Students attending Mount Vernon City Schools will start the new school year on Aug. 20 with free breakfasts and lunches for the school year and a new cell phone policy. Student academic fees also were waived for the 2024-2025 school year.

According to a letter to parents and guardians on the Mount Vernon City Schools website, the school district applied for a Community Eligibility Provision grant that made the free breakfast and lunch possible.

The new cell phone policy was designed to focus on learning by minimizing distractions caused by cell phones, according to a letter to parents and guardians on the Mount Vernon City Schools website. Distractions caused by cell phone use have been shown in studies to lead to smaller learning gains and lower test scores.

Elementary school students (grades K-5) are prohibited from using cell phones from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to a letter to parents and guardians on the Mount Vernon City Schools website. The policy prohibits middle school students (grades 6-8) from using cell phones during class periods, Flex, and lunch. Limited use is allowed during the 3-minute transition times for parent communications. High school students (grades 9-12) are prohibited from using cell phones during class periods, HIVE, and study hall. Limited use is allowed during the 4-minute transition times and at lunch.

Students must keep their cell phones in a secure place such as a closed backpack, locker, or a secured cell phone pouch provided by the district when use is prohibited, according to a letter to parents and guardians on the Mount Vernon City Schools website. Students will be responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged pouches.

Violations of the policy will be subjected to progressive discipline, according to the letter to parents and guardians on the Mount Vernon City Schools website. A student gets a warning for a first offense and family is notified. The phone is placed in a secured pouch until the end of the day. The second offense results in lunch detention, family notification, and cell phone placement in a secured pouch. For a third offense, the student loses cell phone privileges during school. The family is notified and the phone stays at home or checked in at the office. Disciplinary action may increase after additional violations, including suspension or referral to law enforcement.