{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"What the New Cell Phone Ban Means for Students at Eldred and Sullivan West","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":562,"description":"As students gear up to return to school, they will face a new reality: smartphones, smart watches, and earbuds will be banned throughout the school day, except for specific educational, medical, or safety needs. The statewide restriction aims to reduce distractions and improve focus, but it has sparked conversations among students, parents, teachers, and administrators alike.Liam Mayo, news editor of The River Reporter, discussed how these new rules are being implemented locally at Eldred Central School District and Sullivan West Central School District and what impact they might have.Enforcing the Bell-to-Bell BanAt Eldred Central, the policy varies by grade level:Elementary: Students are discouraged from bringing internet-enabled devices. If brought, devices must be silenced and stored in the school office.Middle School: Devices must be silenced and stored in homeroom device caddies.High School: Devices are silenced and kept in designated centralized holders.Sullivan West’s approach is similar but tailored:Pre-K to 4: Internet-enabled devices are not allowed.Grades 5-6: Students must turn phones into their homeroom teachers.Secondary students: Responsible for storing phones in school-issued blockers.Mayo explained, “There are some exceptions being made for medical, educational, or safety needs. These are managed through conversations between parents and school administration on a case-by-case basis, often involving individualized education programs (IEPs).”Local Perspectives on the ShiftBoth Eldred Central and Sullivan West anticipate a cultural shift with this policy change. Superintendent Tracy Ferreira of Eldred Central said, “This will be a cultural shift for students, staff, and families at the junior-senior high school.” Similarly, Sullivan West Superintendent Catherine Bressler noted that while some restrictions already existed, “Expanding it to the full day will be different because phones were part of how students communicated with parents or worked...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}