Central New York School District Banning Cell Phones in Classrooms

Another Central New York school district is eliminating cell phones in class.

A letter was sent to parents of students in the West Canada Valley Central School District on a change to the cell phone policy.

"As we continue to focus on creating the best possible learning environment for our students, we are implementing a new system for cell phone use during the school day," Superintendent Jeremy Siddon said.

How it Works

Students will be required to place their cell phones in a designated cell phone locker at the start of each class period, including study hall. At the end of the period they will retrieve their phone before moving on to the next class.

Students will still have access to their phones between classes, in senior lounge and during lunch.

"We believe this change will help minimize distractions and allow students to focus on their education," said Siddon.

The new policy goes into effect on Monday, March 3.

Bell to Bell Policy Next Year

Next year the district will transition to a bell-to-bell cell phone policy.

Starting in September students will store their phones in the designated lockers at the beginning of first period and will not have access to them until the end of the school day after tenth period.

"Our goal is to foster a positive and productive learning environment and we are confident these changes will help achieve that."

READ MORE: Statewide Ban on Cell Phones in New York Schools?

Additional details on the change in the 2025-2026 school year will be shared over the summer.

Several Central New York schools including Central Valley, Jarvis, Dolgeville has already implemented a cell phone policy in the district.

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