West Bridgewater School Committee Approves Handbooks, Cell Phone Ban for Middle Schoolers

WEST BRIDGEWATER — August 18, 2025 — West Bridgewater School Committee approves handbooks and cell phone ban for middle schoolers ahead of August 26 school opening. The committee voted unanimously Monday to approve updated student handbooks for the middle-senior high school and elementary schools, including a new policy requiring grades seven and eight students to keep cell phones in lockers for the entire school day. Superintendent Scott Bodwell said he expects the state to mandate a similar bell-to-bell ban districtwide as soon as next fall. The committee also received updated renderings of the proposed MSBA elementary building — a three-story "fold" design with separate upper and lower school wings, a second-floor gymnasium, and interior light wells — following a staff tour of the Saugus Middle High School, an analogous HMFH Architects project. School choice enrollment stood at 215 confirmed students against a 230-student budget target, with 15 additional acceptances pending completed registration. The committee opened 17 policies for annual review and approval at its September 8 meeting and voted 4-0 to enter executive session for contract negotiation strategy, with one member absent.