District news
Bell-to-bell student cell phone ban adopted
What happened
On July 6 the board gave final approval to policy JICJ, which bans students in Pre-K through grade 12 from using, carrying or wearing phones, smartwatches and other connected devices during the whole school day. Exceptions cover health plans, IEPs, 504 plans and language support. The rules (JICJ-R) were updated in fall 2026. The change follows a 2026 state law (LD 2212).
Why it matters to families
This is a big change to daily school rules for students and families. Devices must be off and stored from the first bell to dismissal.
The evidence
July 6, 2026 minutes record the 9-0 second-reading vote, and May 13 policy committee minutes cite LD 2212. Both the policy and rules documents are posted.
The source
July 6, 2026 board minutesSee the full record for Regional School Unit 71 (RSU 71).
Get alerts like this for Regional School Unit 71 (RSU 71)
We read every agenda, packet, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from, the moment it's public.
Get personalized alerts