ROCK SPRINGS — A district cellphone policy was approved by the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees Monday evening, even as a board member notes that cellphones haven’t been as much of an issue than during prior years.

According to Chairman Cole Wright, the Wyoming Legislature provided school districts with policies that have to be enacted before July 1 – with the cellphone policy being one of them.

“While we already had a policy in place, this makes sure we’re in alignment with the Legislature’s requirements … it’s just a formality at this point that we make sure that we have that,” Wright said.

Wright also said they already had the policy in place with the expectation that cellphones weren’t being used during classroom time unless students were instructed to do so. 

Trustee Josh Sorensen said things have felt “a lot quieter” when it came to the issue of cellphones in schools. He asked Athletics Director Hope Downs Lewis if the district’s policies have had an impact on the issue.

“It’s one of those things where you have to inspect what you expect,” she said.

Lewis said when high school administrators walked into classrooms this year, they talked to students about putting their cellphones away, saying they had the expectation for teachers to enforce the rule as well. Lewis said teachers are doing a great job of enforcing the policy.

“They know it’s what’s best for kids, and at this point, the kids are used to it and they are doing a good job of following directions as well,” she said.