The Oglethorpe County Board of Education unanimously approved several policy revisions at its Tuesday meeting to bring the school system in line with new state requirements, including rules on personal electronic devices, internet use and athletic eligibility.
The new policy on use of electronic devices by students states that students in grades K-8 can’t use or have access to personal electronics like phones, smartwatches, tablets, ereaders, headphones or earbuds during school hours. The board had to approve this new rule by January 2026, though it will not be enforced until next school year.
Superintendent Beverley Levine said most Oglethorpe County families won’t experience noticeable differences when the policy begins next fall.
“They probably won’t see any changes, mainly because our middle school doesn’t allow cell phones anymore,” she said.
Also, a revised internet acceptable use policy was adopted to comply with the Protecting Georgia’s Children on Social Media Act of 2024. This also won’t take effect until next fall, but state law requires the district to have a policy in place by Oct. 1 of this year.
"All we did was add in the language of the law, but it hasn’t changed anything for us," Levine said.
Board members discussed providing parents with training for children’s online safety during their work session on Aug. 26.
The BOE also revised language in the district’s equity in sports policy to comply with a new Georgia rule that defines eligibility based on sex rather than gender.
“It’s in response to a state law that went into effect now, that probably trickled down from the federal level, but it’s a state law and a state requirement,” Levine said. “It’s called the Riley Gaines (Act).”
Levine said the district already had a similar rule in place, so the revision is mostly wording rather than a change in practice.
In other news, the BOE:
- Approved the purchase of a 2019 Chevrolet pickup truck with a service body for the transportation department at a cost of $32,075. The truck will be used to service buses that break down on the road, and the funds were already budgeted for this fiscal year.
- Approved continued participation in Regional Educational Service Agency for FY26, with costs increasing by $100,568.71 for a total of $281,183.10. Levine said the higher cost is due to more students in special programs such as Deaf and Hard of Hearing and GNETS, as well as rising health insurance and teacher retirement costs.
- Accepted the resignation of a special education teacher who had returned under House Bill 385, which allows retired teachers with 30 years of service to work full-time. The teacher hadn’t completed the required 30 years, which created a vacancy that will need to be filled.