Students may not use phones all day; high schoolers must lock them in pouches

What happened

Policy 5695, adopted July 17, 2025, follows New York's distraction-free schools law. Internet-connected devices are off limits for the whole school day, including lunch, study halls and passing time. Elementary and middle school students keep devices silenced in cubbies or lockers. High school students put theirs in a locked pouch the district provides until dismissal.

Why it matters to families

Before this, Shaker High students could use phones between classes. Now families reach students by calling the school office. A lost or damaged pouch is the family's cost. Exceptions are allowed for health needs, IEP or 504 plans, family caregiving and translation.

The evidence

The district's policy page gives the adoption date, the pouch rule and the exceptions. A district news story from June 2025 explains the change at the high school.

The source