The Manhasset School District is seeking a new cell phone policy to comply with new state requirements that students store their phones in lockers during the entire school day.
Secondary school principal Rich Roder presented the new policy at the Manhasset Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, June 17.
“There’s certainly going to be bumps in the road with this rollout,” Roder said. “It’s going to be a heavy lift, it’s going to take a lot of personnel to ensure this happens, and it’s going to take a lot of strong partnerships with our families, our students, our staff… But I think if we stay together as a team, we can make it happen.”
His presentation was part of the district’s Shared Decision-Making Committee reports, which each principal presented on for their school.
State law requires the committees, which unite district stakeholders in making decisions to promote student experiences.
The committee focused on reviewing the district’s cell phone policy at the secondary school, which includes both high school and middle school students.
The state recently implemented a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in all public schools starting next school year, Roder said they were ahead of the curve.
The committee surveyed teachers on the use of cell phones and the district’s policies to gather information.
Roder said they also implemented caddies to store phones in all middle school classes and most high school classes. He attributed the success to meeting students “halfway” by removing phones during instruction, yet permitting them in hallways and during lunch.
To comply with the new state law, Roder said students will be required to store their phones in lockers at the beginning of the school day. Exceptions would be made for students with medical reasons or special education accommodations.
An office phone would be available for students to communicate with their parents.
Consequences for violating this policy will begin with phone confiscation and an after-school detention.
Bruno asked if students should be given a warning first, but Roder said he believed the letter and information provided to students would serve as a warning. He said this is a recommendation, but that changes could be made.
Roder said the committee’s focus for next year will be on improving student transitions from sixth to seventh grade and eighth to ninth grade, among other topics.
At Munsey Park Elementary School, principal Chad Altman said the committee was focused on building students’ foundations and independence. Programs that supported this, he said, include morning announcements, concerts, student performances, and student council.
“Putting a microphone in students’ hands, it’s thrilling,” Altman said. “They like being on the morning announcements, they like introducing concerts, they like talking about their instruments. So the more we do that, that’s the experience we’re trying to go for.”
New initiatives from this past school year included the cookie initiative, a student-led program, the buddy program and connecting with new families at the school.
Altman said the focus next year will be on more plans to promote student voices.
For Shelter Rock Elementary School, principal Jessica Zimmer said their focus was on recess enhancements, supporting positive behavior through school community gatherings and a listening tour, where she and other administrators asked students about their favorite aspects of the school and what they would like to see implemented.
She said these have helped promote a school culture in which students engage with methods to better their school and exhibit positive behaviors to get those coveted shoutouts.
Zimmer said next year they will continue these initiatives, as well as a new focus on building executive functioning skills and engaging more with parents.
Rebecca Chowske, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, shared the district-wide actions that focused on community building and celebrating accomplishments. She said this included highlighting educators in the superintendent’s newsletter and using cards to write personal notes celebrating staff members.
Next year, Chowske said they will be expanding these initiatives.
An empty seat sat at the table of the Manhasset Board of Education meeting, though, which was formerly held by its superintendent, Gaurav Passi.
Passi was absent to attend the Port Washington Board of Education meeting held the same night, which will soon be his new home. Board of education President Steven Panzik said at the meeting he was unable to attend due to a prior family engagement.
Passi was hired as the new superintendent for the neighboring Port Washington School District. The Manhasset School District has already begun the process to hire a new superintendent.
As the district said goodbye to Passi, the board of education also introduced a new pair of teachers for the middle school and high school.
“Welcome to the Manhasset family, both of you. We’re happy to have you,” Panzik said.
The board also held a public hearing on its annual district-wide safety plan, which was led by Sam Gergis, assistant superintendent for business and operations.
The plan was made under the advice of Nassau County’s Homeland Security team, Nassau BOCES and the district’s district-wide safety committee.
Amendments include updating emergency response terminology definitions and annual training requirements.
“This is job one for everyone, from the board all the way down the line,” board of education Vice President Ted Post said. “… So I’m just hopeful that all of the programs and all of the thought and all of the recommendations that we take from Homeland Security, everything collectively is considered because it really is job one for us.”
