Rockport School Committee Meeting | August 19, 2026

The Rockport School Committee held a meeting on August 19, 2026, where the primary procurement-related discussion centered on the implementation of a new policy (JIC) banning student personal electronic devices during school hours (bell-to-bell). The committee reviewed survey data from students, families, and staff to inform the policy and discussed the acquisition of proprietary locking cases for devices, which will be installed in classrooms to secure phones and smartwatches during the school day. The district has budgeted for these cases and additional Chromebooks or Neo devices to support student learning without personal devices. The policy was unanimously approved, with procedures to be finalized and implemented at the start of the school year. Additionally, the committee discussed ongoing capital improvements, including a major renovation of the library media center to include a podcast and TV studio, funded through existing budgets and partnerships with town departments. Staffing updates and committee assignments were also addressed, but no new contracts or vendor selections beyond the device cases and technology upgrades were detailed.