MOUNT VERNON — A district-wide cell phone policy survey should be sent out district-wide by the end of June.

Mount Vernon City Schools superintendent Bill Seder reviewed the survey, which will be distributed to district parents, staff, students and community members this summer.

Seder asked board members and audience members at Monday’s board of education meeting for their input on the survey.

School districts across the state are required to add a cell phone policy after the passage of House Bill 250.

The district currently doesn’t have a student cell phone policy, Seder said, thus the survey.

Ten questions were part of the survey, including have any children enrolled at MVCS and their opinions on cell phones in school.

“How often do you or your child bring a cell phone or a smart cell phone watch to school?” one question asked.

Another asked how frequently you use or see cell phones or smart watches being used during school hours?

The survey also asked if cell phone use is allowed, when do you think it would be appropriate?

For answers, the options include:

  • No restrictions
  • Never during school hours during breaks and at lunchtime
  • Before and after school
  • During class with teacher permission for educational purposes

Also, the survey asks if a student violates cell phone policy, what are the consequence?

  • Give the student a verbal warning
  • Confiscate cell phone and place it in the school central office for the remainder of the school day
  • Detention notification to parents/guardians
  • Suspension of cell phone privileges
  • Use the district’s current progressive discipline actions for mutable offenses
  • In-school suspension 

The survey will be available on the district’s website as well as emailed to parents and students.