Back-to-School guide for cell phone policies in Central Virginia schools

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — 8News is your back-to-school headquarters and we’re taking a closer look at current cell phone policies in districts across Central Virginia.

8News has reached out to several school systems, working to get answers on what you need to know before your student heads back to the classroom.

In Hopewell, elementary students must keep their phones off and out of sight all day . However, middle and high school students are required to place them in locked pouches.

In Brunswick County , the district told 8News it is working on a plan for cell phone pouches.

In Amelia County , King William County and Hanover County , cell phone use is banned during the school day.

In Henrico County, middle and high school students must keep their phones away during class time only, while elementary schoolers must have them put away all day .

In New Kent, the use of cell phones for students at all grade levels is “strictly limited.”

Over in Richmond County, 8News was told students should have their phones away during class but can have them out during free time .

In Prince Edward County, high schoolers are only allowed to use their phones during lunch . However, students in other grade levels are not allowed to use their phones at school at all.

Some school districts told 8News they are waiting on further guidance from the Virginia Department of Education on this topic after Governor Glenn Youngkin directed the Department of Education to limit or ban cell phone use for schools in the Commonwealth .

Chesterfield County Public Schools is one of the districts awaiting this guidance, according to School Board Chair Dot Heffron.

“It’s a matter of us looking into how we can respond to parent needs and student needs and balance those with unfortunately, you know, the distraction that cell phones can create in the learning environment,” Heffron said.

VDOE is hosting a series of meetings about cellphones in schools ahead of the start of the upcoming school year. You can find more information here .

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