Students will need to put their phones and other devices away during class starting next school year.
A new state law requires school districts to ban “any portable wireless device” from classrooms.
On Tuesday, members of the Crawfordsville School Board of Trustees began discussing the measure which comes from Senate Enrolled Act 185. Under the new state law, school districts must adopt policies banning communication devices during instructional time. That includes phones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras and gaming systems, as well as any other devices that can provide communication between two parties.
Exactly how that will be done is up to each individual school district. Students might be required to put their phones in locked pouches or designated places in the classroom — a measure that is currently practiced by many local educators.
The law states a student can use their device, if a teacher allows it for educational purposes during instructional time; if a student needs to manage their health care, as for blood sugar monitoring, for example; in the event of an emergency; and if the use of the device is included in their Individualized Education Program or 504 plan.
School officials said the policy, which was not acted upon, but only discussed on first reading, is still being developed.
The district already has a similar policy in place.
The board also approved a memorandum of understanding between North Montgomery Community School Corp. and Crawfordsville Community School Corp. for the Crawfordsville Adult Resource Academy. CARA will use a welding lab and classroom at NMHS to expand its programming to offer a free welding certification to adult learners.
Approval also was given to administrative officials to seek a school based mental health provider grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue and expand services in the district.
The board renewed a contract with Chartwells for food service during the 2024-25 school year. Per the new contact, management and administrative fees will increase 4.2%. This is the fourth and final year of the contract. The district must seek bids at the conclusion of this contract.
The board approved employee childcare rates and priority for admission into the new corporation-run childcare program at Willson Preschool Academy. Priority will be given to full-time staff, then part-time staff, followed by administrators. Placement for the first child is free and additional children are admitted at discounted rates. Part-time childcare is not available. The program is only available to district employees.
In personnel matters, the board accepted the retirement of Rochelle (Shelly) Drake, Nicholson third grade teacher. She has taught for 52 years, 47 of those with the district. The board also accepted the resignations of Darian Todd, Nicholson nurse; Robin McKinney, Hoover; Bob Roark, Hoover life skills aide; Josh Perry, Nicholson media center assistant; Melissa Groumoutis, Willson teacher’s aide; Lisa Kidd, CHS assistant; Emma Verhey, WCISSC administrative assistant; and Kari-Ann VanCleave, Hoover teachers assistant.
The board approved the employment of Adam Welcher as Hose principal; Eric Danforth, CHS social studies teacher; Elizabeth Ehrendreich, speech language pathologist; Lyndsy (Johnson) Eslinger, Hose resource teacher; Olivia Barnett, Nicholson elementary teacher; Chase McMurry, Hoover elementary teacher; and Brian Bartlett, CMS part-time band teacher; Paige Loveless, Hoover nurse; Kelly Murphy, part-time adult education welding instructor; and Whitney Cosgray, Hoover physical education teacher.
The board also approved the employment of Susan Sizemore, Willson preschool aide; Savanna Christie, infant childcare lead instructor; Christina Gosman, developmental preschool aide; Adrianna Rice, developmental preschool aide; Riley Sanders, Willson preschool aide; Hannah Snider, toddler childcare lead instructor; Virginia White, preschool aide; Kelsea Wolf, childcare aide; Rosemary Wynn, developmental preschool aide; Kelly Murphy, adult education welding instructor (part-time); and Carli Sizemore, Willson infant child care aide.
In other business, the school board:
• Learned that on April 23, Stop Arm Violation Survey Day, the district observed 10 violations and reported the data to the state.
• Learned a three-week summer school term for both elementary and secondary students will operate 8-11:30 a.m. June 3-21. Lunch will be available from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
• Learned Hoover Elementary received a Family Friendly School designation from the Indiana Department of Education.
• Received notification that the district’s application for a Common School Fund Loan for improvements at Willson was denied. Superintendent Dr. Rex Ryker said the board will now need to consider a bond to meet the needs at Willson and other facilities. He added that the extra meeting the board had set for May 13 is no longer needed.
• Was reminded that graduation will be at 7 p.m. May 31 at Crawfordsville High School.
The next board meeting is at 5:30 p.m. June 13 at the administration building.
