PRESCOTT – The new personal communication device policy seems to be going well, the Prescott School Board heard at its Sept. 16 meeting.

Supt. Jim Reif said the district purchased lock boxes to house devices in all buildings. He said after the first few weeks of school, the transition seems to be going well. Students must turn their phones into the lock boxes when they arrive at school and can retrieve them once the last bell has rung.

“Students are talking at lunch and in the hallways,” Reif said. “They’re engaging in classrooms. We’re also starting to move away from reliance on Chromebooks.”

“I think the phones, that’s the easy part,” Student Council School Board Representative Payge Haupt said. “I think the Chromebooks is the part people are struggling with, especially like upper classmen when you have things online that you have to get done.”

Reif said limiting screen time is tricky when students are used to having access to it.

“We pulled back on Chromebook usage because students would pull them out and start watching Huddl or playing video games,” Reif said.

The board passed the updated policy, in accordance with Wisconsin state law, at its August meeting. The policy states: “In order to maintain an educational environment that promotes student learning, minimizes distractions, protects student privacy, and supports student well-being, students shall not possess, carry, or have access to Personal Communication Devices (PCDs) during the instructional day.

“All student PCDs must be powered completely off (i.e. not merely placed in silent or vibrate mode) and secured in the manner designated by the District before the beginning of the instructional day.  Students may be required to check their PCD into a school-approved storage location or other District-designated secure storage system.  Once secured, students may not retrieve, possess, access, or use their PCDs until the conclusion of the instructional day or as otherwise authorized by school administration.

“Student use or possession of PCDs is prohibited on school grounds during school hours, unless prior approval is granted by the administration or their designee.”

Right sizing

Reif briefed the board on meetings district staff have been having semi-weekly on “right sizing” the number of staff needed as enrollment decreases. The hope is to come to the board with a plan in December and let affected staff know in January.

Board Vice President Tanya Holub said the board hasn’t directly cut any staff yet, but it had decided not to fill positions when they are vacated, such as the school communications director.

“We look at attrition and what we can do,” Holub said.

Three positions were not replaced this past year, including the school communications position, “which is why the deficit spending is at $325,00 instead of $520,000,” Reif said.

The topic will be addressed at future board meetings.

Other business

• Haupt read the student council’s new mission statement: “To be a student-centered organization that responsibly represents the student body, improves student life, maintains and encourage a highly visible level of student unity and spirit, and effectively communicates with the school administration, staff and student body.”
• The Prescott High School Homecoming dance will be held 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Prescott High School Commons with the theme “A Night in Rio.”
• Kallie Blanchard was applauded for raising $9,500 for the installation of four new basketball hoops at Malone Elementary.
• Reif welcomed new teachers: Lili Monteith, Tank Damm, Addy Schmidt, Ellie Sager-Barlowe and Amy Foy. The board also approved the following new hires: Chelsea Paape (Malone Intermediate Instructional Assistant), Mindy Allsop (Malone Instructional Assistant), Kylie Fagnan (Malone Instructional Assistant), Brianne Paulson (Food Service), Micaela Merila (Food Service), Holly Cramer Anderson (Food Service).
• Reif said the new R5 Manufacturing shed should be up by mid-October. The necessity of adding an extra inch of concrete pushed the project over budget by 3-4% to about $130,000 total.
• The board approved a slate of policy updates, including e-bikes and scooters, drone usage, AI use and nondiscrimination. The board also approved language in the staff handbook regarding chaperone guidelines.
• The next school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 20.