SAUGUS — The School Committee Policy Sub-Committee was briefed on the implementation of a cellphone policy in the school district.
The policy states that cellphones are expected to be in lockers or at home from 7:50 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. It covers all personal electronic devices, wireless headphones, or any other electronic devices, outside of exemptions if students medically require a device.
The new principal at Saugus Middle High School Dr. Carla Scuzzarella said that at the middle school level, the cellphone policy has been going over “very well.”
“I think they’re just used to putting them away,” Scuzzarella said. “I think the teachers are doing a pretty good job of making sure the phones are away,” she added.
Scuzzarella said that at the high school, “it’s better.”
“I’m not getting as many emails now, but I think we can’t really let up on (the policy),” Scuzzarella said.
Kevin Fontanella, a teacher at the high school, said that he was surprised with “how easy it has been within the classroom to enforce the cell phone policy.”
Fontanella said that in his classroom of sophomores, he utilizes pouches, but added that each teacher has a different way of enforcing the policy.
“Beginning of class, they basically go row by row and put them in,” Fontanella said of the cellphone pouches.
Fontanella said that in the four weeks that the school year has been back in swing, he has only had one instance during which a student was attempting to sneakily use their cellphone in class.
“Overall, I think it’s been good,” Fontanella said. “From the teaching perspective, I think it’s going really well,” he added.
Superintendent Michael Hashem said that at the middle school level, he has heard of less issues with cellphone use, but at the high school level, “it’s going to be problematic, because it’s the culture.”
“This is the way we change the culture from the bottom up,” Hashem said, saying that implementation of the policy at lower grades will curb cellphone use as they move up grade levels within the school system.
