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Superintendent previews cell-phone ban implementation, student board member policy and calendar changes
Summary
Superintendent Lars Robinson outlined options for implementing New York’s cell-phone restrictions in Hampton Bays, introduced a first-reading policy to add an ex officio student board member and reviewed next year’s board calendar and enrollment.
Superintendent Lars Robinson briefed the board on operational items including implementing the state’s new restrictions on student cell-phone use, a board policy in first reading to add an ex officio student board member and changes to the board meeting calendar.
Robinson said the district is preparing to implement what he described as Governor Kathy Hochul’s “distraction-free school environment” requirements, commonly discussed as a cell-phone ban. He summarized options districts across Suffolk County are considering for September implementation, including allowing students to store phones in their personal lockers or using other storage methods. Robinson said some districts have examined under-pouch storage but raised safety and accessibility concerns; he said the district will consider a culture-shift approach and consult with students, parents and staff.
Robinson said the district may survey parents and students over the summer to gather feedback on how phone storage and access should work during the school day and noted policies can be revised annually.
Also in the superintendent’s report, Robinson said the board will consider a policy in first reading to add an ex officio student board member. He described models used elsewhere and said the student representative is often the senior class or student-body president; guidance from New York State school board associations was cited as a reference for how the role can bring student voice to the board and be structured as a civic learning experience.
Robinson reviewed next year’s board meeting calendar and identified a few out-of-cycle dates: a July meeting will be on the third Tuesday (July 15) rather than the second Tuesday due to scheduling, November’s meeting shifts because of election week, and April’s meeting is timed to accommodate the BOCES budget vote. He urged the board to finalize the calendar before the end of the school year.
Robinson also reported enrollment at 1,996 students and noted the district’s upcoming end-of-year events and commencement-related planning, including working with a county legislator and local officials about the logistics for a commencement parade that may take place along Dune Road and the Ponquogue Bridge area.
What happened next: the superintendent presented options and will pursue community input; a policy was introduced in first reading and will return for further action. The transcript does not include formal board votes on the policy or calendar items within the provided excerpts.
Why it matters: districts must adopt local procedures to comply with state-level restrictions on phones and must decide how to integrate student representation on the board; both topics affect students, families and staff ahead of the 2025–26 school year.
