Dr. Luttrell has been sharing the new cell phone and tardy policy (below) with the community.  

AN IMPORTANT REMINDER: A STUDENT ASSIGNED TO AFTER SCHOOL DETENTION OR IN SCHOOL DETENTION (ISR) CAN NOT PRACTICE OR PLAY ON THE DAYS, THEY HAVE DETENTION.

If detention spans over several days, the student athlete can not practice/play over that whole time.  For example, if ISR is Thursday, Friday, and Monday the student can not practice or play on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday. 

Cell phone and tardy to class practices: At Loudoun County High School, we hold dear the values of teaching and learning, and we reflect often on ways to improve and grow as a school community. Frequent check-ins with teachers and staff throughout the 2021-2022 school year indicated two common themes that must be addressed as we prepare for this upcoming school year: student cell phone use in class and student tardies to class.

Cell Phone Use: When used appropriately and with explicit permission from the teacher, cell phones can be powerful technological tools for researching, engaging with a lesson, providing feedback to peers, participating in classroom surveys, and more. However, the growing dependence on cell phones is severely impacting teaching and learning in classrooms. On average, teenagers spend 7 hours a day on their smartphone. Research suggests that cellphone dependence occurs because, like a drug, smartphone use releases quick bursts of dopamine, or an addictive chemical reaction. The rampant use of cell phones results in students missing important instruction, distracting classmates, and often disregarding teacher requests or expectations. Last year, we witnessed the negative consequences of this addictive cycle of our students at school. Homework completion, socialization, social skills, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and depression were common issues associated with cell phone use.

All LCHS teachers have the support of the administration to determine when and how cell phones will be used in their respective classrooms. Our school wide expectation is that students honor and respect the electronics rules outlined by each of their teachers. When students make the decision to not honor the explicitly stated expectations of their teachers, the school will initiate a progressive system of disciplinary action to address the behavior. The progressive discipline flow chart was created by staff last spring and was shared with members of the SCA for review and discussion before becoming finalized at the end of the school year for implementation this fall.

1st offense: Warning to student

2nd offense: Warning to student and phone call or email home

3rd offense: Referral to administration for detention

Additional offenses: Referral to administration for disciplinary action

*Resets at semester for each student*

Tardies to class: LCHS recorded a record number of tardies to class during the 2021-2022 school year. These tardies impacted classroom routines, disrupted peers, and required teachers to restructure lessons and re-teach material. While there are hundreds of possible mishaps which might make a person run behind schedule, we expect that for the 2022-2023 school year and beyond, students’ daily routines include time to account for these possible scenarios. We ask that you take the time to discuss your child’s morning routine to determine the root cause of their tardiness to school. Adjusting their routine is essential to ensure a successful start to their day and to be in class on time before the 9:30 am bell rings. Additionally, students should use their hallway passing time effectively to ensure they are in classrooms before the bell following the transition to each of their classes. LCHS will utilize the same progressive discipline flow chart to address class tardies.

1st offense: Warning to student

2nd offense: Warning to student and phone call or email home

3rd offense: Referral to administration for detention

Additional offenses: Referral to administration for disciplinary action*Resets at semester for each student*