PS 335 CELL PHONE POLICY
PS 335 Cell Phone/Electronic Device Policy K-5
The PS 335 Granville T. Woods Cell Phone/Electronic Device Policy was adopted during the 2015-2016 school year and is listed below. This policy is in effect until further notice, including during the 2022-2023 school year, and any changes will be posted here.
Section 1
In accordance with New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) Chancellor’s Regulation A-413, students are permitted to bring the following electronic items to school: 1) cell phones; 2) laptops, tablets, iPads and other similar computing devices (“computing devices”); and 3) portable music and entertainment systems (such as iPods, MP3 players, PSP and Nintendo DS) [The aforementioned items will be referred to as “devices” for the purposes of this policy.
Section 2
Although students are permitted to bring these devices to school, these devices may NOT:
- a) be turned on or used during the administration of any school quiz, test or examination (this includes all tests and all New York State Education Department and NYCDOE exams). These devices can be used if they have been explicitly authorized by the school or are contained in an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Accommodation Plan.
- b) be turned on or used during school fire drills or other emergency preparedness exercises.
- c) be used in gymnasium, hallways, offices, and bathrooms.
In accordance with Chancellor Regulation A-413, principals have the authority to determine the circumstances under which cell phones, computing devices, and portable music and entertainment systems may be used on school property and the procedures for confiscation, storage and return of such items.
Section 3 • P.S. 335 Cell Phone/Electronic Device Policy:
- Upon entering the P.S. 335 building, all P.S.335 students must give their devices to the classroom teacher for the duration of the school day. Teachers will secure the devices in the classrooms, K-5.
- While on school premises or during any P.S. 335/NYCDOE sponsored activity outside of the P.S. 335 building (on a bus during a field trip, for example), students may NOT take out and/or use their devices (except for those devices they have been explicitly authorized to use according to their Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Accommodation Plan).
- Students who violate the P.S. 335 Cell Phone/Electronic device policy or who use these devices in violation of any provision of the DOE’s Discipline Code, the school’s policy, Chancellor Regulation A-413, and/or the DOE’s Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy (“ISUSP”) will be subject to discipline in accordance with the guidance interventions and disciplinary responses set forth in the NYCDOE Discipline Code.
Section 4 • Confiscation of Cell Phones/Electronic Devices Policy at P.S. 335:
- Students who violate the P.S. 335 Cell Phone/Electronic Device policy as outlined above or who use these devices in violation of any provision of the DOE’s Discipline Code, Chancellor Regulation A-413, and/or the DOE’s Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy (“ISUSP”) may have these devices confiscated by all P.S. 335 Educators, who act as designees of the principal.
- If students refuse to comply with directives instructing them to hand over their devices, staff members should notify an P.S. 335 administrator, or principal designees. This incident should be documented as a referral or as an anecdotal in I-log. After students refuse to hand over their devices to P.S. 335 Educators, school staff may not engage in any verbal confrontations with students or attempt to confiscate the device from a student who is uncooperative or defiant.
- Once the device has been confiscated, it will be secured in a locked desk in an envelope (labeled with the student’s name/OSIS number, date of confiscation and type of device) in the locked office of an P.S. 335 administrator. The student’s parent or guardian will be notified and told the procedures for having the device returned.
- The first and all subsequent confiscations of a student’s device will result in the device being returned to the parent following a parent conference, in which the parent/guardian must report to P.S. 335 for the conference and to receive the device. The parent/guardian will be reminded of the P.S. 335 Cell Phone/Electronic Device policy.
