Board adopts policies, handbook at brief July meeting
The Aurora School Board adopted a new policy banning cell phone use by students for the coming school year, following what Supt. Jody Phillips said is becoming a growing trend amongst Nebraska school districts.
Cell phone use was one of several issues addressed during a brief monthly meeting Monday, though board members had discussed the matter in more detail at the June meeting. All of those new or revised policies were approved by unanimous vote Monday, including the new cell phone guidelines.
According to Policy 6025, Aurora High School students will be allowed to carry cell phones during the day in their book bag, though using them is prohibited, except for limited medical reasons.
“This is kind of a growing trend amongst other school districts where the feedback has been pretty positive,” Phillips said during the June board meeting. “It’s become a distraction and things we are dealing with regarding phones are taking away from education. If we can give kids six to seven hours of phone-free living in the present, real world, I think that although it might not be what they want, it will help them in general on the mental side of things to be here and interact, and not be engaged with whatever it is on their phones.”
According to the new policy, students will be allowed to have cell phones in their book bags, but if seen during the school day they can be confiscated. The consequences for violating the policy include a parent picking up the phone at the end of the day or paying a $5 fine. The previous policy allowed high school students to use cell phones on campus on a limited basis, before and after school, during lunch break and between class periods.
“We have good kids,” Principal Doug Kittle said during the June meeting. “They will follow the rules. They are addicted to their phones, but parents are going to get tired of paying the fine or coming to pick up the phone.”
As for the policy before and after school, Phillips said allowing or not allowing cell phones will be left to the discretion of coaches.
Chad Svoboda, a member of the school board who also volunteers as an assistant wrestling coach, offered this observation during the June meeting.
“If you don’t take them away, you don’t hear a thing on the bus,” Svoboda said. “If you take them away, they’re talking the entire time, so that’s a good thing.”
Phillips noted that staff members are allowed to use cell phones throughout the day, as addressed in the employee handbook. During lockdown, for example, he said cell phones are the only way staff members are able to communicate with law enforcement personnel.
Kittle also noted that the intent of the policy is not take away the ability of students to communicate with the parents, pointing out that they can send emails throughout the day.
Phillips mentioned Monday that he hasn’t heard much feedback yet regarding the revised cell phone policy.
“We haven’t heard too much, yet, but we will hear something,” he concluded.
Another policy approved Monday will ban concealed firearms on campus, though Phillips said Policy 3060 is in effect a temporary measure. As of now, he explained at the June meeting, the Nebraska Department of Education has determined that concealed weapons will not be allowed at Class 3 schools, though it may be an option for Class 1 and 2 schools. The NDE is expected to announce if Aurora 4R Schools will be listed as a Class 2 or 3 school in January of 2025.
“It is based on the population within your district boundary and we’re waiting for NDE to determine our district population, which will drive the conversation regarding this policy,” he said. “We will either have a choice, or not.”
If the district is determined to be a Class 2 school, Phillips said it would be his recommendation that concealed weapons not be allowed on school property. In the meantime, the new policy prohibits concealed weapons on campus.
Phillips noted Monday that the no firearm policy will be posted on school grounds, since some members of the public, including out-of-town guests, may assume concealed weapons are allowed.
“We will have to do something to let everyone know guns are not allowed on campus,” he said.
Special session pending
During his administrative report, Phillips said he is watching and listening with interest as the Nebraska Legislature prepares to reconvene for a special session July 25.
“Property taxes are the main purpose of the special session and at this point I have no idea what is going to be proposed,” he told the board. “It could be sales tax, or it could be a myriad of things. We’ve been told that whatever they do won’t take effect this fiscal year, but that’s what we’ve been told and I can’t guarantee that until they meet and do whatever they’re going to do. That’s the biggest fear.”
Phillips also noted that work is progressing a $1.7 million roof repair project, which started at the end of June and is scheduled to be completed by the time school starts. The large insurance claim will cover the cost of repairing roofs on the high school, middle school and elementary buildings. All three were damaged by a number of storms over time, he reported, though the middle school took the hardest hit.
In other action during Monday’s meeting, the board:
* approved the 2024-25 student handbook, which Phillips said included fewer changes than normal;
* tabled any action on substitute teacher pay rates until August, pending Phillip’s recommendation on how to offer incentives to substitute teachers who work eight days or more per month in the district;
* approved $850 membership renewal for membership in the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association for the 2024-25 school year;
* approved a 10 cent increase in school lunch prices, which means prices will be as follows: Elementary school — $1.90 for student breakfast, $2.70 for adult breakfast, $2.65 for student lunch, $3.90 for adult guest lunch; middle school/high school — $1.90 for student breakfast, $2.70 for adult breakfast, $3 for student lunch. The price for adult guest lunches has not yet been determined, but was $3.80 last year.