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Superintendent details bond work, device policy and summer achievements ahead of school opening
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Woll updated the board on bond‑funded renovations, a delayed athletic field, student summer achievements, and evolving rules on student internet‑enabled devices and safety apps.
Superintendent Dr. Woll told the Board of Education that summer projects funded by the district bond are underway across six schools, but some work — including the high school athletic field — is delayed until early October after crews encountered rock and needed to reroute drainage.
"Most are moving along just swimmingly, but there will be some delays. The field was slated to be available in early September. Now it's more likely going to be early October," Dr. Woll said.
Dr. Woll also briefed the board on student and staff summer activity: three students completed missed credits and will graduate in a special ceremony, and several high school students earned recognition from the National Speech and Debate Association; he named Paige Bancchini, Jordan Blake, Jonita Esmodloukas, Kevin Iwanski, Juliana Palmisano and Alicia Zheny as recipients of degrees or honors.
A major portion of the superintendent's remarks focused on district policy on internet‑enabled devices. Dr. Woll said the district will restrict in‑school access to laptops, smartwatches and cell phones during the day and at lunchtime, while allowing students to bring personal laptops and maintaining network filters to block social media and inappropriate sites. He said the district will "adhere to the letter of the law" while trying to preserve safety tools and communications in emergencies.
"Safe to Speak Up is on their phone. Why is that important?" Dr. Woll asked, noting the app gives students a direct line to the school's safety team in emergencies and that removing phones from students could affect that capability. He said the administration and a policy committee, working with student class officers, will try to balance distraction‑reduction with emergency access.
Dr. Woll praised district custodial and facilities staff for renovation work at Parsons Memorial School and Harrison Avenue School, noting accessibility improvements, new lifts and restored historic features. He singled out maintenance staff who relit the Parsons bell tower and said some work has been completed in‑house.
The superintendent said families will receive a letter explaining the device rules and links to tools parents can use to manage technology at home. He said the district's filtering and network controls are designed to support
