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Policy Committee recommends updated private-device policy for students
Summary
The New London Board of Education Policy Committee on May 13, 2025 approved amendments to Policy 5131.81 to clarify teacher discretion for in-class use of privately owned devices and to add language covering adult education students; the committee voted to recommend the amended policy to the full Board.
NEW LONDON — The New London Board of Education Policy Committee on May 13, 2025 voted to recommend an amended student private-technology-device policy (Policy 5131.81) to the full Board.
Committee Chair Nathan Caron opened the meeting at 6:02 p.m. and, after a brief procedural review and no public comments, members moved to approve the minutes of the April 8, 2025 meeting. Scott Garbini moved to approve the minutes; Betsy Perkins seconded. The motion carried, 3-0.
The committee spent the bulk of the meeting refining Policy 5131.81, which governs students' use of privately owned technology in school settings. Members agreed to formatting edits (changing bulleted asterisks to lettered bullets) and to clarify the distinction between access to district internet services and personal device use.
Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie proposed specific language to give teachers explicit discretion to permit device use when it supports classwork. "A teacher may grant permission for the use of cell phones/privately owned devices on an individual, case-by-case basis, or as aligned to curricular objectives to teaching units," Ritchie said. The committee accepted that wording as part of the amendment.
The committee also inserted a provision addressing adult education students: "Students may bring cell phones and other privately-owned technological devices to the adult education program to be used in classroom areas during instructional time, as directed by the adult education staff." With those edits, Nathan Caron moved and Scott Garbini seconded a motion to approve the policy as amended and recommend it to the full Board; the motion carried, 3-0.
Betsy Perkins thanked committee members for their work, and Garbini commended Chair Caron for an efficient meeting. A motion to adjourn (recorded in the minutes as moved by Elaine Maynard-Adams and seconded by Scott Garbini) carried, 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:44 p.m.
Next steps: The committee recommended the amended Policy 5131.81 to the full New London Board of Education for consideration at a forthcoming Board meeting.
