Dear Marlboro Learning Community,
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer!
As we continue to prepare for the opening of the 2025-2026 school year, I want to take this opportunity to provide our community with our District’s “Electronic Device Plan” that will be in place effective September 3, 2025. This plan aligns with the requirements of the legislation that was signed by Governor Hochul earlier this spring, and is often referenced as the “Bell to Bell” cell phone / internet-enabled device ban. This legislation applies to all public school districts in New York State.
In summary, the requirements of this NYS mandate include:
Prohibited Devices: No unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices on school grounds in K-12 schools for the entire school day (from “bell to bell”), including classroom time and other settings like lunch and study hall periods.
Storage: One or more methods for onsite storage where students may store their internet-enabled devices. The law’s intent is to restrict student access to covered devices for non-permitted reasons. Student backpacks are not an acceptable storage option. Policies should make clear that continuous student possession of devices, either on their person or in backpacks, is not adequate to prohibit student use as defined in the law. Schools may utilize lockers as a dedicated storage method, though to be in compliance with the law, policies must be crafted to effectively prohibit the unsanctioned use of covered devices across the entire school day. Allowing continuous and unsupervised student access to covered devices when stored in a locker would not meet the law’s objective of prohibiting unsanctioned use across the school day and school grounds.
The Marlboro CSD Electronics Device Plan consists of the following:
Prohibited Devices: Beginning September 3, 2025, all personal electronic devices, including but not limited to cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, wired/wireless headphones/earbuds, or any other electronic device that is not provided or approved by the District is prohibited during the instructional day / school day while on school grounds. This “bell to bell” ban prohibits students from using such devices from their arrival to school until after dismissal.
Storage: All students will store their electronic devices, (cell phones, earbuds, smartwatches), in the designated locations as determined by the school they attend immediately following entering the school building, (prior to homeroom or the first period of their scheduled school day).
MES - Student cubbies or designated locations in the classroom as determined by the classroom teacher
MMS and MHS - Student lockers
While this mandate and our plan align with previous protocols at Marlboro Elementary and Marlboro Middle Schools, this does change procedures for our Marlboro High School students, specifically that all secondary students must now store their devices in their assigned locker.
Recognizing there may be questions from parents and/or students, we are hosting an Electronic Device Forum on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the Marlboro High School Auditorium.
More information on the NYS mandate, as well as the current draft policy that is being reviewed by our Board of Education for adoption can be accessed using the following links:
New York State Distraction-Free Schools Law
Thank you for the continued support and understanding.
Sincerely,
Michael Rydell
Superintendent of Schools