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Taconic Hills board adopts revised code of conduct, adds rules for personal-device pouches
Summary
The Taconic Hills Central School District board approved a revised student code of conduct that expands references from 'cell phones' to 'personal electronic devices', adds rules for device use on school buses and implements district-issued pouches to secure devices during the school day.
The Taconic Hills Central School District board voted to adopt a revised student code of conduct that replaces references to "cell phones" with "personal electronic devices" and adds procedures for device use on school transportation.
The change, presented to the board during its public meeting, revises the district mission and vision language, condenses repetitive sections and adds a clearer rubric of infractions and consequences developed by a working group of parents, staff and students. A staff presenter said the revision also includes a provision prompted by parent feedback to address misuse of devices on buses.
"Anything that's going to be used, a misuse of the personal electronic devices creating a disrespectful, unsafe, or distracting environment" was cited by a staff member describing why the bus provision was added. A separate presenter told the board the district is asking students to keep devices secured for roughly "six and a half hours a day" while they are at school to reduce distractions and increase in-person interaction.
The district also rolled out a hardware solution: school-issued pouches that lock and are unlocked with magnets. Administrators described three carts stationed in the atrium and handheld magnets available in the office and with select staff; they said initial technical learning curves (students learning how to position the magnet) have largely been resolved. Presenters said field trips remain an exception when staff decide devices are necessary for documenting experiences.
Board members asked whether students would be part of the review committee for the policy; presenters confirmed students will be invited to participate so the rubric can be calibrated across grade levels. Several students in the audience told the board they were already seeing fewer phones visible in classrooms and more peer conversation.
The chair asked for a motion to approve the code of conduct "with the presentation that we received tonight." The motion was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote ("All in favor"). The board did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript.
