PERRYSBURG – The school system is struggling with whether to allow students to have use of personal communication devices during the school day.
The school board at its July 15 meeting was asked to pass an amended policy that would add electronic devices, including but not limited, to phones, air pods and smart watches to the list of devices that could be in use before and after school and in between classes at the high school. Devices are to remain inaudible at all times during the school day and ringers must be silenced,
Board member Sue Larimer suggested the district stress zero electronic use during the school day, citing students’ mental health and social skills.
“Once again, we are the trailblazers … but we have a policy I don’t think goes far enough,” she said.
There is a growing dependence of kids under the age of 30 to use their phones “for every little thing” which has led to no communication skills, she said.
Phones are a tool, “and we’ve lost sight of that. Kids depend on them …” she said. “This is not healthy.”
Electronic devices have stolen youngsters’ ability to hone their personal skills, she said.
When kids are in school, unless the phone is being used as a tool, it should not be allowed.
“They’re not going to die if they don’t have a phone during their school day,” she said.
Larimer asked that the policy committee review the issue.
Cell phones have diminished young people’s speaking skills, agreed board member Lori Reffert, but administrators should not be the phone police.
She said the district needs parental buy-in before any drastic changes are made.
The issue is a bigger discussion than what the board can have, she said.
“The goal is lofty. How we get to it is where the discussion needs to be,” Larimer said.
Board President Eric Benington said policy changes often have unintended consequences and they would need teacher input as well.
Reffert said she would like a student representative on any committee formed to discuss the issue.
Superintendent Tom Hosler said students in grades K-8 cannot use electronic devices during the day and aren’t supposed to have a device on them.
At the high school, students have the ability to check their devices between classes and during lunch, he said. Students have to put their phone in a cubby as they enter the classroom.
Board member Laura Meinke, who is on the policy committee, said the district needs to stress self-control of the devices and the perils of overuse.
The policy as it was introduced was passed to allow it to be placed in the student handbook.
“This is better than nothing,” Larimer said.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Heard compliance officer Kelly Wells provide an update on credit card policy.
• Honored a number of junior high boys and girls track team members who qualified for state competition.
• Approved the resignations of Rachel Newell, Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for math; and Danielle Sidebottom, high school counselor, effective at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
• Gave one-year limited contracts to Amy Rahal-Shelton, intervention specialist teacher at Frank Elementary; Ashlee Muscato, intervention specialist teacher at Hull Prairie Intermediate; and Anna Sutter, ADK teacher at Woodland Elementary.
• Awarded a two-year administrative contract to Andrew Shilling as assistant director of special education, from Aug. 1 to July 31, 2026, at an annual salary of $106,000.
• Agreed to a new contract with the City of Perrysburg to provide a school resource officer for the high school and junior high at a cost of $91,183 per officer commencing Aug. 1 through July 31, 2025. The city will provide and pay for a school resource officer at Hull Prairie Intermediate School while the district pays for teachers for the city’s Safety Town.
• Agreed to pay the Educational Service Center of Lake Erie West $268,931 to provide gifted services to gifted teachers and school improvement consultants for the next two years.
• Approve the high school orchestra music competition trip to Toronto, Canada, April 4-6, 2025.
