Smart Watch, Cell Phone, & PED Policy

1. Students are not allowed to have smart watches, cell phones, or other personal electronic devices (PEDs) on school property unless granted for medical necessity. Smart watches, cell phones, and PEDs should be left at home. If found on school property the device found will be confiscated, disciplinary measures will be taken, and additional loss of privileges is possible. Disciplinary consequences shall escalate for multiple offenses. 

2. Unless otherwise directed by school administration or school staff, the use of smart watches, cell phones, and/or other PEDs is forbidden for all students on school days. The school day includes, but is not limited to, before-school while on school property, class periods, lunch periods, class changes, study halls, recess periods, electives periods, during school drills, after-school while on school property, and any other structured or non-structured activity that occurs during the school day while the student is present on school property. This policy may also apply to off-property school day activities depending on the circumstances.

3. An exception to this policy may be granted for medical reasons. If a student is allowed to possess a cell phone or PED for medical reasons, the device must be strictly used for medical monitoring and/or personal medical alerts. In these cases, the school nurse, family, and student will work closely together to determine appropriate protocols for the student’s safety in the school setting, while limiting the cell phone as a distraction in the classroom. A testing accommodation must also be put in place for the student to have the device during testing, as well.  If the device is used at any time for anything other than its intended and approved medical purpose, then the student will be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions. At their sole discretion, CCA administration, faculty, and staff may ask to see the device at any time to ensure that it is being used as intended and not for communication or other purposes.

   In the case, where a student is granted a medical exception to the Smart Phone, Cell Phone & PED Policy, they may not use the device for pictures, recording, or communication including in all emergency situations and/or during school drills unless the student is directed to use a smart watch, cell phone, or PED device by a CCA employee or other official or unless an extreme threat to the health or safety of themselves or another student arises and no CCA employee or other official is present.

4. An exception may be granted by the Superintendent for a specific educational purpose, such as yearbook club.  In these instances, specific guidelines and protocols will be established and enforced to ensure that a device is only used for the purpose granted and that it is not used for communication of any kind.

   Photographing, audio recording or videotaping on Coweta Charter Academy property is also not allowed at any time without the expressed, written consent of the students, staff members, or other persons being photographed or recorded AND the Superintendent.

   Specifically:

• This policy is in effect from the time a student arrives on school property and leaves their vehicle until the completion of the school day when the student leaves the school property in their means of transport. 

• When applicable, students are also prohibited by law from using any electronic devices during the operation of a school bus or bus being used to transport students for a school activity, including but not limited to cell phones; tablets; iPads; iPods; pagers; audible radios, tape or compact disc players; or any other electronic device without headphones or ear buds; or any other electronic device in a manner that might interfere with the bus communications’ equipment or the bus driver's operation of the bus.

  Due to the potential disruption a smart watch, cell phone, and/or PED may cause to the instructional environment, the disciplinary actions outlined below will be strictly enforced.

  Immediate Disciplinary Consequences and Actions for the following violations of this policy:

• Photographing, recording or videotaping of students or other persons in any state of undress may constitute a violation of federal law. Any violation will result in serious disciplinary consequences up to and including expulsion, and/or contacting the appropriate law enforcement agency. The device will be confiscated and given to the appropriate law enforcement agency as evidence, if applicable. Otherwise, the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item. Disciplinary consequences shall escalate for multiple offenses and may also result in the loss of additional privileges.

• Photographing, audio recording or videotaping on Coweta Charter Academy’s property is not allowed at any time without the expressed, written consent of the students, staff members or other persons being photographed or recorded AND the Superintendent. Any violation will result in the device being confiscated and will result in a minimum of one (1) day of In-School Suspension (ISS) or Out-of School Suspension (OSS) as deemed appropriate by CCA staff, writing lines, AND the potential loss of additional privileges.  The smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item. Disciplinary consequences shall escalate for multiple offenses.

• Use of a cell phone, smart watch, or PED during an assignment, a test, or quiz shall be considered a violation of the academic integrity policy. Any violation will result in the device being confiscated, a minimum of one (1) day of ISS or OSS as deemed appropriate by CCA staff, and the student will be assigned writing lines. Additionally, the student will receive a grade of zero (0) on the assignment, test, or quiz. The watch, phone, or device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item. Disciplinary consequences shall escalate for multiple offenses and may also result in the loss of additional privileges.

  Disciplinary actions regarding other violations of this policy are as follows:  

• First violation: The device will be confiscated, and the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item.  The student will be assigned 250 lines to write.

• Second violation: The device will be confiscated, and the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item. Additionally, the student will be assigned to In-School Suspension (ISS) for one (1) day or they will be assigned 500 lines to write AND the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be held at the school’s front office for the next five (5) school days following the incident [parent's choice].

• Third violation: The device will be confiscated, the student will be assigned ISS for two (2) days, they will be assigned 750 lines to write, AND the smart watch, cell phone, or PED phone will be held at the school’s front office for the next ten (10) school days. Written notice will be emailed to the parent, and the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item no earlier than on the eleventh (11th) school day following the incident.

• Fourth (or more) violation: The device will be confiscated, the student will receive Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) for a minimum of one (1) day, they will be assigned a minimum of 750 lines to write, AND the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be held at the school’s front office for a minimum of the next ten (10) school days. Written notice will be mailed to the parent, and the smart watch, cell phone, or PED device will be returned only to the parent/legal guardian who must schedule a conference at the school to retrieve the item no earlier than on the eleventh (11th) school day following the incident. Furthermore, on the fifth and subsequent violations of this policy, students who do not adhere to these guidelines will be subject to other disciplinary actions and loss of additional privileges.

  Student Searches and Confiscation

  School officials may search a student or their belongings if there is reasonable suspicion the student is in possession of an item that is illegal or against school rules.  Student book bags, backpacks, purses, desks and/or other school property are subject to inspection and search by school authorities at any time without further notice to students or parents. Students are required to cooperate if asked to open book bags, backpacks, purses, and/or turn out their pockets. A student’s refusal to cooperate with a search could result in a decision by the school administrator to involve the school resource officer or local law enforcement.  Students who disrupt or refuse to cooperate with general or reasonable suspicion searches may be referred for disciplinary action. 

  All staff members shall confiscate cell phones, smart watches, and PED when used in violation of this policy and its implementing regulation. If a student refuses to relinquish a cell phone, smart watch, or other PED device to a school employee, the staff member shall refer the student with the device to the Dean of Discipline, the Superintendent, or their designee. The Coweta Charter Academy assumes no liability for the theft, loss or damage of cell phones, smart watches, and other PEDs possessed by students on school property or held by school officials during the confiscation period. CCA employees will not be responsible for searching for lost or stolen cell phones, smart watches, or other PEDs.

Smart Watch, Cell Phone, & PED Policy