Phone Free Policy
TYWLS - Astoria Phone Free School Policy
New York State Law
- No internet-enabled devices bell-to-bell (not only cell phones) during the school day, including recess and lunch - does not include school-issued devices. It includes all electronic devices - phones, iPads, watches, glasses, etc.
- No devices during tests, quizzes, exams (except if in 504, IEP)
- No devices in evacuation or fire drills
- No devices in bathrooms
- Parents must have one or more methods to contact student during the school day for emergencies (i.e. emergency pick up etc)
- Child has more than one location and method to contact family (i.e. main office and counseling suite, admin office)
- One or more collection methods at door
Exceptions:
- Principal authorizes with educational purposes, i.e. college class login and dual authentication; FAFSA log in and dual authentication. Class and time specific with principal approval only.
- Medical Exception. Child uses a device to monitor medical condition, i.e. glucose monitoring on device. Anxiety with doctor's note. If the device is for an IEP or 504 plan, for assistive technology.
First Day(s):
All students, grades 6-12, will have a label affixed to their cell phone for security purposes.
SafeKeeping:
During morning entrance, all cell phones will be collected with color coded labels/numbers in bins and storage units to be locked in a secure office for the duration of school day. TYWLS Astoria will not be held responsible for any loss or damage to cell phones brought onto school property. Students will be asked to POWER OFF cell phones at the start of day.
Need to Reach Family Member:
During lunch/advisory, request a pass or ask a school aide to go to the main office to call home.
If the parent/caregiver needs to reach their child, please call the main office 718-267-2839, and a staff member will deliver the message to the child.
If Child is Found with a cell phone/device:
1st offense:
Phone will be collected and kept in a locked box and returned at the end of the school day. A Warning Letter will be issued to parent and child. For high school, out-to-lunch privileges will be revoked for one month.
2nd Offense:
Phone will be collected and kept in school safe until the parent is able to come in person for a meeting with administration and child. For high school, out-to-lunch privileges will be revoked for two months.
3rd Offense:
Phone will be collected and kept in school safe until the parent is able to come in person for a meeting with administration and child. The child will begin LUNCH REFLECTION/DETENTION for a minimum of 5 days. For high school, out-to-lunch privileges will be revoked for the rest of the school year.
Cyberbullying:
The creation of a hostile environment by conduct or by threats, intimidation or abuse that
(a) has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance, opportunities or benefits, or mental, emotional, or physical well-being; or
(b) reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for their physical safety; or
(c) reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional harm to a student; or
(d) occurs off school property and creates or would foreseeably create a risk of substantial disruption within the school environment, where it is foreseeable that the conduct, threats, intimidation, or abuse might reach school property.
Acts of harassment and bullying or cyberbullying shall include, but not be limited to, those acts based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex. For the purposes of this definition the term “threats, intimidation or abuse” shall include verbal and non-verbal actions.
Harassment and/or bullying may take many forms and can be physical, non-verbal, verbal, or written. It may be a single incident or a series of related incidents. Written discrimination, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying includes electronically transmitted communications and cyberbullying (e.g., via information technology including, but not limited to: internet, cell phone, email, personal digital assistant wireless handheld device, social media, blogs, chat rooms, and gaming systems).