The Board recognizes that employees may carry electronic communications devices either district-issued or personally owned and hereby adopts this policy.
District-Issued Communication Devices
Communication devices issued by the District may include, for example, cellular telephones, walkie-talkies, personal digital assistants (PDA’s) or laptop computers, citizens band radios, either installed in vehicles or hand-held, and pagers/beepers.
Employees in receipt of District-issued equipment shall be held responsible for the safekeeping of the equipment and exercise reasonable efforts to see that the equipment is not lost, stolen, or damaged. Reckless or irresponsible use of District equipment, resulting in loss or damage may result in the employee having to reimburse the District for any associated costs of replacement or repair.
Employees who choose to use a cell phone or PDA issued by the District for regular personal use will pay a reimbursement fee to the District for such personal use. The fee shall be determined by the District on a yearly basis. Occasional, limited personal use by an employee does not require a reimbursement fee.
Employees requested by the District to use their own cell phone for district business shall be reimbursed for such use. The reimbursement shall be determined by the District on a yearly basis.
District-issued equipment shall be used in a manner that does not disrupt instruction and should not be used during school-sponsored programs, meetings, in-services, or other events where there exists a reasonable expectation of quiet attentiveness unless there is a reason of personal health or safety involved.
Any District-issued equipment is to be surrendered back to the District immediately upon request.
Personally-Owned Communication Devices
Employees may carry and use personally-owned cellular telephones, pagers/beepers, and PDA’s or laptops during the school day on school property.
Personally owned hand-held citizens band radios, portable police scanners, and long or short-range walkie-talkies should not be used or carried by employees on school property during the school day unless by specific permission of their immediate supervisor based on a personal health or safety need.
Cellular telephones and pagers/beepers should not be used during the employee’s normal duty times to send/receive messages of a personal nature, but such use is allowable during normal break times, lunch times, and preparation times. Use of cellular or audible pagers/beepers should be curtailed during instruction time or at school-sponsored programs, meetings, in-services, parent/guardian conferences, or any other time when there would be a reasonable expectation of quiet attentiveness.
Any employee violating the above rules may be subject to disciplinary action.
Policy History:
Anticipated First Reading: June 18, 2009
Adopted on: July 16, 2009
Revised on: July 19, 2012