Two districts move to ban student cell phone usage
Students at two local school districts will be learning something new when classes start next week—how to get along without their smart phones at school. Both Aurora and Giltner have banned cell phone use by students for the upcoming school year. The new policies go into effect on the first day of school which will be next Wednesday, Aug. 14 for Giltner and the day after for Aurora. Hampton and High Plains public schools will also begin classes on Wednesday.
This summer the Aurora and Giltner school boards moved to remove the distraction of cell phones from the classroom and other school areas. In Aurora, Policy 6025 states that high school students will be allowed to carry phones during the day in their book bag, but using them is prohibited, except for limited medical reasons. At Giltner students will not be allowed to have phones on their person or in their lockers according to the new policy adopted in July.
Students in grades K-6 who absolutely need a cell phone with them will check their phone into their teacher immediately upon arrival. Middle school and high school students should leave their devices in their vehicles or if they ride the bus will check their phone into the office immediately upon entering the building.
Aurora Public Schools
Music students in Aurora already started showing up at school each morning this week, as the High School Band Camp began on Monday.
Next Wednesday the Elementary Open House is scheduled for 5:30-7 p.m. and the Middle School Open House will be held on the first day of school from 6-7 p.m.
Classes for students in grades K-5, 6 and 9 will open at 8:20 a.m. on Thursday with the middle school and high school dismissing at 11:30 a.m. and the elementary dismissing at 11:15. Students in grades 7-8 and 10-12 will start on Friday at 8:20 a.m.
Once again this year elementary students in Aurora will be in class from 8:20 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and the middle school and high school will begin classes at 8:20 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m.
Due to a shortage of bus drivers, officials at Aurora have announced that in-town bus routes will not operate this fall. See the article on that subject by Kurt Johnson elsewhere in this edition of ANR.
The district also announced last week it was moving the date of Aurora’s homecoming from the original date to the week of Sept. 23-27.
Giltner Public Schools
Band Camp for Giltner band students started on Monday and runs through Wednesday this week and teacher professional development days will be Thursday through Monday. Fall sports practices will begin on Monday which will also be the day of the Kindergarten Roundup (3-4 p.m.) and the 7th grade orientation which will take place between 4-5 p.m.
In Giltner the school day will begin at 8:10 each morning and dismiss at 3:34.