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District presents early results of bell-to-bell cell phone policy; staff report fewer incidents and more student engagement
Summary
Schenectady administrators told the board they are two months into a bell-to-bell personal electronic device policy (Policy 7318), reporting qualitative increases in student engagement and declines in several incident categories, while students and board members raised concerns about logistics, equity, and access during arrival and lunch.
Assistant Superintendent Tyrone O'Meary and district staff on Oct. 29 briefed the Schenectady Board of Education on the early implementation of Policy 7318, the district's personal electronic device policy, which the presenters described as a bell-to-bell approach intended to reduce in-class distraction and improve school culture.
Tyrone O'Meary said the policy followed more than a year of stakeholder work and 18 committee meetings starting in September 2024 and included visits to other districts. "This policy does address the student graduate success and efficient and equitable systems," O'Meary told the board, adding the policy aims to improve climate, culture and well-being.
Staff presented initial quantitative data and new disciplinary codes used to track incidents. Presenters said the district introduced a new repeat-violation code (referenced in the slides as code 240) to distinguish recurring…
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