Tiverton High School students will have to abide by new cell phone rules when they return to classes this fall.

The school committee last week approved a policy requiring all students to place their phones in cell phone holders, or pockets, as they enter the classroom. They may retrieve the phones at the end of class. Students may not use the phones if they leave temporarily for a bathroom break, nor can they use them during detention. Devices may be used, however, at lunch and during classroom transition times.

Principal Susan Craven recommended that the new policy be added to the 2023-24 Student/Parent Handbook as a way to minimize disruptions to learning.

Craven said the policy will replace one enacted last year in which students were expected to store their phones in their backpacks during class. Teachers found it difficult to enforce that policy, she said, since students could easily slip the phones out of their packs and use them while classroom instruction was underway.

“We have so many issues during the school day with students texting one another, with bullying, [and] sending pictures of one another. It’s just disruptive…The cell phone is a distraction during instruction.”

Make-up work policy updated

Another policy change involves timelines for making up work following a student absence.

Craven said teachers had previously been extremely flexible in allowing students to make-up work they missed at any time during the quarter.

“We tightened that up after speaking with teachers. Students are allowed to make up work but now there are time limitations as to when that work can be made up.”

For example, for one-day absences, work can be made up when the student returns to school. Those who have verified short-term absences (two to three days) will have five school days from the first day of return to make up missed work, tests or quizzes. Long-term absences will be handled on an individual basis, based on collaboration between parents and teachers.

The new policy recommendations resulted from feedback from faculty who were surveyed on priorities they want to focus on, said Craven.