In response to the new, New York State law restricting student cell phone use during the school day, Schuylerville CSD has created Board Policy 7316 to clearly outline how this will look in our schools and to help keep the focus on learning in a safe and respectful environment.
To ensure consistency across grade levels, the District has established clear expectations for elementary school (grades K–5) and middle/high school (grades 6–12) students, outlined below and also listed within each building’s student handbook:
Elementary School (Grades K-5):
To support a safe, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment, students are not permitted to use cell phones or internet-enabled devices during the school day. This includes all instructional and non-instructional times, such as classrooms, lunch, recess, special area classes, and before-school activities. If you need to contact your child during the day, please call the Main Office. If a student needs to reach a parent or guardian, they may use the school phone with staff permission. In accordance with Board Policy 7316, the following devices may not be used during school hours:
- Cell phones and smartphones
- Smartwatches or wearable devices that can send/receive messages
- Tablets or handheld devices with internet access
- Wireless earbuds, headphones, or Bluetooth devices
While students are allowed by law to bring cell phones to school, the law clearly states that they may not use them during the school day. At the elementary level, we strongly discourage students from bringing cell phones or other valuables to school unless necessary. The District has designated students’ lockers as the on-site storage area for personal items. Cell phones must be turned off and stored in personal lockers during the school day. Students may choose to bring personal locks for their lockers to ensure the safekeeping of their phones. Students who bring cellular devices to school do so at their own risk, as the District is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged devices.
Our elementary lockers do not have built-in locks. Families may choose to send in a padlock if they wish; however, students must be able to operate it independently. The school is not responsible for managing locks or keys. If a student brings a lock, the key and/or combination must be submitted to the main office so the school can access the locker if necessary. Please note: All personal items brought to school are at the student’s own risk. The school and district are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged devices or valuables.
Middle/High School (Grades 6-12):
Students are prohibited from using internet-enabled devices during the school day (7:45 a.m.- 2:25 p.m.) anywhere on school grounds. This includes all instructional and non-instructional periods such as homeroom, lunch, recess, study halls and passing time. The “internet-enabled devices” includes any smartphone, earbuds, listening bluetooth devices, tablet, smartwatch or any other device capable of connecting to the internet, including social media applications. The district has designated students’ lockers as the on-site storage for personal items. Cell phones must be turned off and stored in personal lockers during the school day. Students will bring personal locks for their lockers to ensure safekeeping of their phones. Students who bring their personal devices do so at their own risk, as the District is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged devices. Parents or guardians may contact the Main Office to get a message to the student or request to speak with the student. Students are also given access to a phone in the Main Office to contact parents/guardians.
Student Offense Protocol:
- 1st Offense: Student or teacher brings phone to office where it is held until the end of the day.
- 2nd Offense: Student or teacher brings phone to office where it is held until a parent/guardian can pick it up.
- 3rd Offense: Student or teacher brings phone to office where it is held until a parent/guardian can pick it up, student is assigned a detention.
- 4th Offense: Student or teacher brings phone to office until parent/guardian can pick it up, further consequences are provided at the discretion of the administration.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us keep the focus on learning and maintaining a safe, developmentally appropriate environment for all students.
Dr. Ryan Sherman
Superintendent