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Electronics Policy

Dr. Susan S. McKinney HS Personal Electronics Free Policy

School Year 2025 - 2026

District 13 is committed to optimizing our school learning environments for all students.

To ensure that we are maximizing our instructional time and supporting all students’

interpersonal development, we have a district wide personal electronics free policy. We

believe in the importance of fostering meaningful interpersonal interactions, encouraging

play, and cultivating moments of joy throughout the school day. These values help

support the overall well-being and development of our students. As such, our electronics

free policy is a standard expectation across all schools in the district.

All personal electronics and internet-enabled devices including but not limited to:

phones, smart watches, personal gaming devices, ipads, Walkmans, AirPods, iPods,

digital cameras, etc., are not to be put out or used during school, including after

school programming.

For the upcoming school year, the regular school day at 13K265

is 8:00 am - 2:40 pm and, once they begin, our various after school programs will

dismiss between 5pm and 7pm.

Across District 13 Middle and High Schools, every student is assigned a personal Yondr Pouch. The Yondr Pouch is considered school property, and each student is responsible for bringing their Yondr Pouch with them to school every day and keeping it in good working condition.

For all questions and communication regarding the Cell Phone Policy at 13K265,

please contact the School Cell Phone Policy Supervisor, Assistant Principal Escarre at (718) 834-6760, Extension 2062.

Daily Process

Before students Enter the School Building , students will:

1) Turn their phone off.

2) Place their personal electronics (phone, earbuds, smartwatches, etc...) inside

their Pouch and secure and lock it. Be advised that any electronic devices that do

not fit inside the pouch must not be brought into the building. If brought into the

building, these device(s) will be collected, returned at dismissal, and the parent will

be contacted and reminded about the policy.

3) Have their pouch available for the supervision staff member

Students are responsible for storing their pouch in their backpack and/or locker for the day.

Upon Leaving the School Building for the day, students will:

1) Remove their personal electronics from their Yondr pouch.

2) Put their Yondr pouch someplace safe to bring back the next day..

*Students arriving late or leaving early will pouch/unpouch their phones in the Main Office.

Forgotten Pouch

If a student forgets their Pouch, their electronics will be collected, and a member of

the student support team or administration will call home to remind the Parent of

the policy. The device(s) will be returned to the student at dismissal. The school has no

liability for devices that are lost, stolen, or damaged during staff collection. All students

are given a Yondr pouch to be in control of their electronic devices at all times. If you do

not bring this pouch to school, you are giving up this right.

If a student consistently forgets their Pouch, it is considered Lost. Refer to the Lost Pouch Policy.

Lost / Damaged Pouches

Yondr pouches are considered school property and must be returned to the school in the

same condition in which they were given to you in September.

● If your pouch is damaged and no longer usable, Administration will collect the

phone/Pouch and a parent/guardian will be required to come to school and pick it

up. As per the NYC Discipline Code (B28; damage to school property) this will be

logged into the Online Occurrence Reporting System (OORS).

The cost of a replacement pouch is $25.

If you choose not to pay for a replacement pouch, your phone will be collected by Administration daily, as per the policies outlined above.

Examples of damage:

○ Deep scratches on the globe and on the green ring around it

○ Intentional pen marks on the inside of the Pouch

○ Bent pins

○ Pin and button not fully recessing, due to pin damage

Emergency Communication

In case of emergency, if you need to contact your child during the school day, please call

Carmen Vargas-Lambright in the main office at 718-834-6760. If your child needs to

contact you, phones are available in the main office and guidance office for emergencies.

Additionally, the school uses GAMA (NYC DOE’s Grading, Attendance, and Messaging

Application) to send out whole school communication including any emergency updates.

During the beginning of the school year, we will confirm that you have access to these

communication platforms. If you have questions about our school based communication

platforms please contact Assistant Principal Cruzanni Escarre at (718) 834-6760 or

cescarre@schools.nyc.gov.

Disciplinary Policies

Disregarding the Electronics Free policy is a violation of both New York State Law and Chancellor's Regulation A-413. Below are some sample disciplinary responses. Please review the New York City Public School’s Discipline Code for a full explanation of the disciplinary policy.

Policy Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy will be limited and considered on a case-by-case basis. For

example, students eligible for Assisted Technology (AT) Support pursuant to their

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and/or as a 504 accommodation and they do not

have a DOE device; students who need their device for a medical reason; students who

require translations and there are no other options available at the school or where

otherwise required by law. Please reach out to Assistant Principal Cruzanni Escarre at

cescarre@schools.nyc.gov for more information.

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