Wilmington School Committee Votes 5-2 to Conditionally Approve Doorman Cell Phone App

WILMINGTON — May 27, 2026 — Wilmington School Committee approves cell phone management app pilot in 5-2 vote. The committee Tuesday conditionally authorized the district to enter an agreement with Doorman, a startup that uses classroom-based near-field communication tags to lock student phones from first period through the end of the school day, at a cost of $5 per student — a fraction of the roughly $50,000 estimated for magnetic pouch alternatives. Member Nick Golden moved the agreement and later amended it to require an approving review from district legal counsel before funds are expended, saying he was "very fine with even rescinding the motion" pending that feedback. Dr. Michael McCauley and Matt Turner voted no, with McCauley citing concerns about the company's financial solvency, the need for independent IT security review, and gaps in data privacy documentation, and Turner flagging that Watertown High School — an active Doorman user — has experienced mid-day app updates that unlocked all student phones. The committee also received an informational transportation update noting the district runs 17 buses across eight buildings serving roughly 1,800 to 1,900 riders daily at an annual monitor cost, if added, of approximately $459,000.