At the end of the 2024 school year, Homer High School parents were asked to provide feedback to the school regarding the cellphone policy. Though the policy is not changing according to the school and district policy, the school is providing more detailed descriptions of what the regulations are and what discipline will entail.

Principal Douglas Waclawski provided Mariner families with an update at the end of July. Cellphones may not be used or left on during class time except with permission from the classroom teacher for instructional purposes only.

“While the policy is actually exactly the same as it was last year, what we’re doing is we’re trying to formalize it, so all the teachers are on the same page, and all the students know what’s going on,” Waclawski said.

The school is also clarifying where phones can be located and when they can be used. The policy states that classrooms and the library will have designated locations for students to place their phones when they enter class. The phones must stay there through the entire class period and can be collected by students during restroom breaks. Phones may used during passing periods and at lunch. Phones can also be left in student lockers, if they prefer.

Finally, the updated policy defines discipline associated with offense of cellphone use. On the first offense, the teacher may take the phone and return it to the student at the end of the period. On the second offense, the phone will be given to the office and the student may pick it up at the end of the day. On the third offense, the phone will be given to the office and a parent must pick it up. The student may lose phone privileges for one week and the phone will be checked into the office when the student comes to school. Additional offenses, students will have to check the phone into the office for the remainder of the quarter or two weeks, whichever is longer. These are slightly more defined than previous school policy, Waclawski said.

Waclawski shared that he’s been looking at some articles related to social media and impacts on teen mental health and the school is looking at trying to keep the class time more phone free.

One of the things he said instructors have noticed as an issue is that students will do what they’re asked but they’ll finish up instructional work quickly so they can spend time on their phones. “If the students can get their work done that fast then maybe we need to rework our lessons or maybe the student could do a little better job then. That’s the kind of thing we’re trying to catch with this policy upgrade,” Waclawski said.

“Things aren’t going to be too much different from last year. We just want everyone to be on the same page, students and teachers, and know what the consequences will be for use of phones.”