Cell Phone Policy

This policy is in effect for the 2025-26 school year

Cell Phone Policy

Phones are not to be used during school except for when allowed by  Regulation 2601 , which is included in the Student Rights & Responsibilities . High school students may use their phones during lunch in designated areas only.

Dear Oakton Community,

As we get ready for the first day of school on Monday, August 18, I wanted to share an important update about FCPS’ cell phone policy .

Starting this school year, cell phones and personal devices (air pods, earbuds, headsets, other items connected to the internet) must be off and away for the entire school day (bell to bell) with the exception of lunch time in designated lunch spaces . Cell phones and personal devices can no longer be used during passing periods, which is a change from FCPS’ previous cell phone policy. In addition, cell phones are no longer permitted to be used as an instructional tool (across all grades). 

Phones and other personal devices can be stored in a locker or backpack during the day. 

This policy helps strengthen engagement, learning, and positive social behavior in the classroom. If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call our front office at (703) 319-2701 . 

You can support your student by talking with them about the cell phone policy and reminding them that cell phones and personal devices may only be used during lunch time in designated lunch spaces (cafeteria and cafeteria courtyard). Thank you for working with us to set expectations for your student.

Students who require access to personally owned devices as an accommodation, as documented in their 504 plan or individualized education program (IEP), will continue to have access. If parents/guardians, multi-disciplinary team members, or other persons with knowledge of a student, believe a student requires access to personally owned devices as an accommodation, they shall make the requests for such accommodations through their respective multi-disciplinary team (i.e., 504 Committee, IEP Team, English Language Committee, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support [MTSS] Team). More information can be found in the SY 25-26 Student Rights & Responsibilities Family Guide , specifically on page 24.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me at  @email and we can arrange a time to discuss.  Administrators will also be available during Cougar Kickoff on August 14, 2025, and our Back to School Night on August 27, 2025.  I look forward to seeing you at one of our back-to-school events.  

Go Cougars!

Sincerely,Jamie S. Lane, Principal

Oakton High School is one of a handful of high schools testing a new program for students to store cell phones during instructional times. Oakton High School will notbe receiving storage units. Instead, as one of eight non-storage schools in this new cell phone storage program, our staff will be helping make sure our students follow the  cell phone rules we already have. These rules are in place to help make Oakton High School a great place to learn. Studies show that young people who use their phones at school have trouble learning, focusing, and getting good grades. These rules are:

  • Phones must be silenced and put away during all instructional periods. Cell phones may be used on campus before the first bell, after the last bell, during passing periods, and lunches.
  • Phone accessories are also to be silenced and away when phone use is prohibited. Smart watches that serve a dual purpose may be worn, but the phone features (texting, Internet viewing, and calls) are to be off when phone use is prohibited.

If you need to reach your student during class time, please call our front office at 703-319-2700 . If your student needs access to their phone for medical accommodations, it is important to note that the current cell phone policy and guidelines have not changed. Therefore, students who currently require access to a cell phone or another personally owned device for medical reasons, or an accommodation to access the curriculum and make progress to their individualized goals, will continue to have such access.

Please talk to your student about these rules and why they are important. You can also talk to your student about what will happen if they are caught breaking these rules. This includes getting their phone taken away for the day, getting detention, having a family conference, and losing phone privileges. 

We will be giving our teachers extra training to help them remind our students about these rules, and during this school year we will be tracking how well our students follow them. This data will be compared to the schools who are getting storage units. This will help us learn how to make our schools even better learning spaces for our students. 

You can also find more information on FCPS’  cell phone policy webpage (for all schools) and  cell phone storage webpage (for schools that are getting storage containers). Both of these webpages include a button to provide feedback. 

Daily Process

  1. As a student enters their first class of the day, they will silence their cell phones (or place in airplane mode). Smartwatches also need to be placed in silent or airplane mode and any texting or internet features disabled. If a student brings airpods or other headphones to school, these must be stored in the student’s backpack during class.
  2. At the start of the day, they will place their phones in their backpacks for the duration of the day, except during lunch. If a student leaves the classroom during instructional time, the phone must remain in the classroom within their backpack. 
  3. When class ends, students will not have access to their phones unless it is at lunch in a designated area.
  4. Students may use their phones during lunch in either the cafeteria or the cafeteria courtyard (but not in restrooms), in accordance with the SR&R.
  5. Students who have a documented accommodation (IEP/504/medical plan) allowing access to their phones or students with a documented medical need requiring access to their phones will be allowed to have access to their phones within the scope of the accommodation.

Violations

Staff Response and Discipline
Cell Phone Violations Staff Response Discipline
First Violation The phone is confiscated by a staff member and given to the office. The phone will be secured in the front office. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the day. A parent/guardian is notified. The student receives a warning and the violation is logged in SIS.
Second Violation The phone is confiscated and given to the front office. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the school day. A parent/guardian is notified. The student receives detention and the violation is logged in SIS.
Third Violation The phone is confiscated and given to the front office. A parent/guardian is notified. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the school day. A parent/guardian is notified. The student receives two detentions, a parent/guardian conference is held, and it is logged in SIS. 
Fourth Violation The phone is confiscated and given to the front office.  A parent/guardian is notified. The student can pick up their phone at the end of the school day. A parent/guardian is notified.

Phone privileges are lost for 20 consecutive school days and it is logged in SIS.  For each of these 20 days, the student will report to the front office at the beginning of each day to turn over their phone until the end of the day. 

The student receives three detentions.
flyer that says cell phones off learning on with a Cougar at the bottom