Maple Grove, Minn. — As students head back to class across Minnesota this week, they’ll find new expectations regarding cell phones and other electronic devices. 

“The kids are there to learn. So, it’d be a good idea to focus on the learning and what teachers are trying to teach them,” said Jamie Skjerseth of Maple Grove.

The Minnesota legislature mandated school districts adopt a clear cell phone policy by March 2025. 

It also required two principals’ organizations to design a new model policy that districts could adopt.

The resulting “Cell Phone Tool Kit,” released in July, suggests that all classrooms be phone free with few exceptions.

“This year they’re pushing it to where you can’t have phones during school hours at all. Not even during lunch or their walking hours in between classes,” explained Karin Sayler of Otsego.

Sayler supports the change for her middle school son.

“He has kids in his class that will actually use it and it distracts him a lot,” she said.

The toolkit also spells out an alternative for high schoolers.

“We cannot have them in the classroom. We have to put them in these phone holders and then we can have them in the hallway or at lunch,” said incoming Rogers High School freshman Grace Hobbins.

Hobbins has mixed feelings about her school’s new policy.

“In high school, I feel like we’re old enough to control ourselves,” she said.

“I’m not going to lie, I do like to be able to text my kids at school,” said Amelia Hobbins, Grace’s mom.

It’s a concern Maple Grove High School addressed in a letter to parents last month, saying in part:

“Students will be able to use their cell phones during passing times and lunch – added together, this amounts to 55 minutes each day! They’ll be just fine.”

Grace’s mom, Amelia, will miss the convenience but agrees that it’s needed to limit distractions, boost learning, and improve kids’ mental health.

“At the end of the day, they should keep the phones in their locker,” she said.

Angel Reese became the WNBA’s single-season rebounding leader with eight games left on Sunday in the Chicago Sky’s 79-74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, who got 22 points from Courtney Williams.

Reese finished with 17 points and 19 rebounds for her 24th double-double, a league rookie record. She has 418 rebounds for an average of 13.1 per game, with her total surpassing Sylvia Fowles’ record of 404 in 2018. The 6-foot-3 Reese also broke the record for offensive rebounds with 165, passing Yolanda Griffiths (162 in 2001).

Reese and A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces are the only players in the league with at least four games of 15-plus points and 15-plus rebounds this season.

Williams tied a season high in scoring for the Lynx. Kayla McBride added 17 points and Napheesa Collier scored 15 for Minnesota (24-9).

The Lynx, who had their six-game win streak snapped Friday with a 94-76 loss to Dallas, are a league-best 8-1 since the Olympic break.

Chicago (11-21) lost its sixth straight. The Sky’s lead over Atlanta for the final playoff spot fell to one-half game with the Dream set to play at the Los Angeles Sparks Sunday night.

Kamilla Cardoso led the Sky with a career-high 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and had nine rebounds. Michaela Onyenwere scored 15 points.

Collier and Williams each scored four points in a 14-4 opening run and Minnesota never trailed.

The Sky went on an 11-2 run to open the fourth quarter and tied it at 62-all when Diamond DeShields made a driving layup with 7:41 to play. Williams answered with back-to-back pull-up jumpers 24 seconds apart to put the Lynx in front for good.