Updates in Richmond County Schools new cell phone policy and progress on Belair Middle School

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Changes and updates in the Richmond County School System, including a new cell phone policy and an update on Belair Middle School’s progress.

Richmond County School System will make a few changes this upcoming school year, one of which is a new cell phone policy.

“The biggest change is that we will not allow them to utilize during the instructional day,” said Horace Dunson, Deputy Superintendent of Richmond County

After looking at research and what other Georgia schools and states and wanted to make the best learning environment for their students’ achievement.

“For our students to be more successful. For our teachers to be able to have a more academically rigorous classroom environment. We also recognize that sometimes the without controls, cell phones can be used in jeopardize safety,” said Dunson.

Students will not be allowed to use their cell phones at any point in the day. The new policy does have some provisions for high schools to make some exceptions to appropriate times for students to use their phones. The goal is no phones, but let that not worry you.

“We have administrative assistants in the offices at all the schools that can assist in transferring messages to students. We also know that kids can. Parents can schedule times for the kids to check in before school in the morning and then right after school,” said Dunson.

Another topic is the Belair Middle School. Some things that have set the school construction back were market conditions, a tight timeframe for construction, 12 classrooms added for enrollment, and trying to finish up some projects. For now, students will be placed in an empty school that will be easy to prepare since it was just occupied.

“A swing space at Langford Middle School. So, the whole school will go there for six weeks to two months, and then come right to the new spit-polished new Belair Middle School,” said Jeff Baker, Building Program Director for the School System.

The hope is to get students into the school at the latest in the first week of October. If everything lines up where they need it, the contractor’s schedule is to finish to make the transition between September 15th and October 1st.

“Everybody is working really hard to make sure this is seamless. Everybody is working very hard to make sure the communications are there. That’s why we made the decision early,” said Baker.

There will be a parent meeting on Monday, July 22nd, at 6 p.m. at Belair Elementary School for parents to ask questions and get more information on the progress.

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