Laclede County school updates cell phone policy, includes emergency phones in classrooms

LEBANON, Mo. (KY3) - Joel E. Barber Elementary School in Laclede County is updating its cellphone policy before school starts back up on Monday, August 21.

Cell phones are not allowed to be used by students in class. Students must keep them in their lockers or put them away in bags. The school district just installed new landline phones teachers, or students can use if there is an emergency in the classroom.

Superintendent Dr. Rachelle Jennings said the cell phone policy is similar to what it has been, but they want to remind parents and students of the rules.

“For kids to be safe and for learning to take place, the cell phones need to stay in student backpacks, in lockers, and those kinds of places...not out on their desk during classroom instruction,” Dr. Jennings said.

Dr. Jennings also said there had been safety concerns from parents in the past regarding this cell phone policy, and she responded to any parents worried about their kids not having a cell phone on them in case of a problem.

“We do take safety and security of the utmost importance, and we have their student’s best interest at heart,” she said.

She said there had been safety concerns in the past, but now Jennings said parents should feel more at ease because there are emergency phones in every classroom.

“Having these phones in our classrooms is going to be new for all of our staff this year,” she said. “That was a part of the Safety and Security Grant through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).”

Dr. Jennings said getting a phone on each teacher’s desk in every class is one of the emergency upgrades the district has done.

“This is in order to put communication tools at the very tip of our fingers for our teachers and students should they need that,” said Dr. Jennings.

Dr. Jennings said if any parents have other concerns regarding the cell phone policy, to reach out to her, the principal, or the assistant principal. If you want more information on the school district, visit its website.

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