Phones off and bagged from the first bell to the last, including lunch

What happened

Winslow adopted its new device policy on August 26, 2026. Students may not use an internet-enabled device on school grounds during the school day, and the policy defines bell-to-bell as the opening bell to the dismissal bell, explicitly including time between class periods and lunch. A device brought to school must remain off and may be required to go into a district storage system, and anything stored must be password protected by the student. Smartwatches and smart glasses count as well as phones; basic flip phones and walkie-talkies do not. The board bought phone pouches for $54,093.32 in June, and the interim superintendent told the board in August that phones and any internet-enabled device will be stored in cell-phone bags at the high school and middle school, that the bags stay with the student and are unlocked at the end of the day, and that the district supports the new law. High school students also now have to wear an identity card on a lanyard.

Why it matters to families

This changes the whole school day and how a parent reaches a child during it: families are told to phone the school office rather than the student. Teachers may not build students' own devices into lessons. Eight exceptions exist, including an accommodation in an individualised education programme, a 504 plan, a health plan backed by documentation from a healthcare professional, translation, and a student who regularly cares for a family member. A parent applies in writing to the principal, who must answer within five school days. The district also abolished its older policy on student use of privately owned technology at the same time, so this is now the single rule.

The evidence

Policy 5516, student use of internet-enabled devices, records revisions adopted 26 August 2026 under N.J.S.A. 18A:36-40a. and 40b. and the state's January 2026 guidance, defines bell-to-bell as including time between class periods and lunch, requires a device to remain off and possibly be stored with student password protection, names smartwatches and smart glasses, lists the eight exceptions and the written request to the principal with a five-school-day answer. The August 12, 2026 agenda gives the first reading of the new policy and regulation and abolishes policy 2363 on privately owned technology. The June 24, 2026 agenda records the purchase of phone pouches for $54,093.32. The August 26, 2026 minutes record the interim superintendent's account of the cell-phone bags and the new identity card and lanyard requirement.

The source