: the following expectations/rules are designed to promote respectful learning environments between teachers and students, and minimize distractions to maximize learning. VUSD is a 1:1 district; as such, all students have a district-issued device/chromebook and therefore there is no need for cell phones in a non-emergency educational setting. 

  • High School (HS): Cell Phones shall remain off and put away (i.e., in a backpack, in a pocket but not accessed by the student during class, etc.) at all times during instructional minutes of the day (e.g., periods/classroom minutes). Earbuds shall not be in students’ ears, whether or not sound/music is playing, during instructional minutes of the day (e.g., periods/classroom minutes).
  • Middle School (MS): Cell phones shall remain off and not on a student’s person at all times during the school day when the student is on campus. Earbuds shall not be in students’ ears, whether or not sound/music is playing, at all times during the school day when the student is on campus.

Teacher Best Practices When Student is Not Following Expectations

  • Teacher Best Practice #1: Teachers should include the above cell phone/earbud policy language in their syllabus, on their individual teacher websites (if applicable) and in all formal paperwork distributed to students, parents/guardians. There should be at least one prominently displayed/visible student cell phone/earbud poster (supplied by the district) in each classroom. 
  • Teacher and Administration Best Practice #2: Site administration, particularly high school given each period of the day on most days (block periods) start after a break where cell phones/earbuds are allowed to be used during non-instructional time, should remind teachers to begin the period of instruction by welcoming students and reminding them to turn off cell phones, put them away and remove earbuds. 
  • Administrative Best Practice #1: Administration should include the above and below language in start-of-the-year communications to students/parents/guardians. Posters should be prominently displayed in the office, cafeteria, etc. 

Violation Protocol Objective: The following establishes a clear process for handling student cell phone/earbud usage violations to provide for consistent enforcement and minimize potential conflicts between teachers/administration and students/parents/guardians. These violations are cumulative throughout the school year. 

  1. First Offense:
    1. Teacher Reminder/Warning: Upon the first violation of the student cell phone/earbud policy, the teacher will remind the student of the policy.
    2. The teacher is recommended to notify the student’s parent/guardian. 
    3. Documentation: The incident will be noted in the student’s Q record by the classroom teacher if the incident occurred during instructional minutes (HS or MS) or campus supervisor (via admin) if on-campus outside of the school day (MS only). The incident description shall clearly note “first offense”. 
  2. Second Offense:
    1. Teacher may require student to turn the phone/earbuds over to them to be held until the end of the period or issue an office referral where the student is required to give the cell phone/earbuds to the administrator/designee. The student may pick up the items at the end of the day. If the student refuses, the parent/guardian is called to the school to retrieve the items from the student. 
    2. Teacher notifies the student's parent/guardian if held in the class. Administration notifies the student’s parent/guardian if referred to the office. 
    3. Alternative to Suspension/Alternate Means of Correction: The school administration will provide an appropriate non-suspension correction method, such as a reflection exercise or a brief educational session on respect for the classroom, the teacher, fellow students and responsible cell phone/earbud use. The holding of the cell phone/earbuds in the office will also suffice as the required alternate means of correction. 
    4. Documentation: Incident and corrective measure will be documented in the student’s Q record by the teacher if items were held in the classroom or by site administration/designee if referred to the office. The incident description shall clearly note “second offense”. 
  3. Third Offense:
    1. Required Office Referral: Cell Phone/Earbuds Confiscated By Administration. 
    2. Parent/Guardian Pickup: The cell phone/earbuds will be securely held by the administration and will only be released to the student's parent/guardian. If the student refuses, the parent/guardian is called to the school to get the items from the student. 
    3. Administration notifies parent/guardian. 
    4.  HS student may be suspended by the teacher from their classroom for the day of the infraction and the following day provided there is a scheduled parent/guardian-teacher conference (with administrator present). 
    5. MS student may be suspended by the teacher from their classroom for the day of the infraction and the following day provided there is a scheduled parent/guardian-teacher conference (with administrator present). 
    6.  Documentation: The incident, including the details of the confiscation, will be recorded in the student's Q record by site administration or designee. The incident description shall clearly note “third offense”.
  4. Fourth Offense:
    1. Cell Phone/Earbuds Taken by Administration: The school administrator will confiscate the cell phone/earbuds and not returned until administration meets in person with the student’s parent/guardian.
    2. Administration notifies the student’s parent/guardian.  
    3. HS student may be suspended by administration under CA Ed Code 48900 “k” with proof of prior alternate means of correction for first, second and third offense. 
    4. MS student may be suspended by the teacher from their classroom for the day of the infraction and the following day provided there is a scheduled parent/guardian-teacher conference (with administrator present). 
    5. Cell Phone/Earbuds Turn-In: Upon returning to school following the suspension, the student shall be required to turn in their cell phone/earbuds to site administration for safekeeping at the beginning of each day for a designated period of time.
    6. Administration may elect to withhold additional privileges, including off-campus passes for upper-classmen, school event/dance participation, extracurricular activity participation, etc. 
    7. Documentation: The meeting with the parent/guardian and the cell phone/ear bud confiscation/retrieval will be recorded in the student's Q record. The incident description shall clearly note “fourth offense”.

Effective communication between teachers, administrators, and parents/guardians is crucial throughout the process. It is essential for teachers to promptly report violations and administrators to ensure the appropriate steps are taken to address them. By adhering to this progressive approach, we aim to maintain fair and consistent enforcement of the cell phone usage policy while minimizing conflicts and power struggles in the classroom.