The Park Rapids School Board on Monday, Aug. 20 approved a cellphone policy.
According to Superintendent Lance Bagstad, the State Legislature passed a law requiring school districts to adopt a cellphone policy by March 2025.
“With local control, I think it’s our responsibility to do things that way as well,” he said.
High School Principal Jeff Johnson presented the policy in the form of a letter addressed to high school students and their parents or guardians.
Johnson recommended allowing the use of cellphones and personal devices before and after the school day and during lunchtime, except for medical or emergency reasons. He said if students do use their devices during lunch, they must do so “in a professional way.”
“Ultimately, we play a role in raising kids,” said Johnson, “and we have to teach them how to use them correctly, and we need parents to help. … This puts some responsibility on parents as well.”
His letter also prohibits using a cellphone to take photos or shoot video on school property, making reference to the school’s harassment and bullying policy.
The policy lists the following penalties:
- First violation: Staff takes the device to the principal’s office, where it will be stored in a secure place until the student has a conference with the principal and picks up the device at the end of the day.
- Second violation: Staff takes the device to the principal’s office, where a parent or guardian must pick it up at the end of the day, and the student and parent must meet with administration to review expectations.
- Third violation: Staff takes the device to the office, where parents must pick it up at the end of the day. Going forward, students must either leave the phone at home or turn it into the office at the beginning of the day and pick it up at the end of the day. Students caught with a phone after this will face other consequences and lose additional privileges.
The policy further states that refusal to turn over a device upon request will also face suspension for insubordination, and loaned devices will result in discipline for both students involved.
Johnson compared this to Century School’s “no cell, bell to bell” policy. He also noted that staff will need to think about how to lead by example regarding cellphone use during school hours.
School board member Dana Kocka this policy will help prepare students for life in the “real world,” relating to how cellphones may be used on the job. “I think that this is a really good start,” he said. “It might be a little bit messy right away, at the very beginning. But it’s good to understand that there’s guidelines and barriers as well.”
“When you bring up a job, no employer wants to see you on your phone all day,” said board chair Sherry Safratowich.
Kocka made a motion to approve both a first and second reading of the policy, as requested by Safratowich. The motion passed, 6-0.
Choir trip, sub pay and more
In other consent items and general business, the school board:
- Approved out-of-state travel for choir students and staff March 16-19, 2025 to New York, N.Y.
- Approved a pay increase for substitute teachers from $140 to $165 per day.
- Approved a long list of school and club fundraisers for 2024-25.
- Rescinded an offer of employment to Kyra Shepard, paraprofessional.
- Accepted the resignation of Garnet Mosse, paraprofessional.
- Approved the retirement of Century School media specialist Nancy Saarinen with regret and thanks for her 37 years of service to the district.
- Hired Brook Ylitalo, Amber Fredrick and Anna Donatelle as paraprofessionals, Paula Gladback as an early childhood special education teacher, Kayla Vitti as a specific learning disability special education teacher contingent upon completion of student teaching and licensure, and Denon Milks as a custodian.
- Approved a distance learning and e-learning days plan in case of inclement weather.
- Adopted a resolution regarding the election of school board members and calling a school district general election. Incumbents Safratowich, Kocka and Jay Pike have filed as candidates.
- Received an enrollment report showing that as of Aug. 19, the district started the 2024-25 school year with K-12 enrollment totaling 1,468 and overall enrollment of 1,564 including pre-K, early childhood, alternative and virtual learning. These figures were down from 1,554 and 1,672, respectively, at the start of the 2023-24 school year.
- Approved first or second readings of the 2024-25 elementary, middle school, high school, virtual academy and technology implementation handbooks, the 2024-25 coaches handbook, a special education coordinator job description and the 2024-25 student rights and responsibilities, code of conduct and discipline policy.
- Acknowledged a donation of school supplies from Dollar Tree customers. No information about the dollar value of the donation was available at press time.
- Approved payments presented for July, totaling about $4,214,090.
Following the meeting, school board members and district staff toured the high school and Century School to view progress on facility improvements since their last meeting.
The school board’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3 in the school board room at the high school – a day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday.
Robin Fish is a staff reporter at the Park Rapids Enterprise. Contact him at rfish@parkrapidsenterprise.com or 218-252-3053.
