The first day of middle, high and K-8 schools Tuesday comes with a handful of big changes for the Richmond County School System.
Elementary schools began Monday and system officials reported no incidents except some afternoon traffic.
Larger changes start Tuesday as the intended pupils of Belair Middle School begin school at the former Langford Middle School on Walton Way.
Langford is more than six miles from Belair’s intended community located in the Jimmie Dyess Parkway area just outside Fort Eisenhower. Parents raised concerns about transportation at an information session held last month.
Jeff Baker, chairman of system construction manager GMK Associates, told parents the opening delay was attributed to the system’s decision during construction to add 12 additional classrooms, increasing enrollment from 800 to 1,000.
He said the current schedule for completing Belair Middle is toward the end of September, with a target move-in date during fall break which is Oct. 14-15.
Monday, city contractors continued work filling a large sinkhole that opened up in front of Langford’s exit, ahead of Tropical Storm Debby’s anticipated arrival later that day. The system opted against canceling the first day of school due to the storm.
Ban on mobile devices begins
As the system’s anticipated 28,000 students fill its 54 schools Tuesday, a big change impacting many of its older kids will be the new ban on mobile devices, such as iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods.
Starting this year, the devices will be prohibited in classrooms, hallways and all communal areas from the time the morning bell rings until students are dismissed for the day.
The students must have their devices turned off and put away completely, out of use.
According to the system’s updated code of conduct, a first violation gets a student’s device confiscated until the end of the day. A second gets the device confiscated until the end of the week when it may be picked up by a parent.
Students who refuse to turn their devices in to teachers or other school officials can be suspended from school for two days.
Text messaging and social media is also prohibited. Most pupils are assigned tablets with the software they need for learning and filtered internet access.
Parents may contact their children by calling the schools main office’s main office, officials said.
