{"id":93501,"date":"2026-01-20T09:14:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T15:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=93501"},"modified":"2026-01-20T09:15:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T15:15:13","slug":"usd-489-board-of-education-hears-update-on-high-school-cell-phone-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=93501","title":{"rendered":"USD 489 Board of Education hears update on high school cell phone ban"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Image courtesy Pixabay<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By ALICIA FEYERHERM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Monday\u2019s USD 489 Board of Education meeting, Hays High Principal Shawn Henderson updated the board on the impact of the cell phone policy changes. This school year, the high school implemented a no-phone policy during the school day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henderson thanked the board for their support and said there are no plans to change the policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe work is hard, but it\u2019s worth the struggle,\u201d Henderson said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since implementation, there have been 431 cell phone violations from 299 different students. If a student violates the policy, the teacher does not take the device. Instead, the student has to turn in their phone to the office themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have interactions with lots of kids and if they continue violating the policy, we have interactions with their parents, which to me is great,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cAny partnership we can create with families is wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s going very well and I\u2019m proud of our people, and I mean everyone, that includes the parent conversations, the students working with us, and all of our teachers,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henderson summarized responses from the teacher survey, indicating an increase in compliance throughout the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the statement: \u201cWith the exception of the occasional reminder, students\u2019 phones were completely out of sight from 8:05-3:15<\/em>\u201d, 38.6 percent of teachers agreed in August and September. That percentage increased to 50.9 percent when reflecting on October, November and December. Currently, 82.5 percent of teachers agree with that statement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers also agreed with statements regarding increased participation and engagement with peers and teachers compared to last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students seem to understand that the policy is in their best interest, even if they do not like it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s fair,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cIf you ask Shawn circa 1996, I might have a different opinion than Shawn standing here tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board member Curt Vajnar asked if disciplinary action overall has gone down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cI don\u2019t know how to say it other than to say the temperature of the school is so much lower when that\u2019s not happening, and I don\u2019t have a stat for that, I just have a feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hays High is not alone in this decision and Henderson said the school is taking a proactive approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cell phone usage in school has been a debated issue in the last several years. A Kansas House Bill 2421<\/a>, which was prefiled for this legislative session, would prohibit the use of personal electronic communication devices during school hours. Texas HB1481<\/a>, passed in 2025, banned the use of communication devices during the school day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll (cell phone restriction) will be a talk in the State of Kansas, so I think we\u2019re ahead of schedule,\u201d Board Member Ruth Ruder said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other items from the meeting included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n