Westbury to enforce New York’s bell-to-bell cell phone ban; district sets up designated phone lines and town halls

Superintendent Dr. Chase told the Westbury Union Free School District Board of Education on Aug. 19 that the district will enforce a New York state "bell-to-bell" ban on student cell phone use in classrooms and on school time. The policy, issued by state officials and described by district staff as direct from NYSED, requires phones to be stored away — in lockers or at home — during the school day.

The district will add a local procedure to preserve family contact: each school will staff designated phone lines so families can leave messages or reach students in emergencies. "We understand the importance of our scholars staying in touch with their families," Dr. Chase said. "We never want to take that away." She said Westbury will be patient with students during an adjustment period and will host town hall meetings for students, parents and educators to collect feedback and data on implementation.

District staff described the mandate as coming from New York State Education Department (NYSED) guidance and the governor’s directive. "The policy in the language of our own policy is direct from NYSED," a district staff member identified in the meeting as Mr. Galavan said. He added the local protocols — for instance, where phones will be stored and how families reach students — are where Westbury has discretion to adapt procedures.

Board members and administrators framed the change as a safety and wellness measure and noted academic and social benefits they expect from limiting device distraction. Dr. Chase said the district will host town halls and "collect some data" and that procedures (but not the state policy) could be modified midyear based on that feedback.

The district did not provide a calendar of the planned town halls or the precise start date for the phone-line service at each school during the meeting. Dr. Chase said parents would receive information from their child’s principal about start-of-year logistics, including bus passes and other opening-week details.

Why it matters: The state mandate changes daily routines for students across the district and requires new local procedures to balance family contact and the classroom restriction. Westbury’s plan to staff school phone lines and hold feedback sessions is intended to preserve family communication while complying with state requirements.

What to watch for next: the district’s town-hall schedule, the exact operational details for the school phone lines, and any midyear procedural modifications the board or administration proposes following the planned data collection.