MISHAWAKA — In light of Indiana’s new “bell-to-bell” cell phone ban that takes effect in July, Penn High School has announced its student phone policy for the 2027-28 school year.
The ban, which Gov. Mike Braun signed into law in March, requires students to either leave their phones and smartwatches at home or put them into a secure location determined by their school, with a few exceptions for students with special accommodations.
During a Penn-Harris-Madison school board meeting Monday, June 22, Penn officials outlined the school’s new policy, which requires students to power off their phones and store them in their school bags from the morning bell at 8:25 a.m. to the end of the school day at 3:17 p.m.
This includes lunch, officials said. But because the ban only applies from bell to bell, they said, students can still use their phones on the bus, before school and after classes end for the day.
The policy extends to smartwatches, earbuds and smart glasses, officials said, and teachers have the option to require students to leave their bags at the front or back of the classroom to further minimize distractions.
Penn officials also outlined a tiered framework of consequences for students who don’t comply with the policy or are caught using their phones:
Penn officials said parents will still be able to communicate with their children using the student’s school email or, in the event of an emergency, by contacting the school’s office. Students may also come to the office if they need to contact their parents.
School administrators will stay in communication with parents over the summer, they said, to share updates and further information about the policy.
Email South Bend Tribune education reporter Rayleigh Deaton at rdeaton@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn HS announces 2027-28 ‘bell-to-bell’ cell phone policy
Reporting by Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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By Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
