Public Forum

Hoosick Falls Central School District will be banning cell phones grades UPK-12 beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. Following up on a letter sent to parents last week, the District will hold a Public Forum to review the new policy Wednesday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Auditorium.


Cell Phone and Locker Use Q&A

1)     What if I need to speak to my child during the school day?

The #1 goal of this initiative is to increase engagement in the learning process. In case of an emergency parents need to call the office of their child’s school.

Elementary School                 518-686-9492 x1300

Middle School            518-686-7321 x1400

High School                            518-686-7321 x1500

2)     What if there is an emergency at school?

The safety of the students and staff is the first priority during an emergency. All safety protocols will be followed before a communication is made to parents via the school messaging system.

3)     What if my child needs to call 911 during the school day?

All classrooms across the district are equipped with landline phones able to dial 911.

4)     What if my childs phone is stolen from their locker?

Every locker for students 8-12 is equipped with built-in working locks. Students in 7th grade are provided padlocks for their lockers. The only person given the combination to the locker or lock is the student themselves.

5)     There isn’t enough time for my child to go from class to class and use their locker:

For at least the next school year, we have added a minute of transition time between classes for students to learn the new procedures. We will work with students on time management as well as planning ahead for which classes they have to prepare for.


Parent letter:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

On a national, state and local level there has been an alarming increase in mental health concerns facing our children due to the impact of cell phones and social media. After careful consideration, we have decided as a District to ban the use of cell phones and any other electronic devices that interrupt or distract students during school hours for ALL students grades UPK-12 beginning September 3, 2024. This will take place from the time they enter the school building until they leave the building at the end of their school day. Use of cell phones after school will be determined by the activity (i.e. not allowed in detention) or supervising adult (i.e. teacher, coach, advisor).

This decision is driven by our commitment to enhance the academic environment and overall well-being of our students. There have been significant advances in smartphones, smartwatches, apps, earbuds, artificial intelligence and wifi technologies in the past few years. The increased use and exposure to these has coincided with an increase in anxiety, depression and emotional isolation, as well as a decrease in focus, physical activity and face-to-face  social interaction. These variables have resulted in lower academic achievement, an impaired ability to resolve conflict, and fewer students participating in sports, clubs or other extracurricular activities.

Banning the use of cell phones promotes:

  • Increased Focus and Academic Performance

  • Increased Physical Activity and Face-to-Face Social Interaction

  • Improved Mental Health and Social-Emotional Wellbeing 

Specific details of the implementation and enforcement of this policy will be available in our Student-Parent Handbooks for each school. The protocol will include:

  • Students will be required to use the lockers assigned to them. All bookbags or similar items must be kept in the assigned locker

  • Cell phones MUST be kept in the assigned locker

  • Emergency Situations: In case of emergencies, parents and guardians can contact the school office. We will ensure that messages are promptly delivered to students. Additionally, students will still have access to the office phone if they need to contact their parents/home.

At this time, we are not looking to introduce cell phone pouches. Students in grades 5-12 will be permitted to have cell phones in school as long as they keep them in their locker. We are working to remove the attachment to technology as best we can without imposing additional measures. We are not requiring anything more than what all of us experienced in school.

We may introduce cell phone pouches if we find the following:

  • Students are not following the new protocol and continue to carry or use their cell phones, or

  • Students are using other personal electronic devices (i.e. smart watches, earbuds, etc,) in place of cell phones, or

  • Technology advances to the point where other devices can perform a similar function (i.e. smartwatches are being to used to communicate in the same way as phones)

We are aware this change may be challenging. The use of technology has become an addiction for some students. Our counseling team will be available to provide support for those who may struggle with this adjustment.

We believe that this policy will contribute to a more positive and productive school environment, ultimately benefiting our students' academic performance and mental health. We appreciate your support and cooperation in this matter. Together, we can create a better learning environment for our children.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to working together to support the success and well-being of our students.

Sincerely,

Patrick Dailey