New Sartell School Cell Phone Policy Aims to Reduce Distractions

SARTELL (WJON News) -- Another area school district has approved a new cell-phone policy. The Sartell-St. Stephen School Board approved a new phone policy at its May meeting that will start in the 2026-2027 school year. The phone restriction is a "bell-to-bell" policy where students and staff must keep phones turned off and stored away during the school day. The aim of the new policy is to limit use during instructional time.

ROCORI updated its cell phone policy in August of 2025.

Superintendent Michael Rivard says the policy is all about keeping kids focused:

"I think we see across the country the concern about screen times for students in all areas of their lives, and as we recognize the importance of engagement for students during that instructional time period is so important as we're looking for success for our students, so do we see some of it, absolutely we do and that's why the school board wanted to move forward on a policy."

Rivard says several factors went into the board's decision, like students' mental health, cyber-bullying, and the impact phones can have on learning. There will be exceptions, such as medical needs and students who are on special education plans.

The new policy will not be a change for middle school students.

The policy is for kids K-12, but Rivard says the procedure has been in place at the middle school for two years now. He says the policy covers more than just cell phones:

"The policy itself covers personal electronic communication devices very broadly. So, it includes devices capable of connecting to phones, the internet, wi-fi, any of those types of devices, including smart watches, and earbuds, headphones, tablets, all those types of similar technologies."

Rivard says it is really looking at personal electronic devices, not technology teachers are using for instruction. He says the policy provides overall expectations, and it can be updated as necessary as things evolve.

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Filed Under: sartell st. stephen district