RHS Principal announces cell phone-free policy to begin this year

By Barbara Taormina

Revere High Principal Chris Bowen and Deputy Principal Caitlyn Reilly met with the School Committee this week to discuss the district’s cell phone and attendance policies. Bowen said the focus for the upcoming year will be the goal of a cell phone-free environment with a focus on implementation of the policy. The day-to-day steps of that implementation will require more involvement from administrators, staff and teachers.

Bowen said it would be important to begin with whole school messaging about the policy, including opening day assemblies at each school that outline cell phone rules. The district plans to also reach out to parents and caregivers to inform them of the rules and to share information about the problems big tech and social media often cause for adolescents and teens. All phones must be put away or out of sight and sound during classes. Any device that is turned on or making noise is subject to confiscation by the teacher or staff. According to the student handbook, there may also be additional disciplinary action and families will be notified. Students are allowed to use their cell phones during lunch and free periods.

“There will be lock boxes in each classroom to securely store phones during class,” Bowen told the committee. There have been some thefts of phones and students have complained about the lack of security.

But the main difference is there will be an “all hands-on deck” strategy that will allow teachers to send out an email to fellow educators, administrators and staff when they are facing a problem with a student who refuses to surrender a phone. Fellow staff will go to the classroom to assist a teacher and avoid a confrontation.

Committee members were pleased to hear administrators would be helping teachers implement a difficult and unpopular policy. “It’s good to take the teachers out of the equation,” said Committee member Anthony Caggiano.

The committee asked about the cell phone policy at the middle schools, but Superintendent Dianne Kelly said it’s not a problem with middle school students. They are more compliant and not likely to refuse to give up a phone that a teacher has asked for, said Kelly.

The district is making a similar shift with attendance, redefining roles of teachers and staff and strengthening the definitions of excused and unexcused absences. Bowen explained that different staff members would be in charge of notifying families when a student is absent.

According to Bowen, getting families involved when students skip school or classes is often the solution and there will be caregiver awareness campaigns. When a student is absent, a parent or caregiver must call the main office to report the absence. Students who miss more than nine days in a semester cannot take credit recovery if they fail the course; they would need to retake the course. There are also specific conditions for how a student must make up any classwork missed due to an excused absence. The student handbook includes a list of authorized excused absences. Students who have repeated unexcused absences will be considered “not in good standing,” and will not be allowed to participate in school activities.

Bowen also said the district has a better and more effective truancy program.