Lynnbrook board seeks policy language to implement state ban on student internet-enabled devices; administration given enforcement discretion

The Lynnbrook Board of Education on June 11 directed its policy committee to draft school-level language to implement a New York state law that bans the use of “internet‑enabled devices” on school grounds during the school day.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Lynch opened the discussion by stressing the board has limited discretion: “There is now a law on the books that obliges this board and every board in New York State to adopt a policy that bans the use of all Internet enabled devices from K to 12, from the beginning of the school day to the end of the school day, everywhere on school grounds.” He told the board the state phrasing explicitly includes smartwatches and other devices beyond smartphones.

The discussion focused on how to reconcile the statutory ban with Lynnbrook’s open high‑school campus, parents’ safety concerns, and practical enforcement. Board members and administrators raised three recurring issues: (1) how to account for students who leave campus for lunch or other reasons, (2) how to enforce the ban consistently without creating disparate impacts on families with different work schedules, and (3) exceptions for students with health or disability needs.

Key points the board reached and gave to the policy committee:

- The board will produce a policy that mirrors the state ban but can vary by school level (elementary, middle, high) as the statute permits.

- For initial violations, the working consensus is that staff may confiscate a device, deliver it to the school office and return it to the student at the end of the school day rather than holding it overnight. That approach was framed as the baseline enforcement option while administrators retain discretion to escalate for repeated violations or for cases involving insubordination.

- Administrators will have authority to escalate sanctions where necessary. The board agreed to preserve administrative discretion so schools may require parent pickup or retain a device overnight for repeat offenders or incidents that rise to insubordination, subject to the building administration’s judgment.

- The policy will explicitly list exceptions required or commonly used under the law, including: devices needed for health monitoring (for example, glucose monitoring), devices provided as a documented accommodation in an IEP or 504 plan, translation or accessibility uses, and teacher‑approved, administrator‑cleared instructional activities that are planned in advance.

- The administration was directed to plan recordkeeping and communication procedures so parents are notified each time a device is confiscated. Board members discussed using PowerSchool or similar systems to log incidents and provide families a formal escalation path.

Board members repeatedly expressed concern about fairness and logistics: several trustees noted that requiring parents to pick up a device during work hours could disproportionately burden some families, while others pointed out that strict, consistently applied enforcement reduces repeat violations. Administrators said consistent, early enforcement will likely limit the number of repeat offenders.

The device discussion also linked to the board’s plans for an adjusted morning schedule and universal free breakfast. Because the district will offer free breakfast with a preorder option, administrators told the board they can identify which students will be in early drop‑off and manage entry times more precisely. Dr. Lynch said the nutrition contract the district is preparing to bid will require vendors to accept preorders so the district can account for students who arrive early to receive breakfast.

Right at School, the district’s paid before‑school provider, will continue to operate a separate program for families who need care before the free‑breakfast window; Right at School’s hours were presented as 7:00–8:30 a.m. The district plans to allow students who preordered free breakfast to enter at 8:10 a.m.; students who do not preorder will not be part of that early‑arrival list and would use the standard drop‑off times.

Next steps: the board’s policy committee (Aragona, Luna and Murray) will draft specific language reflecting the consensus and present a proposed policy for formal reading and adoption at the July meeting and final adoption thereafter. The draft will include building‑level implementation options, an escalation ladder for repeated offenses, and the exceptions described above.

Ending

Board members stressed the policy must be communicated clearly to families with specific details about enforcement and any escalation so parents can prepare before the start of school. Administrators were directed to coordinate with principals, teachers and PTA leadership while the policy committee prepares the draft for the July reading.