The Shawnee Mission School District is committed to providing highly effective and consistent learning spaces across the district. To support this commitment and to limit distractions in the classroom, the Board of Education approved policy JCDC: Restrictions on Possession and Use of Personal Electronic Devices at its January 13, 2025 meeting. Click here to read the policy. Full implementation of this policy in the district will begin on February 3, 2025.
Policy JCDC was developed in response to feedback from students, parents, and staff about how personal electronic devices, including cell phones, can disrupt learning and negatively impact the mental and emotional health of students.
During a presentation to the Board, Superintendent Dr. Michael Schumacher explained that the policy would bring uniformity to the way personal electronic devices are handled across the district. “We want consistency across all of our schools and in all of our classrooms,” shared Schumacher.
The new policy outlines age-appropriate guidelines for each school level.
Personal Electronic Device Policy
Elementary School
- Personal electronic devices (like cell phones) should stay in backpacks or personal storage bags during the school day. If a backpack or bag isn’t available, devices should be left at home.
- All devices need to be silenced or set to “school” or “do not disturb” mode while at school.
Middle School
- Personal electronic devices must stay silenced and stored in lockers or a spot designated by school administration during the school day.
- Students may access devices at lockers during passing periods only.
- All devices need to be silenced or set to “school” or “do not disturb” mode while at school.
- Headphones and earbuds (wired or wireless) can only be used with school devices and with teacher approval to support learning.
High School
- Personal electronic devices (including cell phones, earbuds and headphones) other than smartwatches should be silenced and stored during class. Teachers may provide a secure storage option in the classroom.
- Devices can be used between classes and at lunch but must remain silenced and put away during class time, unless used for learning with teacher approval.
Note: In rare cases, school administrators may approve exceptions to these policies.
At the Board meeting, Jason Peres, principal of Shawnee Mission East High School, expressed support for the policy’s clear intent at the high school level. “The beauty of a policy like this is it really establishes our clear purpose, and that is to consistently and reasonably protect instructional time for student learning and help our students become the best digital citizens possible.”
The policy was developed based on recommendations from the Strategic Plan Action Team 4.1.3, which included 25 members representing teachers, administrators, students, parents and community members. Additional feedback was gathered through a district-wide ThoughExchange, ensuring a wide range of voices and opinions were heard. Input from SMSD principals, educators across all grade levels, and members of the Superintendent’s advisory committee also helped shape the policy.
While many schools already follow similar practices, this policy makes expectations clear and consistent across the district. It also supports teachers in managing classroom distractions and ensuring a focused learning environment.
