Dear South Huntington Community,

I hope that all our South Huntington families are continuing to enjoy their summer vacation, with students preparing to enter this school year with the same energy and passion as seen in years past.  As we continue to prepare for the upcoming school year, I would like to remind parents and students of the change in electronics policy as it relates to personal electronic devices, including cell phones, in our schools. This aligns with a new law enacted by New York State, designed to foster a more focused and distraction-free educational environment for our students during the normal school day.

New York Education Law §2803 prohibits the use of internet-enabled devices during the school day on school grounds. This includes all areas within the school boundary and applies to all times, including classes, lunch, recess, and passing periods. This law aims to enhance student concentration and engagement by reducing digital distractions.  

At the Board of Education meeting on July 8, 2025, the South Huntington Board of Education formally adopted Policy 5695 - Students and Personal Electronic Devices.   Over the course of the summer, additional procedures and protocols that are specific to each building have been shared by the building principals to help clarify any specific rules or procedures that are particular to each school building. The following information provides an overview of the policy.

For clarity, these devices are categorized into two types:

1. Internet-Enabled Devices: This includes smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, and any other devices capable of internet connectivity and accessing online content, such as social media. Devices provided by the District for educational purposes are exempt from this category.

2. Other Personal Electronic Devices: This includes devices that do not connect to the internet, such as traditional mobile phones (voice/text only), fitness trackers, headphones, e-readers, cameras, and music devices.

Device Storage

Students in elementary school (grades P-5) are discouraged from bringing devices to school. Any device that is brought to school must be silenced and kept in the student’s personal cubby. Students in grades 6-12 will utilize their lockers for device storage. Devices must be silenced and stored throughout the school day.

Communication

Parents wishing to contact their children during the school day should do so through the main office. Students may also contact parents using phones located in the main office of the school.  Additional locations which can be utilized, if available, will be shared by each individual school building. 

Exceptions and Educational Use

Exceptions to this policy are available for specific purposes, such as managing a student’s healthcare, translation services, or care responsibilities for family members, upon administrative approval and with appropriate documentation. Additionally, internet-enabled devices may be used for educational purposes with teacher and administrative approval, provided they align with the District’s Technology Acceptable Use policy.

Enforcement and Consequences

Our building administration will proactively share the rules and procedures with students to make them aware of the expectations.  Some adjustments will be made at the building level to ensure that students have the time necessary to comply with the new requirements. In the event that a student violates the policy, they will face incremental disciplinary actions, including device confiscation, for non-compliance, as outlined in the District Code of Conduct. Our goal is to educate students on the benefits of a distraction-free environment and to support them in complying with the policy.

We appreciate your continued support in implementing this new policy, as we continue to plan for a positive and productive beginning of the school year. Thank you for your understanding and partnership in ensuring a productive educational experience for our students.

Respectfully,

Vito D’Elia Ed.D.

Superintendent