Phones off and stored all day from this September

What happened

On August 20, 2026 the board adopted Policy and Regulation 5516 on both first and second reading in the same evening, putting into effect New Jersey's bell-to-bell restriction on personal internet-enabled devices for the 2026-27 school year. Pupils may not use personal phones, smartwatches or other internet-enabled devices during the school day. There are exceptions for children with an individual education plan, a 504 plan or a documented medical need, and the district keeps the lockable pouches it already uses in the middle and high schools.

Why it matters to families

This changes the school day for every child in the district, not just at the high school, and it is already in force. Families need to know the rule, that smartwatches count, and that there is a route to an exception where a child has a medical or plan-based reason to keep a device.

The evidence

The August 20, 2026 recording carries the adoption of Policy and Regulation 5516 on first and second reading in the same meeting and describes the rule as 'students cannot utilize their personal cell phones, smartwatches, or other personal internet enabled devices' during the school day, with exceptions for individual education plans, 504 plans and medical need, and the existing pouches retained at the middle and high schools. The recording attributes the change to a state law signed on January 8, 2026.

The source