The Rowan-Salisbury Schools Code of Conduct states:
"Middle and high school students may possess cell phones. Use of cell phones in any manner during the school instructional day or on school buses is prohibited unless authorized by a school administrator. It is a student’s responsibility to ensure that his/her cell phone is turned off completely and kept out of sight during unauthorized times. Students who repeatedly violate the above restrictions shall be deemed to have created a disruption to the instructional environment and be subject to disciplinary action determined by the principal as well as confiscation of the cell phone. A student shall be personally and solely responsible for the security of his/her cell phone. The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education shall not assume responsibility for theft, loss, or damage of a cell phone, or unauthorized calls made on a cell phone.
Parents who need to reach their child during the instructional day due to an emergency should call the school’s main office or come to the school to pickup their child rather than attempting to contact their child on her/her cell phone."
This policy works well as long as students abide by it. Unfortunately, students have abused the privilege of having their phones at school by having their phones out and turned on; using them in the halls between classes; texting other students during class; taking pictures; and downloading pictures from their phones to school computers and then printing the pictures. The phones are becoming a real distraction.
Consequently, Erwin will be putting a new policy in place in regard to students and their cell phones. This policy works in conjunction with the guidelines set down in the Code of Conduct and is meant to futher define acceptable cell phone use and the consequences of cell phone misuse.
If a student is found to be in violation of the Code of Conduct regarding cell phone use…
1st Offense... The cell phone will be confiscated and a parent/ guardian will need to pick the phone up from the office. It will not be returned to the student.
2nd Offense... The cell phone will be confiscated and a parent/ guardian will need to pick the phone up from the office. In addition, the student will lose his/her cell phone privilege for the remainder of the year. The student may not bring a cell phone back to school.
3rd Offense... The cell phone will be confiscated. It will not be returned to the student until the end of the school year.
Note: All classrooms in the school have a phone for teacher and emergency use.