Announcements

Washington County Schools (WCS) Wireless Device Policy

Effective Beginning with the 2025–2026 School Year

The Washington County School District will enforce a new policy banning student use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices during the school day. This change is in compliance with the Alabama FOCUS Act (SB92), which mandates that such devices be turned off and stored in a district-approved manner—such as a locker or a student’s vehicle—upon arrival to campus.

Students will be required to store phones and smartwatches in lockers upon entering the building. These devices will remain locked away until dismissal. Limited exceptions may be granted for documented medical needs, staff-approved instructional use, or emergency situations. Personal laptops and tablets, including iPads, should be left at home. All students are expected to use their WCS-issued Chromebooks for schoolwork. Violations of the policy may result in disciplinary action. Wireless devices are strictly prohibited during state-mandated testing. WCS is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged devices.

Please see the policy listed below:

Washington County Schools

Cell Phone Policy 2025-2026

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with the Alabama FOCUS Act (Act 2025-220), which prohibits the use of wireless communication devices by students on public school property during the instructional day. The Washington County Board of Education adopted this policy to promote an environment conducive to learning, free from unnecessary distractions, and to maintain the integrity of the educational process.

II. Definition

Wireless communication device refers to any device that can send or receive messages, make calls, record, photograph, access the internet, or otherwise communicate wirelessly. This includes, but is not limited to:

● Cell phones

● Smartwatches

● Tablets

● Earbuds or wireless headphones

● Any similar devices

III. Policy Statement

Students enrolled in the district may possess wireless communication devices; however, the use of such devices is strictly prohibited on school property during the instructional day as defined by the Alabama FOCUS Act. Specifically:

1. Devices must be powered off and stored out of sight in a student’s backpack, locker, vehicle, or another designated location.

2. Devices may not be used during class changes, lunch, or recess unless specific authorization is granted by a school official.

3. This prohibition applies on all district-owned property and facilities during instructional hours, including school buses and school-sponsored activities occurring during the school day.

IV. Disciplinary Action for Violations

Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action in accordance with the following graduated structure:

Students found in violation of this policy will be subject to the following progressive disciplinary steps:

1. First Offense:

- A conference will be held with the student.

- The parent or guardian will be notified.

- The parent and student will be made aware of the consequences for future violations.

2. Second Offense:

- The parent or guardian will be notified immediately. A conference is required with the principal or his/her designee.

- The parent and student will be made aware of the consequences for future violations.

3. Third Offense:

- The student will be assigned to the alternative school for one (1) day.

- The parent and student will be notified and informed of the consequences for future violations.

4. Fourth Offense:

- The student will be assigned to the alternative school for three (3) days.

- The parent and student will be contacted and reminded of the potential for further disciplinary action if the behavior persists.

5. Fifth Offense:

- The student will be assigned to the alternative school pending a meeting with the Behavioral Intervention Committee (BIC) at the Washington County Board of Education central.

6. Any subsequent offense:

- The student will be suspended from school pending a meeting before the Washington County Board of Education for further disciplinary action as determined by the Board of Education.

WCS Cell Phone & Device Policy Q&A

Effective 2025–2026 School Year

- When can students use cell phones or smartwatches?

Use is only allowed for medical or learning needs documented in an IEP, 504 Plan, or health plan, and during emergencies threatening student safety. Otherwise, devices must remain off and stored during the entire school day.

- Can students carry phones in their bags?

No. Phones and smartwatches must be stored in designated phone lockers or other WCS-approved storage solutions. Backpacks should be stored in the students’ locker or designated place as determined by school administration.

- Are devices allowed on field trips?

Use on field trips is determined by the supervising teacher or school administrator.

- How do I contact my child during the school day?

Call your child’s school’s main office. Messages will be relayed to students by school staff.

- What if my child is bullied and wants to record it?

All bullying should be reported to school staff immediately. Recording incidents is not necessary or permitted.

- How will I be notified during an emergency?

WCS will use automated phone calls, texts, emails, and updates on the district website and social media.

- What about elementary students?

Elementary students must also follow the policy.

- What qualifies as a wireless communication device?

Devices include phones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, Bluetooth devices, and wireless headphones.

- What if my child has a medical condition monitored by phone?

Use must be documented in a health plan or 504/IEP, and use is limited to the approved purpose.

- What if a device is lost or damaged?

WCS is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal devices.

Key Expectations

- Students may not use wireless communication devices during instructional time unless specifically authorized by a staff member.

- Devices must be stored in lockers/backpacks while inside school buildings.

- Permitted exceptions include documented medical needs, IEP/504 accommodations, emergencies, or staff-directed instructional use.

- Emergency communications must go through the school office.

Why the Change?

This policy update aligns with Alabama SB92 and reflects WCS’s commitment to improving student focus, academic performance, and overall well-being. Reducing distractions during the instructional day helps create a safe, productive, and equitable learning environment for all students.

Student Communication

During the school day, families should call the main office if they need to reach a student. This process ensures that communication is handled safely and without disrupting instruction. Parents may also email their students using district-issued Chromebooks.

 

Excellence Across the County: Chatom Elementary Among Top 11 in Alabama

We are proud to recognize all of our schools in Washington County for performing above the state average on the most recent round of state testing. This achievement is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our teachers, administrators, students, and families across the county. 

While we celebrate the success of every school, we want to give special recognition to Mr. Ben Jones and the exceptional teachers at Chatom Elementary School for an extraordinary accomplishment. Chatom elementary is one of only 11 schools in the entire state of Alabama to achieve 100% proficiency in both second and third grade reading. 

We are extremely proud of this distinction and what it represents for our students and community. As always, we will continue working together across all schools in our county to help every student grow and improve in their reading skills.

Curtis Kirkland 
Superintendent of Schools

 

SUN Bucks (Summer EBT)

We've received several calls and questions regarding the Alabama SUN Bucks program.

Students are automatically enrolled if they receive any of the following benefits: SNAP, TANF, Medicaid (through the school demonstration project), or are in foster care.

If your child does not receive any of these benefits, you can check their eligibility by going to https://www.alabama-sunbucks.com/#eligibility. Please note that the application deadline is August 15, 2025.

 

Dangerous TikTok Trend Involving Chromebooks

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I want to make you aware of a dangerous trend circulating on TikTok and other social media platforms that poses a serious threat to student safety and school property.

This trend involves inserting metal objects (such as paper clips or pushpins) into Chromebook charging ports or internal components to intentionally cause electrical short circuits. This behavior can result in sparks, battery damage, fires, and serious injury.

Any student found participating in this behavior will be fined for the full replacement cost of the Chromebook, $350, and may face disciplinary action in accordance with Board Policies. There are consequences for willful damage to school property, including possible legal action and loss of device privileges. Expectations for appropriate use of district-issued devices are also detailed in the Washington County Schools Chromebook Policy, available on the district website.

We ask for your help in discussing the dangers of this behavior with your child and reinforcing the importance of treating school property with care and responsibility.

If you have any questions, please contact your child's school office.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Curtis Kirkland
Superintendent of Schools

 

PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident - Update

TO: Our Community

FROM: Washington County Schools

SUBJECT: An Update from Washington County Schools on the PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident

Dear families and educators of the Washington County Schools community—

As we previously communicated, PowerSchool – a cloud-based software vendor used by Washington County Schools – recently experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain information in the PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS).

We are reaching out to share more information and next steps that we recently received directly from PowerSchool:

•     Notification to Individuals Involved: Starting in the next few weeks, in collaboration with Experian, PowerSchool will provide notice to students (or their parents / guardians if the student is under 18) and educators whose information was involved, as well as a phone number to answer any questions you may have about the incident. The notice will include the identity protection and credit monitoring services offer (as applicable).

•     As soon as PowerSchool learned of the incident, they engaged cybersecurity response protocols and mobilized senior leadership and third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct a forensic investigation of the scope of the incident and to monitor for signs of information misuse. PowerSchool is not aware of any identity theft attributable to this incident.

In the meantime, I encourage you to visit https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/ for up-to-date information on the cybersecurity incident. We care deeply about the welfare of our Washington County Schools’ families and will continue to do everything we can to support you. Thank you for the important role you play in our community and your shared commitment to putting our students first.

Sincerely,
Curtis Kirkland
Superintendent, Washington County Schools

• Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services: PowerSchool has engaged Experian, a trusted credit reporting agency, to offer two years of complimentary identity protection services for all students and educators whose information from our PowerSchool SIS was involved. This offer will also include two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all adult students and educators whose information was involved.

 

Notice of Cybersecurity Incident

On January 7, 2025, Washington County Schools was informed of a cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the education software provider that manages our district’s student information system. On December 28, 2024, PowerSchool discovered unauthorized access to certain customer information through its PowerSource portal.

 The company has assured us that the breach has been contained, with no evidence of ongoing unauthorized activity or disruptions to operations. However, some personal information, including names, addresses, and email addresses, may have been affected. Importantly, social security numbers were not involved.

 In response, PowerSchool has enhanced its security measures, deactivated compromised credentials, and is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services to certain impacted individuals. Washington County Schools is working closely with PowerSchool and the Alabama State Department of Education to address this issue and ensure affected individuals are informed.

 We will share additional updates as new information becomes available.

 

Student Achievement Data

In order to comply with the accountability law, we have to announce that all achievement data for Washington County Schools may be found at www.alabamaachieves.org, under Reports & Data, School Performance, Proficiency, 2023-2024 ELA Assessment, 2023-2024 Math Assessment, 2023-2024 Science Assessment.  

 

Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

The Child Internet Protection Act of 2000 requires local school boards receiving federal funds to hold a public discussion of the network security features that protects students from inappropriate behaviors and websites. The Washington County Board of Education will have an open discussion of our protection features at the regular Board meeting Tuesday, February 27, 2018 beginning at 10:00 AM. The public is invited to participate in the discussion.