LEE, Mass. – Lee Public Schools implemented a new cell phone policy Monday called “From bell to bell, no cell.”
This new policy will have students turn off their cell phones completely at the start of the day at 7:58 a.m. until the last bell at 2:30 p.m. If a phone is found or heard in a student’s hands, it will be confiscated to the office where the student can then pick up. In the case of repeat offenses, the student’s parent or guardian will have to pick up the phone during office hours.
“We want them to start to develop good habits about what it means to be an active learner, what it means to be a responsible citizen in an environment like a school setting so that they can focus their intentions on what is the priority,” said superintendent Michael Richard. “And the priority when students are in school is their academic experience. We also hope it will cut down on any potential incidents of online bullying, social media access, those types of things.
“Those are secondary to our concerns, but the reality is we want students focused on learning so that they get the best education possible while they’re a part of the Lee Public Schools.”
Richard is also asking faculty, staff and administration to model the same practices. If a parent or students needs to contact someone, they are asked to utilize the school office phones.