Off & Away All Day

At Lynchburg City Schools, we want to foster a distraction-free environment in which every student can succeed. Starting Jan. 6, 2025, all students will be required to keep personal electronic devices Off & Away All Day.

At all grade levels, devices must be off (not just silenced) and away from the moment the first bell rings until the final dismissal bell. Students are not permitted to use their personal electronic devices at the following times:

• From the start of the school day until the final dismissal bell
• During lunch periods
• Between classes
• Elementary students may NOT use personal electronic devices on the school bus

Devices include cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, tablets, non-school-approved computers, video game consoles, and more.

Please note that students are not permitted to have devices in their pockets. Instead, they must keep them in lockers or backpacks.

While technology is an important part of today’s world, the use of personal devices during the school day can negatively impact students’ learning experiences. Cell phone-free education is part of a statewide initiative to help students succeed academically by creating distraction-free school environments. Off & Away All Day will ensure consistency across all grade levels and further enhance our schools as spaces for focused, meaningful academic and social growth.

All academic activities requiring the use of technology will be facilitated through school-provided devices, allowing students to reap the benefits of technology without distractions.

Students who violate this policy will face progressive disciplinary action. If a student uses their electronic device during school, administrators may confiscate their device and either return it to the student at the end of the day or require the student’s parent to make an appointment to retrieve it. A student who refuses to give up their phone when asked will be suspended for three days.

If parents need to contact their child or if an emergency occurs, please contact the school’s main office.

School principals may make exceptions to the policy for individual students based on documented medical needs.

In case of a bus delay or other bus issue, drivers may allow elementary students to use their phones to contact their parents.

• See the LCS policy on personal electronic communication devices here.
• See guidance on cell-phone-free education from the Virginia Department of Education here.