The Southwest Open School board on Monday celebrated the first day of the school year and discussed their new cellphone policy, parent engagement and student return rate.
According to SWOS Director Casey Simpson, the cellphone policy was created in conjunction with the school’s mission of “developing and nurturing high academic, character and health standards.”
“We are allowing for brief cellphone breaks because we know life happens, and believe that responsible use rather than ‘no tolerance’ is the best way to prepare youth for a successful adult cellphone experience,” Simpson told The Journal. “School districts across the country and in Montezuma County are all moving toward cellphone use mitigation. This is due to an abundance of scholarly research which has recently highlighted a slew of problematic outcomes from excessive cellphone use, especially prevalent in/with young people.”
The student return rate showed 124 enrolled students, which matches last year’s total. Some classes have more than 20 students.
The board noted that several students are still interviewing to enroll and that enrollment will be pushed to Tuesday, Sept. 3. A wait list will be utilized after Sept. 3.
The board also discussed efforts to increase parent engagement.
Right now, about 50% of parents and guardians don’t attend events except for graduation. The board noted that parental support is important to help SWOS’ focus on attendance.
Each month, SWOS has a different focus topic, and August’s topic is its strategic plan and professional development. The board discussed policy about time off, CBI fingerprinting and annual leave.
Another discussion centered on House Bill 24-1039, which allows students to change their name without parental consent. The statute, which also stipulates that schools must comply with the name change or face legal consequences, intends to support students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community.
If a student is under 18, schools are required to speak with parents about the name change, Simpson said.
Simpson said the school might require legal advice if a student made repeated name changes or chose an inappropriate name.
The board also discussed a claim that one of the school buildings smelled like a “colony of cats.” The board planned to contact animal control office or similar entity to get to the bottom of the odor.
