This information was mailed home to families the first week of August along with student placements.
July 20, 2025
Dear Groton Elementary Families,
We hope you are enjoying the summer and looking forward to another exciting school year at Groton Elementary School!
As we prepare to welcome students back, I’d like to take a moment to share important information regarding our building’s expectations for student use of personal electronic devices.
In April 2025, the New York State Legislature passed a law (now in effect) that prohibits student use of internet-enabled devices during the instructional day. As a public school, we are required to follow and enforce this law. The updates have been made in the Student Code of Conduct for the 2025-2026 Academic School Year.
What Does This Mean for Groton Elementary?
At Groton Elementary, the school day runs from 8:40 AM to 3:05 PM, and during that time, students must keep all internet-enabled personal devices stored in their backpacks which are to remain in the student’s cubby until the end of the school day. These devices include:
Cell phones
Smartwatches and wrist-worn tech
Tablets
Gaming devices
MP3 players/iPods
Any device that can connect to the internet (excluding school-issued Chromebooks)
These items are not to be used during school hours unless specifically required by a student’s IEP, 504 Plan, or for a health-related emergency as approved by the school nurse.
Communication with Home
If your child needs to reach you during the school day, they will be able to use a school phone with staff support, either from their classroom or the main office. If you need to get a message to your child, please call the main office at (607) 898-5853, and we will ensure it is delivered promptly. To help us stay connected, please notify the office of any updates to your contact information throughout the year.
Discipline Process
Groton Elementary follows a progressive discipline model in accordance with the district’s Code of Conduct. If a student uses a personal device during the school day, the following steps will be taken:
1st Offense - The classroom teacher or any other staff member will issue one warning for the student to secure the device(s) in their backpack. The staff member will notify the Main Office that this one and only warning has been issued. Further infractions will result in the student being sent to the Main Office to speak with an Administrator or member of Student Services.
2nd Offense - The staff member will contact the Main Office for an Administrator or member of Student Services to pick up the phone and place it in the Main Office for the remainder of the school day . A phone call home will be made by the administrator in question to discuss the situation with the parent/guardian and the device will be returned to the student at the end of the day.
3rd Offense - The staff member will contact the Main Office for an Administrator or member of Student Services to pick up the phone and place it in the Main Office for the remainder of the school day. The device will not be returned to anyone but the parent or guardian listed on School Tool.
4th Offense - The staff member will contact the Main Office for an Administrator or member of Student Services to pick up the phone and place it in the Main Office for the remainder of the school day. The device will not be returned to anyone but the parent or guardian listed on School Tool. The student will have recess in the Main Office.
5th Offense - The staff member will contact the Main Office for an Administrator or member of Student Services to pick up the phone and place it in the Main Office for the remainder of the school day. The student will be assigned two lunch detentions and the device will need to be picked up by the parent or guardian listed on School Tool. At this time a parent conference will be requested by the administrator to review the Cell Phone policy with the parent/guardian and student.
6th Offense - The staff member will contact the Main Office for an Administrator or member of Student Services to pick up the phone and place it in the Main Office for the remainder of the school day. The student will be assigned ISC for repeated insubordination for the remainder of that day and the full following day. The device will need to be picked up by the parent or guardian listed on SchoolTool.
Any offenses beyond those listed above will result in further disciplinary action for insubordination up to, and including, being placed in ISC for multiple days or Out of School Suspension. If at any point in this process, the student refuses to place their device(s) in their backpack, and kept in their possession, or turn the device over to the Principal or Associate Principal will result in the student being sent home for the day for insubordination and not to return without a phone conference or parent conference.
Our goal is not to be punitive, but rather to ensure our school is a place where children can be fully present, learn, and build strong relationships. These changes will take time to adjust to, but we are here to support every student along the way.
If you have any questions about how this policy will be implemented or how it supports your child’s learning, please feel free to reach out. I’m happy to talk through it with you.
Thank you for your partnership as we begin another wonderful year at Groton Elementary!
All the best.
Andrew Doane
Principal, Groton Elementary School