LOUDONVILLE — Loudonville High School students will be welcomed back to campus this fall.
Their cell phones will not — at least during the academic day.
The Loudonville-Perrysville School board on Monday approved a new policy that bans high school students from having or using cell phones when school is in session.
The policy was approved as part of the district’s school handbooks for the 2024-2025 academic year.
It states, “Students are prohibited from using cell phones at all times.” Phones should be stored in students’ lockers during the school day.
(Below is a PDF copy of Loudonville High School’s 2024-2025 student handbook. The cell phone policy begins on page 23.)
Electronic devices, including laptops and Chromebooks, will also be banned from the cafeteria during lunchtime.
Students will still have access to their phones if they need to use it as part of an individualized education program. They’ll also have access to use their phones in the office should they need to contact a parent during the school day.
Parents can reach their students during the day by calling the office or emailing their student, according to the policy. It also outlines disciplinary action for students with each offense.
The policy differs from last year’s. Last year’s policy allowed students in grades 11 and 12 to use their phones at lunch or in the hallways between classes. Students in each of the other grade levels already had prohibitions on cell phone use during the school day.
“I’m looking forward to the students disconnecting,” said Loudonville-Perrysville Supt. Jennifer Allerding.
Allerding added prohibiting the devices makes it easier to keep phone challenges and distractions out of school.
Changing the state of technology
Loudonville-Perrysville’s new policy comes on the heels of legislation passed by the state. House Bill 250 required districts to set policies governing student use of phones during school hours.
(Below is a PDF of House Bill 250. The section discussing cell phone policies begins on page 10.)
Districts whose policies already fit the state’s requirements didn’t need to change their policies.
Allerding previously told Ashland Source the conversations about prohibiting cell phone use at all grade levels had been ongoing in the district prior to the legislation’s passage.
On Monday night, she said those conversations began soon after she arrived in the district. The policy had already been approved for the 2023-2024 school year when she stepped in the door. She knew she wanted to change it.
Her former district, Galion, prohibited cell phone use at all grade levels, she said. In her view, doing so worked better for students. The board policy cites “research,” stating cell phone use “has negative effects on student performance and mental health.”
In Ashland County, other area districts’ cell phone policies vary.
At Ashland City Schools, for instance, students must keep phones in their lockers and can’t use them at all at the elementary and middle school levels.
But at Ashland High, Hillsdale Local Schools and Mapleton Local Schools, students can use their phones outside of class. They do need permission to use it during instructional time.
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