No-phone policy a possibility for Berryville schools

The topic of students having cell phones at school has been back in the headlines at a statewide level after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently said she wanted to see a no-phone policy for all districts.

The Arkansas Department of Education offered grant opportunities before the current school year for districts to purchase pouches that lock cell phones throughout the school day, but the Berryville School District, like the two other districts in Carroll County, took a “wait and see” approach before making any decisions, sticking with its current policy of students not being allowed to have their devices out while in class.

Berryville Superintendent Owen Powell said his administration staff have had ongoing discussions about the district’s cell phone policy.

“They’re a distraction,” Powell said about phones at school. “There’s no doubt they are.”

A possible new law forcing all districts in the state to have a nophone policy would make Berryville’s decision easy for future school years, the superintendent said.

“The governor made a statement about having a no-cell-phone policy statewide,” Powell said. “So, obviously, if that’s enacted into law, we will obviously follow that. But, yes, we have been in some discussions about doing a nophone policy, which we’re pretty close to right now. When the students are in class they can’t have them out.

“We’re definitely going to be looking into that. I would expect some changes for next school year, especially if it’s enacted into law.”

While the main issues with phones are at the high school level, younger students are also involved, Powell said.

“It does trickle down into the middle school, quite a bit honestly,” he said. “Middle school, high school, the cell phones are a distraction. They’re an issue.”

A desire to use social media is a main reason for students being distracted by the phones, Powell said.

“No doubt about it,” he said. “ need to have some down time off those screens. They spend an awful lot of time on those phones.”

LIGHT BOARD AGENDA

The Berryville School Board’s agenda for its regular monthly meeting held Monday, Jan. 20, was light.

The district gave a report on required training for board members.

“School board members are required to do six hours of school board training per year,” Powell said. “And if you’re a new board member, you have to do nine.”

Board member Travis Gregory, whose second five-year term on the board expires in 2026, was recognized as a “master” school board member.

“Once you accumulate 50 hours of school board training you’re considered a master school board member,” Powell said.

Approvals at the meeting included the reinstatement of a special education paraprofessional position.

“We had a student move out of the district that had a para with it,” Powell said. “So, we no longer needed that position. Now, we’ve had a student move into the district that needs a para. So, we need that position back and the board approved it.”

In personnel action the board approved the resignations of Bobcat Academy teacher Keri Foster, cafeteria worker Betty Hall and bus driver Kaylan Ellis. The board also OK’d the hires of Kelly Swofford as a substitute bus driver and event crew cleaning, and Alice Smith, Emily Leija and Jada Baxter as substitute cafeteria workers and approved the transfer of Skyla Smith from a cafeteria substitute to a full-time cafeteria employee.