With the deadline for School Board action looming, two major advocacy groups are pressing for a blanket ban on student phone use during the instructional day in Arlington.
The Arlington Education Association (AEA) and Arlington Parents for Education (APE) have sent a joint letter to School Board members and Superintendent Francisco Durán, seeking the more restrictive of two options currently being considered.
An away-for-the-day requirement has been recommended by Durán and staff, but School Board members alternately could opt for a proposal allowing high-school students access to their phones during parts of the school day when they are not in class.
Acknowledging there are arguments on both sides, the AEA/APE letter said that “the benefits far outweigh any costs” in keeping students off their phones throughout the school day.
The proposed policy “is also in the best interest of our hardworking educators as it enables them to focus on instruction, rather than managing the personal devices of students,” says the letter, signed by AEA president June Prakash and members of the APE board of directors.
“When personal devices are away for the school day, the burden of policy reinforcement and execution is removed from the teacher’s role, allowing them to focus on academics and student well-being,” they wrote.
The Nov. 21 letter could have an impact as School Board members gear up for a final decision on a permanent phone-use policy. The vote is set for Dec. 12.
Arlington and the Commonwealth’s 130-some other school divisions are under an end-of-the-year deadline imposed by the Virginia Department of Education on having a phone policy in place. Since the start of the 2024-25 school year, Arlington Public Schools has had a temporary policy as preparations to meet the state mandate moved forward.
Surveys conducted by the school system found that responding educators generally are supportive of more restrictive access to phones, while students who took part were more likely to desire access to them during free time throughout the school day.
Arlington Schools to Receive State Security-Equipment Grants: Eleven Arlington public schools are among 472 statewide that will receive a share of $12 million in school-security grants.
The criteria developed by VDOE and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services gives priority to schools most in need of modern security equipment, schools with relatively high numbers of offenses, schools with equipment needs identified by a security audit and schools in divisions least able to afford security upgrades.
Arlington schools set to receive some of the funding include Ashlawn Elementary, Barcroft Elementary, Barrett Elementary, Carlin Springs Elementary, Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary, Gunston Middle, Hoffman-Boston Elementary, Kenmore Middle, Long Branch Elementary, Randolph Elementary and Washington-Liberty High.
Outdoor Lab Boosters Aim to Expand Acreage: The nonprofit organization running the Arlington Outdoor Lab for Arlington Public Schools and students is seeking to expand its acreage in Fauquier County.
The Arlington Outdoor Education Association (AOEA) currently owns 225 acres, which since the 1960s has been used to provide educational opportunities in a pastoral setting to Arlington students.
In a recent email to supporters, AOEA leaders said:
“The Board is researching options for funding the $1.25 million/125-acre parcel while still fulfilling commitments to provide facilities for the current APS program and support construction of new facilities essential for delivering environmental education to students in APS for decades to come.”
“The Board has applied for state grants, solicited private donations, sought bank lending and weighed the pros and cons of the purchase and how they align with our goals. The deadline for our exclusive option to buy (before the property hits the market) is only weeks away. The Board will update our supporters and partners as we can due to sensitivity of negotiations.”
The potential property purchase is part of an ongoing master-planning effort for the Outdoor Lab, which is staffed by school-system personnel.
One recent upgrade to the Outdoor Lab came through the efforts of Adam Hellinga and fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 350 in Arlington. As part of his Eagle Scout project, Hellinga led an effort to build a sheltered welcome pavilion there.
“This pavilion provides shelter for our students during hot sun and rainy drizzle, and offers a place for overnight campers’ gear as they begin and end their time at the Lab,” the organization said.
