The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education is expected to vote Thursday, Aug. 20, on a district-wide student cell phone policy, the last major action before roughly 16,000 students return Aug. 31.
The board meets at 7 p.m. at the E.J. McClendon Educational Center, 454 S. Harvey St. in Plymouth. Board President Anupam Sidhu will preside over the final regular session before the first day of school.
Cell phone policy heads to second reading
The Wireless Communications Devices Policy received its first reading at the board's Aug. 4 meeting. The Aug. 20 session is expected to bring the second reading and a possible vote.
The policy is part of P-CCS's compliance with Michigan legislation (HB 4141/SB 495) banning students from using wireless devices during instructional time, effective with the 2026-27 school year. The state law leaves the definition of "instructional time" to individual districts. Some Michigan districts have opted for full-campus bans from first bell to dismissal; others restrict use only during class periods, according to 9&10 News.
How P-CCS defines that window will directly affect students at Canton, Plymouth and Salem high schools on the shared P-CEP campus in Canton Township, as well as the district's five middle schools.
The policy's exact text and enforcement details have not been publicly released. The board's Policy Committee, chaired by trustee Aamina Ahmed, oversaw the draft.
Teacher contract talks still unresolved
No deal has been announced.
Contract negotiations between the district and the Plymouth-Canton Education Association remain unsettled with teachers scheduled to report Aug. 25, six days before students arrive. The board has held at least four closed sessions on the collective bargaining agreement during the 2025-26 school year, including sessions on Feb. 10, April 28, June 16 and June 22, according to board minutes.
No public statement on the current status of talks has been issued by either the district or the union.
Back-to-school deadline: Aug. 31
Families still need to complete the district's Back to School Check-In by Aug. 31 through MISTAR Parent Connection. The online process updates student medical, demographic and contact information and replaces paper emergency cards. As we reported Aug. 13, the check-in applies to all returning K-12 students.
The district's summer communication page, updated Aug. 12, also lists schedule pickup dates for P-CEP and middle school students.
What's next
The official agenda is expected at pccsk12.com before Thursday's meeting.
