A Successful Year Ahead Following the New Missouri Cell Phone Law
This school year, Missouri’s new cell phone law has gone into effect, in order to create a safer and more focused classroom environment. While cell phones can be useful tools, they can also be a major distraction and a safety concern when misused. This law ensures that students can stay focused on learning. We want to partner with parents to help students have a successful school year.
Parent Reminder: One important thing to remember: if you text or call your child during the school day, 8:10 - 3:10, you may unintentionally cause them to violate the law. If your child receives or checks a message during instructional time, it could count as a cell phone violation - even if it’s from you.
If you need to get an urgent message to your child, please call the school office. Likewise, if your child needs to reach you, they may come to the office and ask permission to use their phone or the school phone.
Expectations and Consequences: Students are expected to put their cell phone in a pocket chart/holder, and powered off, in each teacher’s classroom during class. Students will take their phone with them to the next class. Students are not to be on their phone or looking at it during the day.
Part of the new law requires clear, and consistent consequences when students break cell phone rules. Below are the consequences for Tri-County R-7.
First Offense – Device taken to the office; returned at the end of the day.
Second Offense – Device taken to the office; after-school detention; parent must pick up the phone.
Third Offense – Device taken to the office; 1 day of In-School Suspension (ISS); parent must pick up the phone.
Fourth Offense – Device taken to the office; 1 day of Out-of-School Suspension (OSS); parent must pick up the phone.
Failure to turn in a phone after a referral – Immediate OSS for the remainder of the day and the following day.
Important Notes:
Violations reset at the semester.
If a phone continues to be a problem, a conference will be scheduled with the principal, parent, and student.
First Offense – Device taken to the office; returned at the end of the day.
Second Offense – Device taken to the office; after-school detention; parent must pick up the phone.
Third Offense – Device taken to the office; 1 day of In-School Suspension (ISS); parent must pick up the phone.
Fourth Offense – Device taken to the office; 1 day of Out-of-School Suspension (OSS); parent must pick up the phone.
Failure to turn in a phone after a referral – Immediate OSS for the remainder of the day and the following day.
Violations reset at the semester.
If a phone continues to be a problem, a conference will be scheduled with the principal, parent, and student.