Hendrick Hudson begins work on bell‑to‑bell device policy; technology office outlines Chromebook, GoGuardian and support changes

Hendrick Hudson Central School District administrators told the board they have started drafting a districtwide policy to implement New York State’s requirement that limits personally owned internet‑connected student devices during the school day and that the district will seek broad stakeholder input before finalizing the policy.

The district’s executive director for technology and innovation, Tamita Joy, summarized technical and operational work underway: a four‑year warranty program on student Chromebooks purchased via an educational discount, continued offering of optional device insurance for families, completion of a transportation display in the parent portal showing AM/PM alternate stops, expansion of tech support via BOCES staff onboarded this spring, and a set of targeted staff trainings on classroom tools.

District officials said the state requires districts to adopt a personal‑device policy by Aug. 25 that specifies allowable exceptions — including educational use, emergencies, medical needs, translation services, and accommodations documented in IEPs or 504 plans. The administration said the policy will be drafted with input from building principals, site‑based teams and student advisory groups and will be made available in multiple languages; a draft is expected in early July.

Joy described the Chromebook warranty purchased from Dell (a four‑year warranty priced at about $65 per device at the district discount) and said the warranty covers one full replacement and parts coverage for four years; the district will continue to offer optional insurance to families for additional incidents. She told the board that district‑issued Chromebooks are visible to teachers through GoGuardian when students are logged into district accounts; personal devices logged into private accounts would not be visible. The district plans in‑service trainings so teachers can use these tools effectively and manage classroom device use.

The technology office also completed a change to the student information system so alternate daycare or AM/PM stop information displays in the parent portal’s transportation view, removing the need for paper letters or calls for those details. Joy said BOCES technicians are rotating through buildings to familiarize themselves with sites and that the district hired a couple of interns to support summer work.

Board members asked whether the devices distributed to fifth and eighth graders are new or refurbished; Joy said the district deployed new Chromebooks that had been in storage and that fifth‑grade devices are new models assigned for four‑year use through high school.

Ending: The administration said it will circulate materials and a public input mechanism (survey or thought-exchange) this summer, post a draft policy in early July, and return to the board with the proposed personal‑device regulation before state deadlines.