NORFOLK, Va. — When students at Norfolk’s public schools return to the classroom in January, things will be a bit different. The division is adopting a cell phone-free policy effective at the start of the new year.
It states that students can not use their cell phones or “personal electronic communication devices” – like smartwatches, tablets and headphones –- on school grounds at any point during the school day.
If a prohibited device is brought to school, it must be turned off and in the student’s bag before they get to school. Devices must stay off the entire day, and can not be seen or stored on the student’s person or clothing while they are at school.
If a student needs to make a call, they’ll have to use the means of communication provided by the school, such as phones located in the main office, nurse’s office or counseling offices.
In the case of an emergency at home, families are instructed to contact the main office.
According to Norfolk Public Schools (NPS), the policy aims to promote a healthier, more focused learning environment by ensuring that instructional time is free from interruptions.
The new policy is in accordance with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33 – which directed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to draft guidance for school divisions to adopt policies and procedures "to establish cell phone-free education."
VDOE collected feedback from families, students and educators after publishing a draft guidance this summer.
Similar policies are already in place in several schools within nearby divisions like Chesapeake and Portsmouth, as administrators work to comply with the state-wide order before the Jan. 1, 2025 deadline stated in Youngkin’s order.