The Mathews County School Board resumed its discussion geared to developing a policy regulating student use of cell phones in school during Tuesday’s monthly meeting, which was held in the Mathews High School media center.

Tuesday’s discussion included an examination of surveys of students, parents and employees on the issue, as well as reports of disciplinary problems experienced at each of the three schools as a result of cell phone use.

Two surveys were conducted by the division last month. In the employee survey, slightly over half (50.5 percent) of those responding said they thought students should be allowed to bring their cell/smartphones to school, and about three quarters (75.2 percent) said students should not be allowed to use them during class for instructional purposes. An overwhelming majority (86.1 percent) were in favor of the school board developing a division-wide policy restricting student use in the classroom, with the primary reason being that it distracts from learning.

Employees were also asked if students should be able to access their cell phones between classes and during lunch, with opinion roughly split (49.5 percent in favor; 45.5 percent against).

In the parent/student survey, 73.9 percent of the students have cell phones, with 71 percent of those permitted by the parent to bring it to school (the primary reason being able to communicate with parents). More than half (57.1 percent) were in favor of the establishment of a division-wide policy and 71.3 percent said students should be able to use the phones between classes and during lunch.

The largest number of disciplinary problems was encountered at MHS. In his report, principal Dr. Drew Greve said that in the first 119 days of the current school year, staff has dealt with 165 disciplinary issues, 31 of which (19 percent) involved a cell phone, 18 involved social media or an app, and four involved earbuds/headphones.

“Students’ use of cell phones/social media during lunch and between classes is not always appropriate, and very difficult for teachers/administrators to enforce,” Greve wrote in his report. “It would be helpful for the school board to adopt a policy that aligned with our school procedure, but added that phones would be turned off during lunch. There are certain teachers who do not consistently enforce the procedure because they do not take issue with students listening to music during times that are appropriate (such as completing homework during a study hall). Adopting a school board policy would greatly help to support administrators in consistently enforcing cell phone procedures throughout the building.”

School board member Dr. Mari Gibbs said that any policy should also consider student use of cell phones on school buses and that the consequences of violating the policy need to be clearly spelled out. School board member Linda Hodges said this is a “multi-faceted, complex process” and questioned how the policy would be enforced. “I just don’t want our administrators spending an inordinate amount of time on a policy that is not successful,” she said.

School board member Bobby Dobson said he was in favor of a ban of student use of cell phones, something that received support during public comment. Bob Sherrill that this is a problem with a very simple solution. “Has it occurred to you to simply say ‘no,’” he asked the board members. You say no to such things as overt sexual acts, violence, weapons, alcohol, cigarettes and drug use at school, “so why can’t you say ‘no’ to cell phones and enforce it,” Sherrill asked.

Amy Bohannon-Stewart, who also favored a cell phone ban, said that whatever policy is crafted should include an exception for students with documented disabilities that require a cell phone app for such things as hearing aids or monitoring the student’s glucose level.

“But that’s the only exceptions that should be made,” she said. “I have a high schooler and I am frustrated by the lack of consistency” in student cell phone use, she said.

Superintendent of Schools Nancy Welch indicated that she would work to craft a policy and bring the matter back up next month with an eye to the board adopting a policy in time for the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

Teachers of the Year

Tuesday’s meeting began with recognition of the three Teachers of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year: Sarah Richardson from Mathews Elementary, Michelle Williams from Thomas Hunter Middle School, and Frannie Hubbard from Mathews High School.

The three honored teachers received a basket filled with donations from the community. Donors included: American Fidelity, Bay School Community Arts Center, Chesapeake Bank, Donk’s Theater, Frontline Education, the Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal, Grover’s Auto Repair, Hair Creations, Linda’s Diner, Dr. Ben Lennon, the Mathews Lions Club, Mathews Pharmacy, Mathews Family YMCA, M&M Building Supply Garden Center, Optima Health, P. Buckley Moss Galleries Ltd., Roane’s Antiques at The Cottage, Richardson’s Café, Shun Xing Restaurant, Southwind Pizza and Unique Design Florist.

The school board provided each with decorative school bells and a free day-off pass; each school gave its teacher $50 in classroom supplies, and the cafeteria gave each a free school lunch.

The beginning of Tuesday’s meeting also included recognition of the successes of the Thomas Hunter and Mathews High School band programs, with Michael Loveless and Mark Givens from the two schools listing the many accomplishments and introducing the students to the board.

Following a closed session, the board approved the upcoming retirement of MES technology manager Edith Turner and the appointment of Christy Lindberg as food services coordinator for the 2023-2024 school year.

The board is also expected to hold a special meeting sometime in the next couple of weeks in order to finalize plans on filling the superintendent’s position following the retirement of Welch.

The board didn’t set a date for the closed session meeting, needing to coordinate schedules with chairman Desmond Smith, who was sick and unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting. The board hopes to announce a new superintendent at its May 16 meeting, Welch said earlier in the meeting.