Students in Franklin County schools caught with cell phones or wireless communication devices on their persons will face enhanced discipline after the Franklin County Board of Education approved the Franklin County Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety (FOCUS) Act at its June 26th meeting.
The new policy prohibits students in all Franklin County Schools from bringing ‘powered-on mobile phones or wireless communication devices on their person during the instructional day, except under specified exceptions.’
Those exceptions, which must be documented and supervised, include use by students with IEP, 504 plans or special health needs, teacher-approved educational use during class, use during medical or safety emergencies or other use as approved by the school office.
Devices must be turned off (or silenced) and stored off-person in a locker, vehicle or designated storage area before first period begins. Students may face disciplinary action for devices left powered on or visible.
A first offense will involve the confiscation of the device for the remainder of the school day. A second offense carries In-School Suspension for one day, confiscation of device and parental notification. Third offenses include ISS for two days, confiscation and parental notification. Fourth offenses carry a one day Out-of-School suspension and fifth offenses will carry longer Out-of-School Suspension and/or in combination with ISS.
Franklin County Schools will provide a social media/Internet safety course ,for all students (by or before 8th grade transfer), delivered by August 1, 2025.
The policy cities reduced classroom distractions, improved attentiveness and strengthened mental health as rationale for the policy. The board’s new policy complies with Alabama state law contained in the FOCUS Act.
In other agenda items at the June 26th meeting, the board:
—recognized the Belgreen High School Anglers who recently on a State Championship in fishing.
—approved the School Incident Report (SIR) for the period of August 7, 2024 through May 23, 2025.
—approved the Occupational Therapy Services bid to Susan Allen.
—approved an out-of-state trip for Red Bay High School Band to attend Drum Corps International in Tupelo, Miss., on July 10, 2025.
—approved the following personnel moves:
—Resignation: Katina Petrie, TES teacher, Billy Heath Childers, RBHS history teacher, Sydney Scott, TES teacher, Laura Guidry, BHS special education teacher and Carly Channell, Pre-K lead teacher at TES.
—Employment: Kaitlin Sparkman and Emma Whitfield, special education teachers at BHS, Leah Bishop, special education teacher EFJHS, Ciara Whitten, special education teacher PCHS, Emma Delaney, RBES teacher, Brianna Wood, Lead Pre-K teacher at TES, Madeline Mitchell, TES teacher, Carley Seal, TES teacher, Tyler Jeffreys, social science teacher and varsity head football coach at RBHS, Lisa Gann, part-time 21st Century Community Learning Center After School Director, Royce Miller, bus driver Career Tech Center, Natasha Wigginton, custodian BHS, Amanda Galloway, Child Nutrition Program Manager Tharptown Cafeteria, Avery Harper and Dianne Henson, Child Nutrition Program Assistants, Franklin County Schools.
—Principal Contracts: Bart Moss, PCHS, Leann Trapp, EFJHS and Brady Ramey, RBHS, 36-month contracts from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.
—Transfers: Molly King, from TES Principal to Franklin County Elementary Curriculum Director, Royce Miller, from bus driver at Red Bay to Vina and Daryl Taylor, from bus driver at Tharptown to Belgreen.
—Franklin County 2025 21st Century Community Learning Centers Summer Program hirings including Laura McKinney, bus driver Red Bay, Laura Ergle, high school student aide Tharptown, Braxton Hipps, college student aide Tharptown, Kennedy Wilemon, college student aide Red Bay and John Torisky, teacher, Red Bay.
The next regular meeting of the Franklin County Board of Education will be Tuesday, July 22 with work session at 3 p.m., and meeting to follow.
