By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The School Committee approved a small change to the district’s cellphone and electronic device policy during a recent meeting.
A different incarnation of the School Committee approved the cellphones and electronic device policy last summer, which prohibits the use of devices in classrooms.
Superintendent Tom Geary said the only change he recommended for the cellphone and electronic device policy for the 2025-2026 academic year entailed prohibiting Lynnfield High School students from using them in study halls. He said LHS Principal Patricia Puglisi and Assistant Principal Mike McLeod recommended the policy change to him and the Policy Subcommittee that includes School Committee members Kim Baker Donahue and Kate DePrizio.
“The last sentence of the policy will read, ‘students may access their devices between class and during lunch,’” said Geary. “(Puglisi and McLeod) felt that study halls should be more of an academic place. I agree with that.”
While Geary said the cellphone and electronic device policy is “a good balanced policy,” he wanted to review it before the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. He and Assistant Superintendent Adam Federico solicited staff feedback about the cellphone and electronic device policy during lunches at all four schools.
“We talked about a bunch of different things, and cellphones and electronic devices were one thing that came up,” said Geary. “There was overwhelming agreement with the policy.”
Geary said a survey was administered to staff members about the cellphone and electronic device policy this spring.
“We had 127 respondents to this, which is more than we usually have for participation,” said Geary.
Geary said the first question on the survey asked educators whether they agreed, strongly agreed, were neutral or strongly disagreed with whether the policy has “increased student focus in my classroom and/or school.”
“Eighty eight percent of respondents said they agreed or strongly agreed,” said Geary.
Geary also said 88 percent of respondents reported they agreed or strongly agreed that the policy has “helped make it easier to enforce rules and expectations regarding student use of cellphones and technology.”
The superintendent also read statements from educators at the elementary, middle and high schools who expressed their support for the cellphone and electronic device policy.
While educators support the cellphone and electronic device policy, Geary said he received “a couple of emails” from residents who opposed it due to safety concerns.
“It’s something I strongly reflected on and it is something that I worry about,” said Geary. “It is a top concern.”
Geary said eight residents attended two forums that were recently held at Panera Bread about the cellphone/electronic device policy and the dress code policy.
“Two were in favor and six were opposed,” said Geary. “The ones who were opposed cited safety and wanted to be in touch with their students as needed. It was more about keeping smartwatches in the classrooms than phones as a safety measure.”
Geary said he understands that “not having a watch or a phone can create anxiety for students.”
“All of these were related to the middle school,” said Geary. “While we don’t allow them in our middle and elementary classrooms, if it is something you feel can’t be overcome for your child, reach out to the building administrator. We have lots of reasons for having this successful policy in place, but we want to hear you and we want to work with you. The bottom line is we need your student to have a successful experience each day.”
Geary said each school’s main office can “help coordinate and rely messages” from families to students.
“They know that this is part of their role,” said Geary.
Geary said the District Safety Team that includes him, Federico, Middle School Principal Stephen Ralston, Police Chief Nick Secatore, Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis and other town officials, support the cellphone and electronic device policy. He recalled that all four schools have implemented school security protocols from the “I Love U Guys” Foundation.
“Some people have said this policy isn’t in compliance with the ‘I Love U Guys’ policy for allowing phones in the classroom,” said Geary. “Although ‘I Love U Guys’ does list phone access for students as a possible course of action, it leaves all discretion to the local level. Our District Safety Team has agreed it is the right course of action for Lynnfield. We follow the advice of our Police and Fire Departments in emergency type situations. In this situation, we want all of our students to be focused on listening to adults as needed in these situations as it applies.”
Geary said he discussed the cellphone and electronic device policy with students, particularly at LHS.
“For the most part, they are over it,” said Geary. “They have moved on. They have adapted and they have changed.”
Geary said there were “a decent number” of cellphone and electronic device policy violations at LHS last September while students “were getting used to the policy.” He said the number of infractions went down to “negligible numbers in the second half of the year.”
DePrizio said the Administrative Leadership Team supports the cellphone and electronic device policy because it has allowed administrators, educators and staff to enforce it “in a way that is fair and consistent with students.” She also expressed her support for prohibiting students from using cellphones in study halls at LHS.
Baker Donahue said the secondary schools have implemented different methods for prohibiting cellphones in classrooms. She said the high school has used phone pouches while the middle school has not.
“We heard a couple times could that be tried at the middle school,” said Baker Donahue. “That is something we would have too look into with Principal Stephen Ralston and the staff there to see if that could be an option.”
School Committee Vice Chair Jim Dillon noted cellphones are prohibited in other school districts such as Masconomet and Hamilton-Wenham.
“Even our State Legislature is looking at bell-to-bell no cellphones,” said Dillon. “Eighty eight percent out of the 127 teachers who responded think it is the right thing to do. They are the professionals who are in the classroom trying to deliver the curriculum and educate the children. They have seen what the impact has been.”
While School Committee member Jamie Hayman said he was “a little bit skeptical” about the cellphone and electronic device policy at the start of the academic year, he said, “It has largely been positive.”
Hayman asked Federico if prohibiting cellphones in study halls at LHS would be “enforceable.”
“As someone who came from a high school and has a principal background, is that realistic especially given how we do study halls in the café with one person overseeing?” asked Hayman.
Federico said Puglisi and McLeod recommended the policy change, but he acknowledged enforcing the policy in study halls would be a little harder to enforce. He said phone pouches or “some kind of centralized location” could be used to store phones in study halls.
Magnolia Drive resident Lindsay Weiss said she attended the Panera Bread forum. She previously expressed concerns about smartwatches being included in the policy last September.
“I am a little disappointed our feedback did not make it into the policy, but I get it,” said Weiss. “We are not always going to have a win.”
The School Committee approved the LHS study hall change to the cellphone and electronic device policy at a different meeting.
Dress code policy
Geary did not recommend making any changes to the dress code policy that a different School Committee also approved last summer. He said a resident stated at the Panera Bread forum that, “the dress code should not be made more restrictive.”
“I am fully in agreement with,” said Geary. “At the start of the year, we eliminated hats and hoods from inside the buildings. It has allowed for a greater level of focus with students not being able to hide earbuds under their hood. It’s a more secure environment because faces can be seen. It has been a positive change and I don’t see a need for any change in policy at this point.”
While Geary did not recommend any changes to the dress code policy, he said it “could be adjusted in the future as needed.”
DePrizio said staff members and principals support the dress code policy.
“It has become culture, so hats and hoodies aren’t really a problem anymore,” said DePrizio. “If there needs to be a gentile reminder, there is of course.”
Baker Donahue encouraged residents to continue providing feedback on both policies.
“It’s important for the community to know you should feel comfortable providing feedback,” said Baker Donahue. “Just because we don’t have a set time to review a policy, if we see that something needs to be changed, we will have an opportunity and an obligation to address that. It is fluid in that way.”