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Task Force recommends allowing cell phones for middle and high school students

The Norfolk Public Schools Cell Phone Task Force, convened this year to review NPS' cell phone regulation, has recommended to the School Board that middle and high school students be allowed beginning next school year to carry cell phones to school, as long as they keep them turned off and stowed in backpacks, purses or lockers during the day. The phones would be confiscated if they were seen or heard during the school day.

Currently, students are not allowed to have cell phones at school. Elementary students would continue to be barred from carrying cell phones, if the Task Force's recommendation is adopted by the school division. This is because the Task Force concluded that, from a developmental perspective, young students may not be able to adhere to the restrictions on using or playing with the phones during the day, and therefore it would be unfair to hold them to that standard or to discipline them for breaking the rules.

The Task Force was convened earlier this year at the School Board's request. Parents petitioned the Board to review the school division's restriction on student cell phones at school.

The Task Force reviewed other area school divisions' rules, held a public forum and gathered input via e-mail.

Parents and students were supportive of allowing the phones at school, as long as they are not used.

The concept to be communicated to students and families would be: See it...hear it...lose it!

Students caught using a cell phone during the school day would face the following consequences:

First offense - The phone would be confiscated for two days, with parents required to retrieve the phone and sign a form acknowledging the rules and the consequences.

Second offense - The phone would be confiscated for one month, and a parent would have to retrieve the phone and sign a form acknowledging the rules and consequences.

Third offense - The phone would be confiscated for the balance of the school year, and a parent would have to pick it up afterward and sign the acknowledgment form.

The Task Force was made up of school administrators, teachers, parents and Central Office staff. The NPS Administration will review the Task Force's recommendation and bring the matter back to the School Board in June.

School Board selects Dr. Samuel T. King as Superintendent

The School Board voted 6-1 on Monday, May 14, 2012 to hire Dr. Samuel T. King, Superintendent of Rockdale County Public Schools in Georgia, as the next Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools.

Dr. King's contract begins July 1, 2012. According to the Board, Dr. King will begin in Norfolk on Monday, July 2.

"We are excited about this selection," said Dr. Kirk T. Houston, Sr. "Dr. King has proven success in areas that are vital to us right now."

The Board also expressed much gratitude and praise for Mr. Michael C. Spencer, who has served as Interim Superintendent during the transition.

"We thank Mr. Spencer for doing an excellent job leading the school division through this period," Dr. Houston said.

Dr. King is a native of Smithville, Ga. He is in his seventh year as Superintendent of Rockdale County Public Schools, which lists on its Web site three high schools, four middle schools and 11 elementary schools, as well as a host of non-traditional facilities and programs.

Dr. King began his career as a classroom teacher of mathematics and science at the high school, middle school and elementary school levels.

Dr. King was named Georgia's 2011 Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia School Boards Association and the Georgia School Superintendents Association after being a finalist for three consecutive years.

During his tenure, Rockdale County Public Schools made federal Adequate Yearly Progress for the past six consecutive years, reduced its dropout rate and posted its highest graduation rate since the beginning of the accountability era.

Click here to see Dr. King's bio.

Click here to visit Rockdale's Web site.

School Board to hold special meeting to vote for Superintendent candidate

The School Board of the City of Norfolk has called a special meeting to vote on a candidate for the Superintendent of Schools.

The meeting will be held on Monday, May 14, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Administration Building’s 12th floor conference room, 800 E. City Hall Avenue.