Student use of mobile phones during the school day
As is current policy, student cell-phone use will not be allowed in HISD schools during the academic day. Student use of phones during the academic day disrupts learning and instruction, fuels disputes between students, and undermines the culture we are working to create in all HISD campuses.
Students must leave their cell phones at home or in their backpacks. Should a teacher or administrator see a cell phone on a student’s person (even if it is in a pocket, but visible) or being used by a student, the teacher or administrator will:
- Ask the student to hand over the mobile phone.
- Put the student’s name on the phone (as with a sticky note), and
- Take it to the office or give it to a learning coach or teacher apprentice to take to the office.
The first time a student has a mobile phone taken to the office, that student may pick up the cell phone from the front office after school. If a student violates this rule a second time, the cell phone will be returned to a parent or guardian who must come to the school to retrieve it.
Open Classroom Door Policy
HISD will ensure schools, students, and staff are safe. Our schools will be nurturing, collaborative environments for teachers and students. We can and will safeguard every student and teacher at the same time we facilitate exceptional instruction, collaboration, and real time observation and coaching for students and staff.
To the greatest extent possible, classroom doors will be open when teachers teach. Doors will be locked but open so that they can be shut and automatically locked in case of an emergency. In addition to the instructional benefits of the open-door policy, safety and discipline within the classroom will be better when the classroom doors are open and behavior can be monitored by administrators or other adults.
Of course, principals may make an exception in specific cases such as classroom doors that open to the outside, doors to classrooms with students with special needs who may be difficult to keep in the classroom if the door is open, and to classrooms that are significantly impacted by noise from the cafeteria, gymnasium, or choir, etc.
The open-door policy will be supported by our work to enhance safety measures in place at every campus. We will take additional steps and maintain an internal environment that is joyful and that supports our main educational mission – providing high-quality instruction.
For those of you who are unaware here is just a few of the steps we have taken to enhance security district-wide. We have already begun to increase the size and effectiveness of the HISD police force and plan to do much more this year. We are conducting a facility security audit and will prioritize campuses with the highest need to maximize limited resources this year.
