Cell Phone Policy

STUDENT PHONE POLICY DOCUMENT & GUIDELINES

Fairfax High School Cell Phone Control Group

Phones are not to be used during school except for when allowed by Regulation 2601, High school students may use their phones during passing times and at lunch.

Every classroom will have a secure storage unit where students will deposit their phones at the start of class and then retrieve their phones at the end of class.

DAILY PROCESS

  1. As a student enters each classroom, they will silence their cell phones (or place in airplane mode). Smartwatches also need to be placed in silent or airplane mode. If a student brings airpods to school, these must be stored in the student’s backpack during class. 
  2. As the student enters each classroom, they will place their phones in their backpacks. 
  3. When class ends, students will be able to access their phones.
  4. For the first few weeks of the pilot, schools may have a daily schoolwide announcement first thing in the morning to remind students to silence their phones and to place phones in their backpacks as they enter each of their classrooms.
  5. Students may still use their phones during passing time and at lunch (but not in restrooms except in emergencies), in accordance with the SR&R.
  6. Students with IEPs who have an accommodation allowing access to their phones or students with a documented medical need requiring access to their phones will be allowed to have access to their phones.

VIOLATIONS

Staff Response and Discipline

  • First Violation
    • Staff Response: the phone is confiscated by a staff member and held until the end of the class. The phone will be secured by a staff member in the student’s classroom if the violation occurs in the classroom, or the phone will be secured in the office if the violation occurs in the hall or bathroom during class time. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the class. A parent/guardian is notified.
    • Discipline: the student receives a warning and it is logged in SIS.
  • Second Violation
    • Staff Response: the phone is confiscated and given to the front office/subschool office. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the school day. A parent/guardian is notified.
    • Discipline: the student receives detention and it is logged in SIS.
  • Third Violation
    • Staff Response: the phone is confiscated and given to the front office/subschool office. A parent/guardian is notified.  A parent/guardian or designee must pick up the phone. The phone will not be released to the student. 
    • Discipline: the student receives detention, a parent/guardian conference is held, and it is logged in SIS. 
  • Fourth Violation (and all other subsequent violations)
    • Staff Response: the phone is confiscated and given to the front office/subschool office.  A parent/guardian is notified.  A parent/guardian or designee must pick up the phone. The phone will not be released to the student. 
    • Discipline: phone privileges are lost for 20 consecutive school days and it is logged in SIS.  For each of these 20 days, the student will report to the front office at the beginning of each day to turn over their phone until the end of the day.