VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach City Public Schools held the first of three sessions about the divisions ”Cell Phone-Free Education in Virginia’ policy Wednesday at Kempsville High School.

VBCPS is following Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order to have phone-free education in all K-12 public schools in the state. The executive order recognizes the impact phones have on students’ mental health and the dependence on cell phones in schools. 

Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson and senior leadership of VBCPS took questions and explained the new policy to help answer any questions about this transition for students, parents and staff. 

Some parents, such as Sam Powell, are in support of the cell-phone free classrooms.

“You would just add more confusion and more commotion,” Powell said.

Others, like Latanya King, had some concerns.

“You want to be able to at least contact them,” King said.

Youngkin’s order does not have to be implemented until Jan. 1, but VBCPS has been engaging in this discussion for some time. The school system already has a ban on cell phones and all personal devices that can connect to the internet during instructional periods, but Robertson said it was time for a more well-rounded approach.

“We actually were contemplating tightening it up anyway, but this gave us the legality to do so,” Robertson said, “The major lift, again is bell-to-bell — elementary not really a challenge, middle school not really a challenge, high school it’s a shift because they are used to being able to use their phone in class change and during lunch.”

VDOE released its final guidance last month, which defines phone-free education in public schools as “bell-to-bell.” 

This means phones will be required to be turned off and stored away from the time the bell rings at the beginning of school, until the final bell rings for dismissal. This includes during lunch and in between classes. 

Parents are encouraged to submit any questions they have before the event.  

Here are the upcoming sessions:

  • 6-7 p.m. Oct. 23, Princess Anne High School (for families and staff at Bayside High, Cox High, First Colonial High, Princess Anne High, and An Achievable Dream Academy-Lynnhaven)
  • 6-7 p.m. Oct. 30, Kellam High School (for families and staff at Kellam High, Landstown High and Ocean Lakes High)

Policies will be formed by a Virginia Beach City Public Schools Policy Review Committee. According to Robertson that committee consists of Kathleen Brown, Victoria Manning and Jessica Owens.

“They’ll take the guidance up in their PRC and then bring back a recommendation to the full board,” Robertson said.

Those steps will take place Nov. 12 during a School Board workshop and Nov. 26 during a School Board meeting. The board could possibly vote on the final policy at the Dec. 10 School Board meeting.