During the Glencoe-Silver Lake school board meeting on Aug. 12, Matt Foss, GSL’s grades 7-12 principal, said there was a “small change” to their handbook regarding their cell phone policy. “I just want to inform families that it’s no longer the three-violation system where you get a warning if your cell phone is in the classroom, but instead you get it confiscated if your cell phone is in the classroom. That’s at the discretion of the teachers,” Foss said. “There are a lot of emails circulating with secondary school principals, particularly in Wright County, as well as at the state level about what the schools are doing.” Foss said most principals have policies similar to GSL’s, noting that there are some schools that are “banning cell phones completely this school year.”

“I think that’s coming, I think that’s going to be law next year, there are several states that have that now, we’ll see how that goes and there’s a lot to learn next year, but I think that’s a step in the right direction,” Foss said. “I think if you asked any teacher, probably unfortunately from elementary school through high school, they would tell you that cell phones are a distraction and I think it’s a step in the right direction where we are this year, where there are no warnings, you don’t have it out.”

Foss continued, saying, “I think it’s going to be a tough learning curve for some of our students. I don’t want to use the word addicted, but some of them, in my opinion, are addicted to their phone, and I think these first few weeks of school are going to be kind of a reality check for them after three months of being on the phone if they wanted to. If they’re not there, we’re going to have parent contacts, and your parents are going to have to come and pick up your phones and have some meetings if that continues to be an issue.”

Foss said he will send families information about the cell phone policy and if they have specific questions about the policy, families can contact him or GSL grades 7-12 assistant principal Sarah Beckman. Glencoe-Silver Lake school board member Clark Christianson questioned Foss about the “consistency” and “ambiguity” of the fact that the policy is at the discretion of teachers. Foss said he has met with staff but “doesn’t know how it’s going to work.”

“I would wish we didn’t have them at all, and I think with my position I can say that. It’s going to be difficult because then you hear from staff that teachers should have the autonomy in their own classrooms to say I can monitor these 25 students,” Foss said. “I think there will be staff that enforces that very well and there will be staff that don’t enforce that, and the classes that will have issues with cell phones will be the ones that don’t enforce (the policy).”

Foss said he had already had discussions about the cell phone policy at leadership meetings in February.

Business Manager Report

Michelle Sander, executive director of Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools, said she received notice from the Buffalo Creek Watershed of a meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Glencoe City Center related to the North Central Drainage System drainage system. She said should they proceed with a project in the system, there could be a “financial obligation to the school district.” In addition, Sander said Joni Kimble has been hired as the new food service manager for the school district, replacing the retiring Dan Hutchinson. Sander said Kimble has been working on creating menus, taking training and processing orders. Sander said she appears “knowledgeable” and she “looks forward to working with her.”

Odds and ends

Foss said GSL’s Homecoming Week is scheduled for Sept. 16-20.

The school board thanked donations totaling $3,950 from Silver Lake Legion Post 141, Silver Lake Lions Club, Weelborg Chevrolet, Plato Lions Club, VFW Glencoe and FFA.

On the recommendation of GSL Superintendent Christopher Sonju, the school board unanimously approved a request for a junior high school STEM trip to Florida in June 2026.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for September 9th at 6 p.m. in the GSL school common room (No. 443/444).