During Monday’s meeting, the Warsaw School Board approved an updated cell phone policy.
The adoption came after Senate Bill 185 went into effect this year, which requires each school corporation and charter school to adopt and implement a wireless communication device policy that governs student use of a wireless communication device and publish the policy on the school corporation’s or charter school’s website.
Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said the new cell phone policy doesn’t drastically change what’s happening inside WCS’ schools since the school corporation already had a cell phone policy, but the new policy has a little bit more teeth to it. He noted the policy includes Smart watches and any tablets that are not school-provided.
The new policy states it is unacceptable to use cell phones during instructional times unless it is to manage documented health care needs or in the event of an emergency. For kindergarten through 12th-grade students, they are able to use cell phones on school buses or school vehicles, subject to the driver’s discretion, provided it does not create an unsafe environment. For high school students, they are able to use cell phones during lunch breaks and between classes as long as they do not cause disruption.
Cell phone use is unacceptable in areas such as gymnasiums, locker rooms, shower facilities, restrooms and any other location where privacy is expected; to capture, record or transmit audio, pictures or video or any student, staff member or any other person without consent; to transmit threatening, obscene or sexually explicit material or to engage in bullying or harassment; or for cheating, academic dishonesty or any fraudulent activity.
Violations of the policy could result in confiscation of the student’s cell phone, which will be returned to the parent or guardian; disciplinary action, ranging from a warning to expulsion, depending on the nature and frequency of the violation; and possible referral to law enforcement if the violation involves illegal activities.
Earlier in the meeting, Atelier Director Sea Grandon updated the school board on the "Next Wave: Surf the Saw” exhibit Warsaw Area Career Center students participated in.
Grandon said Atelier has four or five solo exhibitions and one group exhibition each year. This year, she said she decided to collaborate with WCS. She was working with WACC instructor Andrea Miller to help highlight the students’ skills as well as highlighting the natural resources of the area lake community.
Grandon started working with Miller and her students. The WACC students were able to see last year’s group exhibit.
On opening night of the exhibit, over 300 visited the gallery. A lot of the WACC students were able to sell their work, with none of the art being sold to the students’ family members.
In other business, the board:
• Approved this year’s Teacher Appreciation Grants.
• Approved the appointment of Barbara Beck to the Warsaw Community Public Library Board.
• Approved the appointment of Warsaw School Board member Brad Johnson to the Winona Lake Park Board with Board member Tom Westerhof as back up.