Local schools implement ‘bell-to-bell’ cellphone bans

AMENIA — The Webutuck School District is implementing a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in the wake of new York State legislation requiring public schools to create a “distraction-free” environment.

At Webutuck, students will be required to store cellphones in their lockers during the day, where the devices are to remain unused until the final bell at the day’s end.

Webutuck administrator Robert Knuschke said the district opted out of purchasing receptacles for cell phone storage, a choice he said embodies the district’s trust of the student body.

“This is not a punitive policy,” Knuschke said. Violations won’t result in punitive action like suspension, but the student’s cellphone will be confiscated until the end of the day.

Knuschke said there are still methods for parents to get in touch with students, including contacting the center office. “We are working on a way for kids to be able to receive emails from their parents on school devices,” Knuschke said. “But there’s never a time when the kids won’t be able to be reached by their parents through our main office.”

Webutuck administrators had been crafting a policy restricting the presence of cellphones in the district for several years, Knuschke said, but state legislation passed as part of the state budget provided a deadline.

The Millbrook and Pine Plains Central School Districts have also implemented cellphone bans in compliancewith New York State law. All three school districts — Webutuck, Millbrook and Pine Plains — are requiring students to keep cellphones in their lockers during the school day where the devices are to remain until the final bell at the end of the day.

The policies are all consistent in that simply accessing a cellphone during the day will not result in suspension, but they stipulate that use of the device that violates the district’s code of conduct may result in suspension in line with established policies.

The full text of the new policies can be found online at each school district’s website.