By Haley Thomas, contributor
Students in Harrisonburg City Public Schools will have to finish texting and scrolling social media on their phones before school starts and wait until after the final bell rings to resume, now that the school board approved a new cell phone policy.
The school board returned from its summer break on Tuesday by updating the cell phone policy to prohibit student usage of personal electronic devices in schools and also by unveiling a new lineup of leaders set to drive the district into the 2024-25 academic year.
Starting this academic year — the first day of this school year on Aug. 20 — students must keep “personally owned electronic devices” turned off and kept away once they enter the building until after the school day ends. Smart watches are permissible, but only if they are not connected to a network.
The policy covers cellphones, cellular smart watches, iPads, personal Chromebooks/laptops, earbuds, tablets, video game devices and any component or attachment to any of the items listed.
Joy Blosser, chief academic officer, said the review of this policy came in the wake of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33 issued on July 9, which aims to establish cellphone-free classrooms and promote the health and safety of K-12 students. Executive Order 33 directs the Virginia Department of Education to provide guidance to school boards on cellphone-free education policies and procedures.
Although a personal electronic device policy has been in the district’s handbook since 2006, Blosser said it had not been revised since 2012 and needed updates to adhere to the governor’s order.
The stricter policy doesn’t mean students won’t be using technology in school.
“We are so much further along with the devices that HCPS can provide and the ability for our students to have devices that they need for instructional purposes than we were when this policy was last updated, and so there isn’t really a need for personal devices,” Blosser said.
She said in speaking with the district’s faculty members about sources of distraction for students, most — about 70% of them, she said — cited cellphones as the primary source of in-class distractions.
Another bit of feedback from staff, Blosser said, was that there needs to be consistency in the enforcement of this policy across all administrators and schools in the district.
“A student who’s been asked to put their phone away might say, ‘Well, I know that my friend at such-and-such school doesn’t have to put away their phone,’” Blosser said. “And so we really needed to be consistent among our schools, and that’s another reason we’re really focusing on this policy right now. We’ve had handbook policies in place, but we really need something strong on the books in the school board manual.”
Blosser said that as the previous version of the policy was written, cellphone use in classrooms was up to individual teachers’ discretion.
“But it makes it really hard if you’re a teacher and you’re not letting cellphones out, and students can say, ‘but Miss so-and-so allows us, why aren’t you letting us?” Blosser said.
Blosser said occasional exceptions to the new rule might be during travel to and from school-sponsored activities in buses or vehicles used by the school division at the trip supervisor’s discretion.
“I do believe there’s some cell phone addiction, and I think it’s really hard for students to put their phones away at times,” Blosser said. She said she met with someone from a district that requires students to put their cellphones in a pouch that remains locked during the school day.
“They said that they noticed a huge reduction in discipline incidents, as well as a huge increase in engagement during the classroom the first year that they were using the cellphone pouches,” Blosser said.
The board voted to pass the policy updates unanimously after confirming that the intention of the policy is to better the education lives of both students and teachers. The updates go into effect immediately.
New school leaders take the helm
Superintendent Michael Richards introduced the new administrators one-by-one, and each was met with handshakes and applause.
Harrisonburg Support Academies director — Tonya Goodwin
Richards said the support academies take in students who’ve experienced significant challenges. The academies function as a “tiered system that aids students as they work their way back to the general population.” Goodwin, who has a bachelor’s degree in history from Virginia Union University and a master’s degree in supervision and administration from the University of Phoenix, previously served as an alternative education teacher, 504 coordinator and behavior support assistant in Rockingham County Public Schools.
Skyline Middle School’s principal — Leatrice Woods
Woods began her career in the Harrisonburg school district as a teacher at Smithland Elementary. Woods served there for 12 years and in 2021 became Skyline Middle’s assistant principal. Woods earned a bachelor’s degree in African and African American studies and religious studies, and a master’s in elementary education from the University of Virginia.
Skyline Middle School dean of students — Krista Smiley
Smiley has served as a teacher, reading specialist and instructional coach at Skyline Middle. She earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education from Slippery Rock University, her reading specialist endorsement from Capella University, and is currently working on getting her K-12 Administration and Supervision certificate through Averett University.
Thomas Harrison Middle School assistant principal — Jessica Mendez-Thompson
Before joining the administrative team at Thomas Harrison, Mendez-Thompson served as the school’s family liaison. Mendez-Thompson began her career with HCPS as a Spanish teacher at Thomas Harrison where she served for 16 years. She earned her bachelor of science degree in Spanish and education from Mary Baldwin University and a master’s degree in educational administration from Shenandoah University.
Elon Rhodes Early Learning Center assistant director — Amanda Wolcott
Wolcott will fill a new position at the school. She previously served as a pre-K instructional coach and a pre-K special education teacher at Elon Rhodes and Stone Spring Elementary School. Wolcott earned her bachelor of arts degree in education from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and her master’s degree in teaching early childhood special education from JMU.
HCPS executive director of finance — Daniel Kirwan
Before joining the central office, Kirwan served Skyline Middle’s principal. Kirwan has served in the district since 2003 as a teacher, coach, athletic director and assistant principal at Thomas Harrison Middle School. Kirwan earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and his master’s in education from JMU.
HCPS assistant director of finance — Jessica Martin
Martin served as the district’s assistant payroll specialist since 2022. Before joining the finance team, Martin served as manager at Martin’s Furniture in Harrisonburg. Martin earned her undergraduate degree in accounting and kinesiology and exercise science from EMU.
Health, PE Education & Healthy Life Skills coordinator — Michael King
King served HCPS as a teacher and part-time health and physical education coordinator since 1982. He has worked in multiple schools and has coached many sports teams during his tenure. King earned his undergraduate degree from JMU. Richards said King has acted as “a real pillar in the community” with his gymnastics program at Skyline Middle and that his own children have benefitted from King’s classes.
Rocktown High School Principal Tamara Mines also introduced her administrative team to the audience at Tuesday’s school board meeting. Rocktown High’s new administrators include:
- Ryan Henschel, Ron Perry and Kelly Troxell as assistant principals
- Durmount Perry as dean of students
Mines said the Rocktown leadership team has focused on preparing to transition students to the new school while building on its three pillar words: belong, believe and achieve.
“This could not be done without my team,” Mines said. “It is an absolute privilege to serve with them, and we’re gonna have a great year.”
Richards added that Mines’ approach is “very much in line with our values at HCPS.”
“[Mines] knows that culture comes from the people who are working there and the students who are coming there,” Richards said. “My own rising 11th grader, at first sad that they would have to go from HHS to Rocktown, is now very excited about it and is visiting tomorrow morning.”
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