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New Providence Board keeps phone rules, requires elementary smartwatches be stored and rolls out controlled AI pilot
Summary
The board retained its cell-phone policy with a minor revision requiring elementary students to store smartwatches in backpacks or lockers, and Director Jonathan Keaney described a phased, teacher-controlled rollout of MagicSchool, a domain-restricted AI tutoring platform for classrooms.
The New Providence Board of Education on Sept. 26 kept its existing phone policy with a small revision and outlined how the district will pilot classroom artificial-intelligence tools.
Superintendent Dr. Lauren Zirpoli told the board the district will maintain Policy 5516: high school students must keep phones turned off and out of sight, middle school students must store phones in lockers, and elementary students must keep phones turned off in backpacks or lockers. In addition, the board approved a new requirement that elementary students store smartwatches in backpacks or lockers upon entering school. "This measure aims to minimize distractions and enhance the learning environment," Dr. Zirpoli said, adding parents may contact the school office if they need to relay messages to children during the day.
The board also heard a presentation on implementing generative AI in classrooms. Director Jonathan Keaney described a teacher-led process that produced an AI committee, training, and safeguards. The district is piloting MagicSchool, a platform Keaney said operates "within a self-contained domain, ensuring that all interactions and data remain secure and private." He described controls that let teachers set up individual classrooms, restrict available tools and monitor student interactions.
Keaney outlined a phased red/yellow/green system to indicate when students may use AI tools and emphasized safeguards for academic integrity. "In the district domain the teacher can control the feature," Keaney said, while students may still access the program from home with fewer controls in effect.
Board President Bernadette Cuccaro praised the approach, saying it is important "to not shut out this type of tool to our students and teach them the proper way to use this tool," and Keaney added, "AI is not going away, so it's our responsibility to teach our students how to use it ethically and safely."
The district said staff will monitor usage data and report back; no policy changes beyond the smartwatch guidance were adopted at the meeting.
