West Greene School District Cell Phone Policy (2026)

West Greene School District in Greene County enrolled 640 students in 2024-25 according to federal data. Its high school adopted a new phone rule for 2026-27.

West Greene phone rules today

GreeneScene Magazine reported on September 25, 2026 that West Greene High School students may not use phones for any reason in a teacher's classroom. A phone used in class goes to the principal's office and is held until the end of the day for a parent or guardian to pick up. Students may still use phones at lunch.

What Act 117 requires of West Greene by 2027-28

Gov. Josh Shapiro approved SB 1014 on October 26, 2026. It is Act 117 of 2026, and it took effect that day. The text is Printer's No. 1697 on palegis.us. Every school entity must adopt a bell-to-bell policy by the start of the 2027-28 school year.

Act 117 requires	West Greene today	What changes by 2027-28
No student use for the whole school day, including homeroom, lunch, recess and passing time	Classrooms; lunch allowed (2026-27)	End lunch and passing time use.
The board decides how possession is restricted (taking phones is not required)	Not stated	State the possession method.
Required exceptions: documented medical need of the student or an immediate family member, IEP or 504, English learner translation, limited teacher-approved instructional use	Not stated	Add medical, IEP/504 and English learner translation.
Optional: a principal may approve another exception for up to one school day, with notice to the superintendent within 5 days after	Not stated	Teacher use must meet Act 117's three conditions; other exceptions capped at one day.
Written notice each year and on enrollment: a staffed way to reach your child, and how to sign up for emergency notifications	Not stated	Written notice each year and on enrollment of a staffed contact method and emergency sign-up.
Tell families, teachers and students about the policy each year; verify to PDE within 5 business days that it is posted online	High school rule (2026-27)	Board policy posted, announced each year and verified to PDE.

Where LockedIn fits

West Greene sends confiscated phones to the office for parent pickup. LockedIn locks students' own phones from an admin dashboard with nothing to collect, so there is no confiscation step and lunch can move under the same rule.

Act 117 has no general student emergency-use exception. The closest tool is the optional principal exception, which is capped at one school day and reported to the superintendent within five days afterward. LockedIn's Emergency Mode unlocks every phone on campus at once, so districts should have counsel review how that fits their emergency procedures and Act 117's exception rules.

Private and independent schools in Rogersville

Act 117's definition of "school entity" includes private schools, approved private schools and nonpublic schools, so Rogersville's private, independent and parochial schools need their own bell-to-bell policy by 2027-28. For those schools, the governing body plays the role the superintendent plays in a district, including receiving notice of any principal-approved exception.

Draft a policy that tracks Act 117's required exceptions and family notices with our policy generator.