As Vikings, we know the strength of rowing together toward a common goal. But imagine a Viking ship in which some rowers are distracted, not pulling their weight, or rowing against the current. That was the challenge North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) faced without clarity regarding student use of cell phones in schools. The lack of clear boundaries left us out of sync, disrupting the flow of learning and creating choppy waters for students and staff alike.

This year, NBAPS charted a new course, implementing a cell phone policy and procedures to align our efforts and steer our Viking ship in the same direction. At the recent Minnesota School Board Association Leadership Conference, our student panelists—Nora Touissaint, Logan Hammel, Shakarah Jackson, Austin Stemler, and Blake Hunter—shared their experiences with school board members and superintendents from across the state. Their willingness to facilitate the conversation led to a packed room of educational leaders eager to hear how NBAPS worked together to navigate this change.

  
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