Dear families and staff,
FMS is going phone-free in 2025-2026.
To support a positive learning environment and ensure the safety and privacy of everyone at Farmington Municipal Schools, the Board of Education has adopted a policy regulating the possession and use of personal electronic devices during school hours, effective next academic year.
Under this policy, the use of personal electronic devices—including cell phones, smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, smart glasses, earbuds, AirPods, headphones, MP3 players, iPods, digital cameras, video recorders, portable gaming devices, and any other wireless or communication devices—will not be permitted during the school day. This change is to prevent disruptions to learning, interference with school activities, and to protect the well-being of students and staff.
The policy also outlines procedures for student-parent communication during the school day, emergencies, other exceptions, and consequences for violations.
Additional guidelines will be developed and shared with families by school principals at all levels.
General Use:
Use of such devices is a privilege and may be revoked if misused. Devices must not disrupt learning or compromise safety or privacy.
Prohibited Uses:
Disrupting instruction or school activities.
Violating laws or school policies.
Recording others without consent in ways that may cause harm or violate privacy (e.g., in locker rooms or restrooms).
Academic dishonesty.
During class, assemblies, and similar events, unless explicitly allowed.
Permitted Uses:
Emergencies.
Authorized curricular use.
As specified in an IEP, 504 plan, or healthcare plan.
With written approval for special circumstances.
Storage:
Devices must be turned off and hidden when not authorized for use. Violations may result in confiscation.
Discipline for Violations (per FMS Student Discipline Matrix):
1st Offense: Device returned at day’s end; student calls parent.
2nd Offense: Parent must retrieve device; one detention.
3rd Offense: Parent notified; two detentions.
4th Offense: Device banned for the rest of the year; three detentions; parent signs acknowledgment.
Search and Confiscation:
Devices suspected of policy violation may be confiscated and searched with proper authorization. Law enforcement may be involved if necessary.
Liability:
The District is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged devices, including during confiscation or search.
This policy ensures that personal devices are used responsibly in educational settings while maintaining a safe and distraction-free environment.
FMS currently provides each student with a laptop or iPad and provides teachers with the necessary technology and professional development to effectively integrate digital tools into instruction.
The FMS Board of Education reviewed and discussed this policy on three separate occasions before approving it, including during their January and May 2025 meetings.
This action aligns with recently enacted New Mexico legislation—Senate Bill 11, the Anti-Distraction Policy in Schools—which mandates that every school district and charter school develop and implement a policy governing student use of wireless communication devices in public schools.
You can download a copy of the policy [here].