The Board of Education voted to adopt policy number 56‑95, titled “Students and Personal Electronic Devices,” to comply with New York’s recently enacted Education Law 2803, which requires a “bell‑to‑bell” restriction on smartphones, smartwatches, tablets and other Internet‑enabled personal devices during the school day.

Superintendent Joseph T. Sentimore read a letter the district will send to families explaining the change and the deadline for districts to adopt policy. “This law requires a bell to bell restriction on smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and other student personal Internet enabled devices during the school day,” Sentimore said. He added the district must adopt a policy by the state’s August 1 deadline to be compliant.

Sentimore described how the district will implement the policy and its exceptions. At the elementary level, he said, students are prohibited from bringing devices to school and parents or guardians will be contacted if concerns arise. At the middle and high school levels, devices must be silenced and stored in lockers or backpacks upon arrival. The district will continue to provide school‑assigned Chromebooks for instructional use.

The superintendent outlined discipline that will be enforced through the district’s code of conduct: an initial warning, followed by parental notification and, on further violations, detention escalating from one to three days and culminating in a parent/guardian meeting. Sentimore said the district will offer avenues for documented exceptions, such as a medical letter from a physician or mental‑health provider allowing a student to carry a device for health reasons.

Sentimore also said the state made funding available to support implementation activities and that the district has an available allotment “$28,000 and change” to apply toward eligible items such as training on device safety and storage equipment for offices. He said the district would submit an application and “see if we get approved” for those funds.

Board members and public speakers raised concerns about privacy and emergency communications. A member of the public suggested the wellness suite or a designated private office be promoted as an alternate, private place for students who need to call parents during the school day; a student speaker and board members highlighted the need to ensure students know those options exist.

A board roll call affirmed adoption of the policy; the superintendent said he will send the parent letter and the policy to families the next day. No amendments to the policy were adopted at the meeting.

The district will continue to explore parent‑to‑student communication tools and add telephones to school main offices if call volume requires additional capacity.

The policy’s implementation timetable begins with district notification and expectations reviewed with students at the start of the school year. The policy text will be posted on the district website and parents were told to contact their child’s principal or the superintendent with questions.