Dear Parent/Guardians,
On May 6, 2025, Governor Hochul passed into law a mandatory ban on personal internet-enabled devices, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, or other devices that connect to the internet, during the school day. School districts do not have any authority to opt out of this ban. Therefore, in accordance with this law, effective August 1, 2025, we will have a Board of Education policy that prohibits the use of these devices throughout the school day, inclusive of recess, homeroom, passing time, bathroom visits, study halls, and in the cafeteria.
The purpose of this law is to create an optimal learning environment for our students with limited distractions. As much as technology has become a tremendous asset to many daily activities, the use of such technology can also place challenges on our students during the academic school day. Studies have shown students are less focused, have a harder time concentrating and miss important information being shared with them when smart devices are being used in conjunction with classroom instruction. We want to honor the purpose of the school environment by providing students with a safe and productive place to learn.
Additional correspondence will be released prior to September 1st regarding the process students will follow, guidelines, policy language and code of conduct expectations for our students. We also look to you for not only your input but as a partner in this effort to provide a distraction-free learning environment. Together, we can support learning while ensuring you and your child have defined ways of communicating during the school day, if necessary. As part of the law, families will be notified of the ways in which our students will have access to contact their parent/guardian throughout the school day, as well as a way for parents to reach their children in school.
To further our collaborative efforts, we encourage you and your child to take a survey that is located on the main page of our district website, posted on our Facebook page, and will be emailed to students and their primary parent/guardian. Information gathered from this survey will assist us in better understanding different perspectives, as well as in preparing to support our students in September. Please be on the lookout for additional correspondence regarding the information shared within this letter.
Sincerely,
Lisa A. Wiles
Superintendent of Schools