In accordance with Act 122, West Fork Middle School has adopted a policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during the school day. Personal electronic devices include cellular phones, paging devices, beepers, smart phones, digital media players, portable game consoles, tablets, notebooks, and laptop computers, digital cameras, digital video or audio recorders, smart watches, or any other device that can connect and transmit data through Bluetooth. We believe that personal electronic devices are a disruption to the learning environment and prevent students from engaging socially. Students are not allowed to use personal electronic devices during school except for before the first bell and after the final bell to dismiss students for the day. Under no circumstances should students take a picture, video, or audio recording of another student without permission. This is a privacy violation.

We ask that students keep personal electronic devices in their backpacks and turned off during instructional time during the day, including lunch. This includes all time between the first bell of the day and the final bell to dismiss students to go home. Students with medical documentation are allowed to use their phones for medical communication.

A student’s personal electronic device may be confiscated by school personnel if the student is found to be in possession of or to be misusing a personal electronic device that is not off and stored in their backpack. The personal electronic device will be taken to the front office. After the personal electronic device has been sent to the office two times, on the third time the parents must come and pick it up from the school. If the student’s personal electronic device gets sent to the office a fourth time, the student may be assigned a disciplinary consequence or be provided with an alternative location to keep their personal electronic device while at school. We also ask that parents support this policy by not contacting their child’s personal electronic device during school hours, but instead call our office phone line and the message will be delivered to their child in a timely manner.

A student and the student’s parents, legal guardians, persons having lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis expressly assume any risk associated with a student’s possession or use of a student’s personal electronic device that is not issued by the District. The District is not liable for a personal electronic device that is confiscated if the personal electronic device is lost, stolen, or damaged.