Cohasset School Committee Approves Full Cell Phone Ban for High School
Decision follows successful pilot program that showed reduced distractions and improved student engagement during class time
COHASSET - June 18 - The Cohasset School Committee voted unanimously at their June 18 meeting to implement a complete ban on cell phone use during school hours at Cohasset High School, extending restrictions beyond classroom time to include lunch periods and breaks.
The 3-0 vote came after High School Principal Brian Scott presented findings from a pilot program that restricted phone use during the third quarter of the school year. The committee chose the full restriction over a classroom-only policy after hearing positive feedback about the pilot's results.
"I think the biggest one of the biggest things was that it really needs to be able to really look to change the impact phones have and social media in particular," Scott said during the meeting. "It's really not texting with a communication piece. It is social media itself."
The pilot program involved a committee of 25 to 30 people, including parents, teachers, students, administrators and a school committee representative. Scott said the program was "well received" despite some initial learning curve for students and parents.
Committee member Corey Evans, who made the motion for full restriction, said he supported the policy based on conversations with parents who expressed eagerness to have their children in a school without phone distractions.
"The parent groups that we talked to or I talked to, they all expressed eagerness to have their kids in a class, in a school that wasn't full of these distractions," Evans said. "They saw that as a good way to reinforce some behaviors that they had at home as well."
Evans also noted that when the pilot program ended, student behaviors didn't immediately return to pre-pilot patterns, suggesting the restrictions helped break habitual phone use.
Committee Chair Jennifer Lesky emphasized the social benefits of phone-free environments, particularly during lunch periods.
"The lunchroom for me is like, absolutely. Like, I love that that could be a tech free place for our students," Lesky said. "I think it's a great opportunity for them to really learn some social skills or to build on their social."
Scott acknowledged that enforcement would present challenges, particularly in hallways and during breaks, due to limited staff availability to monitor compliance. He said the approach would focus on conversation first rather than immediate disciplinary action for violations.
"The practical issue of being able to enforce it in the hallways and during break is going to be challenging because we don't have the staff to really man that effectively," Scott said. "It's not an approach that I want to take that I'm going to immediately assign the students attention."
The principal noted that some students experienced what he described as addiction-like behaviors toward their devices but said there was no significant rebellion during the pilot program.
"I saw a couple of students who were fairly addicted to whatever it is they're looking at," Scott said. "I didn't have any real rebellion and I think as I do in most things that students act on their best interests at the end of the day."
Survey data from the pilot program showed that while phone activity decreased during school hours, some students increased their social media use after school to catch up on missed content. Scott said this pattern was consistent with European studies on similar policies.
Students raised concerns about safety and communication with parents, though Scott said he believes having fewer phones during emergencies would actually improve safety by allowing teachers to communicate directly with administrators.
Superintendent Sarah Shannon suggested that state-level mandates for phone-free schools may be forthcoming, making the local decision timely.
"I would be really surprised if it doesn't happen either for the next school year, or during the next school year by the state to say that all schools through the high school level must be completely phone free," Shannon said.
Committee member Lance Dial seconded Evans' motion after expressing support for the full restriction while acknowledging enforcement challenges.
"With the recognition that there might be some enforcement challenges and with understanding that you and Mr. Scott, you would not turn our school into an enforcement battleground, I know you would be reasonable and judicious in the exercise of enforcement," Dial said.
The policy will take effect for the 2025-26 school year. Scott said practical communication challenges, such as coordinating with sports teams and clubs, could be addressed through improved communication systems.
The meeting also featured the introduction of Kate Allen as the new high school assistant principal, who will start July 1. Allen brings experience in project-based learning and teacher evaluation from her previous work in Boston schools.
Other business included:
• Superintendent Shannon's report on the end of the school year and search for a new middle school principal to replace John Mills, who accepted an assistant superintendent position in Carver
• Finance Director Susan Owen's update showing the district's budget deficit has been reduced to approximately $149,000 and is expected to reach zero by the end of the fiscal year
• Acceptance of a $4,050 gift from the Parent School Organization for spring grants supporting classroom materials
• Approval of Superintendent Shannon's evaluation, which rated her performance as proficient overall in her first year leading the district