South Bronx Community Charter High School

District Cell Phone Plan & Policy

[excerpt from the School Wide Policies section of the Student and Family Handbook, page 14]

Personal Items

ARTICLES OF CLOTHING AND BOOK-BAGS

Students are expected to bring a book-bag to and from school daily. Students will have their book-bags at their side during the course of the school day. They are also expected to come to school dressed appropriately given the day’s weather. On cold days, students should certainly wear extra clothing to school such as a jacket to keep warm. Students are highly encouraged to leave all valuable items at home (e.g. wallets, money, jewelry, etc.). If a student brings any valuable item to school, they must store it in their designated locked space throughout the day. At the end of the day, students’ belongings will be made available to students before they depart school.

ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY

At SBC, we recognize that families may wish to communicate with their students before and after school. While we support this connection, we are equally committed to maintaining a focused, distraction-free learning environment throughout the school day.

Permitted Devices and Daily Procedures:
Students are allowed to bring personal electronic devices (including but not limited to cell phones, media players, tablets, and smartwatches) to school. However, in alignment with our school policies and state guidelines, these devices must be secured and stored upon arrival:

• 9th & 10th Grade: Devices will be collected and placed in a locked storage box.
  
• 11th & 12th Grade: Devices will be secured in Yondr pouches for the duration of the school day.
  
• Smartwatches and wearable technology (e.g., Apple Watch, Samsung Watch) will also be collected and stored for all students during the entire school day.
  

Please note that iPads, tablets, and other personal computing devices are prohibited on campus. Students will only be permitted to use school-issued devices for instructional purposes.

Enforcement and Consequences:
If a device is seen, heard, or used during the school day in violation of this policy, it will be confiscated immediately and held by school leadership. Devices will only be returned when a parent or guardian retrieves it in person.

Parents/Guardians may contact the main office at (929) 579-0025 if there is an emergency need to reach your child during school hours.

In accordance with our Governor’s recently enacted guidelines for distraction-free learning environments, the following definitions apply:

• Internet-Enabled Devices: Any device capable of accessing the internet (e.g., smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops, iPads, iPods, gaming devices, etc.).
  
• Non-Internet Enabled Devices: Basic communication devices that do not allow internet access.
  
• Parent/Guardian: A student’s legal guardian or any individual designated to act in a parental role.
  
• School Day: The full instructional day, including homeroom, lunch, recess, study hall, and class transitions.
  
• School Grounds: All buildings, playgrounds, fields, and areas within the school’s property boundary.

Students are not permitted to use internet-enabled devices at any time during the school day on school grounds, unless they are using school-issued technology for an approved educational purpose.

INTERNET SAFETY AND RESPONSIBLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

South Bronx Community is committed to undertaking efforts that serve to make safe for students the use of SBC computers for access to the Internet. To this end, although unable to guarantee that any selected filtering and blocking technology will work perfectly, SBC uses technology protection measures that block or filter Internet access by:

• Adults to visual depictions that are obscene or child pornography
• Minors to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors, as defined in the Children’s Internet Protection Act

SBC uses procedures that provide for the safety and security of students using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications; monitoring the online activities of students using school computers; and restricting student access to materials that are harmful to minors. In addition, SBC prohibits the unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding students; unauthorized online access by students, including hacking and other unlawful activities; and access by students to inappropriate matter on the Internet.

All users of the school’s computer network, including access to the Internet, must understand that use is a privilege, not a right, and that any such use entails responsibility. They must comply with the requirements of this policy and state regulation, in addition to generally accepted rules of network etiquette, and SBC’s policy on the acceptable use of computers and the Internet. Failure to comply may result in disciplinary action including, but not limited to, the revocation of computer access privileges. As part of this policy, SBC shall also provide age-appropriate instruction regarding appropriate online behavior, including:

• Interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response.

REPORTING OF VIOLATIONS

Violations of the Internet Safety Policy and this regulation by students and staff shall be reported to the School Leaders. The School Leaders shall take appropriate corrective action in accordance with authorized disciplinary procedures. Penalties may include, but are not limited to, the revocation of computer access privileges, as well as school suspension in the case of students and disciplinary charges in the case of teachers.