The district is committed to providing an inclusive educational environment for students and families. It is valuable for students' educational experience for families to engage in and support their students' educational experience. As part of this commitment, the district will take steps to create opportunities for students to engage in peer-to-peer activities, and ensure that student use of personal electronic devices does not occur during instructional time.
Every district staff member is empowered to assist in the enforcement of this policy and regulation as appropriate. To avoid distraction during instructional time, personal electronic devices must be silenced or turned off, not visible, and not physically attached to the student's body.
Each school building’s policies and procedures are outlined below:
High School Building:
Students are not allowed to ‘have on their person’ (including computer bag or other personal bag) personal electronic devices in Forest City High School Classrooms/Locker Rooms/Weight Room/etc. during periods 1 - 8 (including Pride Time/AA and Indian Pals). Students will be expected to keep their personal electronic devices in their locked hallway school locker during periods 1 - 8. Students are prohibited from using their personal electronic devices while scheduled in an academic class period (including going to the restroom, Guidance Office, or High School Office). Students may use their personal electronic devices during the following times: Before school (8:15 a.m.), between class periods, and during their scheduled lunch period.
Use of personal electronic devices while traveling to and from school-related field trips will fall under the discretion of the faculty member. Personal electronic devices may not be used during the ‘field trip event’.
Students with documented medical needs to carry/possess personal electronic devices may do so. Student/Parents/Guardians must present documentation from the medical provider indicating the legitimate need for the student to have in their possession a personal electronic device.
FCHS Alt. Classroom Students - Personal Electronic Devices will be kept in the Classroom Phone Holder.
FCHS Alt. Classroom ‘Flex Students’ & FCHS Waldorf/NIACC students may either leave their cell phones in their vehicle or the device may be kept in the HS Office Device Holder.
Discipline: Having possession of a personal electronic device in a classroom during an academic period (including Pride Time/AA and Indian Pals) will result in the following consequences: (Consequences are cumulative throughout all class periods.)
- First Offense - The device will be placed in the faculty member’s (or substitute teacher) possession and returned to the student at the conclusion of the class period.
- The faculty member (substitute) will notify the office for documentation of the event.
- Second Offense - The office will be notified and the student (and the device) will meet with school administration. The device will be kept in the Associate Principal’s or Principal’s Office until the conclusion of the school day and then returned to the student.
- The incident will be documented as a second offense.
- Third Offense - The office will be notified and the student (and the device) will meet with school administration. The device will be kept in the Associate Principal or Principal’s Office and will be returned to the parent/guardian of the student only after a meeting is held with the student/parent/guardian/administration.
- The incident will be documented as a third offense.
- All other Offenses - The student will be suspended from school for the remainder of the school day + the following day. The student will no longer be allowed to bring personal electronic devices into Forest City CSD, during a school day, for the remainder of the school year.
- The incident will be documented as an additional offense and the student’s parent/guardian will be notified of the pending suspension and personal electronic device restriction for the remainder of the school year.
Refusal to Present Personal Electronic Device to either the requesting faculty member (substitute teacher) or school administration will result in the student being suspended for the remainder of the school day and move the consequence directly to ‘All other Offenses’.
Emergency Use of Personal Electronic Device Procedure: The following steps are in place should a student need to use their personal electronic device during periods 1 - 8 of the school day:
Report to the HS Office to gain permission from the Principal, Associate Principal, or designee (in the event that the Principal and/or the Associate Principal are not in the building). Once permission is granted, the student may go to their locker to get their device. Return to the HS Office to use the personal electronic device.
Middle School Building:
Students are allowed to bring a cell phone to school to use for before or after school purposes (i.e. calling parents for a ride after practice), although there is a phone available for use in the office. If a student chooses to bring a cell phone, they are to be left and locked in their locker throughout the day. Cell phones and all electronic devices are strictly prohibited from the restroom area and locker room areas. If a student does need to utilize their cell phone, teacher permission and supervision is needed.
If a staff member sees or hears a cell phone, the student will be given a reminder and asked to place it in their locker. Following the reminder, violations of this rule will result in:
- 1st Offense: will be brought to the office by staff and will be returned to the student at the end of the day.
- 2nd Offense: will be brought to the office by staff and will only be returned to the student's parent at the end of the day.
- 3rd Offense: Meet with the student and family to set up a designated plan, or to have the phone left at home or turned into the office upon arrival to school each day.
Smart watches are allowed at school to be utilized as a watch. If apps or communication on the watch is being utilized, it will then be treated as a cellular device, and will follow the same protocol listed above.
If a student refuses to follow the above policy and procedure, a parent contact will be made with the possibility of the student being sent home.
Elementary Building:
Students are allowed to bring cellphones to school to use for before and after school purposes, although there is a phone in the school office to use. If a student chooses to bring a cell phone they have 2 options for storing them during the school day: 1. Keep them in the bag that is in their cubby or 2. Give them to their teacher at the start of the day and pick them up at the end of the day.
If a staff member sees or hears a cellphone or sees an electronic device being used for purposes other than academics, the student will be given a reminder and asked to place it with the teacher or in their cubby. Following the reminder, violations of this rule will be as followed:
- 1st Offense: will be brought to the office by staff and returned at the end of the day.
- 2nd Offense: will be brought to the office by staff and only returned to a parent at the end of the day.
- 3rd Offense: Meet with the student and family to set up a designated plan, or to have the device left at home or turned into the office upon arrival to school each day.
If a student in violation of this policy refuses to turn over their device, they may be sent home for the remainder of the school day. Repeated violations of this policy may result in additional disciplinary consequences for students in accordance with board policy.
The district is not responsible for the loss, theft, or destruction of personal electronic devices brought onto school, or district property, or while the student is attending district or school- sponsored events.
Legal Reference:
16 C.F.R. 312
34 C.F.R. pt. 99
47 C.F.R. 54.520
Iowa Code 279.8
Cross Reference:
401.12 Employee Use of Cell Phones
401.1 R1 Employee Use of Cell Phones-Regulation
Approved: 7-14-25 Reviewed: Revised:
