Bell-to-Bell Guidelines (Cell Phone Policy)

Per Indiana’s Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 78, students are not permitted to use personal WCDs (Wireless Communication Devices) during the school day. The school day is defined as the time from the start of the first instructional period until dismissal at the end of the school day. This includes:

• Classes within the school day
• SRT, CORE, and/or other flex periods
• Passing periods
• Lunch periods
• Study halls
• Recess

Devices must be maintained in a manner that renders them inaccessible to the student throughout the school day. For the purposes of this policy, “inaccessible” means that personal wireless communication devices must be powered off and:

• Be stored in a student’s backpack or in a teacher-designated classroom storage location (e.g., classroom caddy) ;
• Not be visible during the school day, except for the brief and direct placement of the device into an approved storage location;
• Not be on the student’s person (e.g., pockets, hands, hoodies, etc.); and
• Not be accessed for any reason during the school day unless explicitly authorized under this policy.

Students who do not have a backpack must place their device in a school-designated storage location for the duration of the school day. Accessing a backpack or storage location for the purpose of retrieving or using a personal device during the school day is prohibited.

Per the law, students are prohibited from using personal WCDs at any time during the school day. Any instance of a device being visible, outside of transitioning back and forth from backpack to designated storage locations, in a student’s possession, or accessed will be considered a violation of this policy.

Warsaw Community Schools provides students with district-issued instructional devices as part of the district’s 1:1 learning program. These devices are intended to support student learning, digital resources, and instructional activities during the school day. Because students are provided with district-issued devices, personal electronic devices are not necessary for instructional purposes and are prohibited from use during the school day in accordance with district policy and Indiana law.

Teachers will design instruction and provide digital resources using district-approved platforms and school-issued devices. Students are expected to utilize their school-issued iPad or other district-provided technology when technology is required for classroom activities.

Personal devices such as cell phones, smartwatches, or personal tablets may not be used as substitutes for school-issued devices during instructional activities, unless explicitly authorized by school administrators for a specific instructional purpose.

The expectations outlined in this policy apply during the school day, beginning at the start of the first instructional period and continuing until dismissal at the end of the school day.

This policy does not apply during transportation to and from school.

While students are on school buses, expectations for student behavior and device use will be governed by existing transportation rules and procedures. This distinction reflects both the requirements of state law and the need for bus drivers to remain focused on the safe operation of the vehicle.

All staff members are expected to support the consistent implementation of this policy across all school settings. This includes:

• Enforcing the policy consistently during all parts of the school day, including classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and other school environments
• Following the established response protocol when a violation occurs
• Avoiding individual exceptions outside of those explicitly outlined in this policy
• Supporting a unified, district-wide expectation for student device use

Definition of a Violation

A violation of this policy includes, but is not limited to:

• A device being visible outside of an approved storage transition
• A device being on the student’s person (e.g., in pockets, hands, clothing, etc.)
• Any attempt to access or use a personal device during the school day

During passing periods and other non-classroom times, devices must remain stored in a student’s backpack and may not be accessed.

Staff Response Protocol

When a student is in violation of this policy, staff will:

• Direct the student to immediately surrender the device
• Secure the device and follow building procedures for submitting it to the office or designated location
• Report or document the violation in accordance with school procedures

If a student refuses to comply:

• The behavior will be considered insubordination
• The staff member will follow established procedures for administrative support

All staff members are expected to support the consistent implementation of this policy across all school settings. This includes:

• Enforcing the policy consistently during all parts of the school day, including classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and other school environments
• Designating a classroom storage location (e.g., classroom caddy or other approved space) to support student compliance with Bell-to-Bell device expectations. Teachers have the authority to require students to store devices in this designated location.
• Following the established response protocol when a violation occurs
• Avoiding individual exceptions outside of those explicitly outlined in this policy
• Supporting a unified, district-wide expectation for student device use

Device Handling Procedures

Each building will establish clear procedures for:

• Labeling and securing confiscated devices
• Transporting devices to the office or designated storage location
• Safely storing devices until they are returned

These procedures are intended to ensure consistency, accountability, and the safe handling of student property.

Student Refusal

Staff members should not physically attempt to remove or confiscate a device from a student who refuses to comply with a directive to surrender the device.

If a student refuses to turnover a device upon request, the behavior will be treated as insubordination and the staff member should seek support from building administration in accordance with established school procedures.

To ensure consistent implementation of this policy, each school will develop and implement building-level procedures for the handling of student devices when a violation occurs. These procedures must be clearly defined, communicated to staff, and consistently applied.

At a minimum, building procedures must address the following:

• Device Intake
  • How staff will receive and secure a device when a violation occurs
  • Expectations for transferring the device from the classroom to the office or designated location
• Labeling and Identification
  • How devices will be labeled or documented to ensure accurate identification of the student
  • Procedures to prevent loss, damage, or misidentification
• Transportation of Devices
  • Who is responsible for transporting devices (e.g., student, staff, hall monitor)
  • When and how devices are moved to the designated storage location
• Storage Location and Security
  • Where devices will be stored during the school day
  • How devices will be secured to prevent unauthorized access
• Documentation and Tracking
  • How violations will be recorded
  • How repeat offenses will be tracked to ensure consistent application of consequences
• Device Return Procedures
  • When and how devices are returned to students or parents/guardians
  • Procedures for parent/guardian pickup when required
• Staff Roles and Responsibilities
  • Clear expectations for staff, office personnel, and administrators in the process
  • Identification of who is responsible at each step

Building procedures should be designed to minimize disruption to instructional time, ensure the safe handling of student property, and support consistent enforcement of the district policy.

There may be unique circumstances where personal WCDs may be allowed for student use during the instructional day, as it directly connects to student health, safety, or accessibility to academic content. Students may use or possess a wireless communication device when required for:

• A documented medical need defined within a School Healthcare Plan.
• Disability-related accommodations included in a student’s IEP or Section 504 plan

School administrators will collaborate with school health personnel and special education staff to ensure that all approved accommodations related to wireless communication devices are clearly documented and communicated to appropriate staff.

Staff are expected to implement all accommodations in accordance with a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or School Healthcare Plan, while maintaining consistent enforcement of this policy for all other students.

Warsaw Community Schools recognizes the importance of communication between students and their families during the school day.

During instructional hours, parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the school office if they need to communicate with their child. Office staff will ensure that messages are delivered to students in a timely and appropriate manner. Students may not use personal wireless communication devices to communicate with parents/guardians during the school day, except as explicitly permitted under this policy.

WCS has implemented ParentSquare family messaging which will allow guardians and students to communicate with each other through the Parent Square app and messaging features.

Warsaw Community Schools recognizes that students and families may have concerns regarding communication during emergencies. The safety of students and staff remains the district’s highest priority, and emergency response procedures are designed to ensure clear communication and coordinated response during critical incidents.

In the event of a school emergency, including but not limited to:

• Fire
• Severe weather
• Medical emergencies
• Safety threats or other man-made emergencies

A student may use a Wireless Communication Device (WCD) during the school day when such use is authorized at the appropriate time by the superintendent or designee, in accordance with Indiana law.

During such situations:

• Students must follow the directions of school staff and emergency responders at all times.
• School staff may direct when and how devices may be used to ensure that emergency procedures are not disrupted.
• Students may use a WCD to contact emergency services (911) or communicate with a parent/guardian when authorized and appropriate.

Students may not use personal devices in a manner that:

• Interferes with emergency response procedures,
• Spreads unverified information, or
• Compromises the safety or security of students and staff.

Warsaw Community Schools will communicate with families through official district communication systems as soon as practicable during an emergency situation. Students should rely on staff direction and established emergency procedures during such events.

The following consequence structure will be applied for students who do not comply with WCD expectations. Please note that building-level principals retain the ability to act outside of these conditions based on unique circumstances.

Elementary Schools

• First Offense
  • The device will be collected and sent to the office.
  • The device will be returned to the student at the end of the school day.
  • The student will receive a verbal warning, and parents will be notified.
• Second Offense
  • The device will be collected and sent to the office.
  • The device must be picked up by a parent or guardian.
  • The student will lose recess for 1-3 days.
• Third Offense
  • The device will be collected and sent to the office.
  • The device must be picked up by a parent or guardian.
  • The student will receive 1-3 days of in-school suspension.

Edgewood, Lakeview, Warsaw Community High School and Warsaw Area Career Center

• First Offense
  • Collected by teacher or admin and sent to grade-level office (contact the grade-level admin assistant so the phone is only handled by the assistant or an administrator)
  • Student may pick up the phone at the end of the day
  • Parent contact is made by the grade-level administrator
• Second Offense
  • Collected by teacher or admin and sent to grade-level office
  • Parent pick-up by 4:00 PM or pick-up is made the next day (phones will be held in a locked drawer)
  • Consequence - One day of in-school detention
• Third Offense
  • Collected by teacher or admin and sent to grade-level office 
  • Parent pick-up by 4:00 PM or pick-up is made the next day (phones will be held in a locked drawer)
  • Consequence - Three days of in-school detention
• Fourth Offense
  • Collected by teacher or admin and sent to grade-level office
  • Parent pick-up by 4:00 PM or pick-up is made the next day (phones will be held in a locked drawer)
  • Consequence - One day of out-of-school suspension
• 5+ Offenses
  • Collected by teacher or admin and sent to grade-level office
  • Parent pick-up by 4:00 PM or pick-up is made the next day (phones will be held in a locked drawer)
  • This would be considered continual failure to comply.
  • Consequence - Additional days of out-of-school suspension and/or Form 16a.

Cell phone consequences will reset at the end of each semester at the high school level.

Student Refusal

In the event a student chooses not to cooperate with a teacher or administration, the grade-level office will be notified. This will be considered insubordination and the student will be taken to In-School Detention for the day. If the student continues to not surrender the device, it may lead to out-of-school suspension for the following day.

Parent Pickup Procedures

When parent/guardian pickup is required as part of a consequence, the following procedures apply:

• Devices should be retrieved by a parent/guardian by the end of the school day whenever possible at the location defined by the local school policy.
• If a parent/guardian is unable to retrieve the device by the end of the school day, the device may remain secured in the school office and be returned to the student the following school day in accordance with building procedures.
• School administrators may authorize the return of a device prior to the student leaving campus when circumstances related to student safety, transportation, or supervision warrant such consideration.

School administrators retain the authority to exercise reasonable discretion in the enforcement of this policy when circumstances warrant. Factors such as the nature of the violation, prior disciplinary history, student cooperation, or other relevant considerations may be taken into account when determining appropriate consequences.

Nothing in this policy prevents school administrators from taking immediate action when a Wireless Communication Device is used in a manner that disrupts the educational environment, violates other school rules, or compromises student safety.

Disciplinary actions related to the misuse of a Wireless Communication Device may also be addressed under other applicable sections of the student discipline matrix, including but not limited to insubordination, academic dishonesty, harassment, or misuse of technology.