Belchertown School Committee approves cell phone-free policy for grades pre-K through eight

BELCHERTOWN -- March 24, 2026, Belchertown School Committee approves cell phone-free policy for grades pre-K through eight. The committee voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt the new policy, which does not extend to the high school, Superintendent Brian Cameron explained the strategy is to shift student behavior in the lower grades so it carries organically into high school over time. Member Amy LaMothe Wilson questioned the policy's "enforcement" clause language and asked the district to begin tracking cell-phone-related discipline data going forward, and Cameron said administrators, not teachers, would take the lead on enforcement to avoid classroom confrontations. The committee also unanimously accepted a $8,895 Summer Eats grant for mobile community meal sites and a $30,000 grant to expand tier-two mental health screening tools. In a mid-year academic update, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Shawn Fortin told the committee that an apparent dip in middle school iReady ELA scores from fall to winter was attributed to testing endurance issues rather than learning loss, and said the district is "cautiously optimistic" end-of-year results will look different. Director of Special Education Becky reported the district narrowly maintained its state "fine" determination under a revised compliance matrix, missing a lower rating by one point.