School Wide Policies
Cell Phone Policy
CELL PHONE and INTERNET ENABLED DEVICES POLICY (Revised and Effective September 4, 2025)
Purpose:
To create an environment conducive to learning by minimizing distractions caused by cell phones and other personal internet-enabled electronic devices, ensure the safety and focus of all students during the school day, and follow Education Law §2803, effective August 1, 2025, all New York State schools are required to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of personal internet-enabled devices during the school day on school grounds. An "internet-enabled electronic device" is defined as an electronic device capable of connecting to the internet and enabling the user to access content on the internet. Examples of such devices include cell phones, smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, tablets, iPads, and portable music and entertainment systems.
We, at Union Square Academy for Health Sciences, believe in preparing our young adults in a safe and supportive learning environment to be both academically, socially emotionally, and interpersonally successful. We intend to do this by integrating digital literacy, career connected learning, and interpersonal life skills with experiential learning while aligned to NYC DOE policy. A-413 CELL PHONE AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN SCHOOLS Chancellor's Regulation A-413 Cell Phone and Other Electronic Devices In Schools Issued: July 24, 2025
While technology can accelerate U.S.A.’s vision and mission of a positive learning environment, cell phones and internet enabled devices may also negatively impact that environment. For Page 1 example, cell phones and internet enabled devices can divert our school attention and focus, distract us from being on time, and tempt us to engage in social media drama, cyberbullying, or other conflicts.
Policy statement:
Students will not be permitted to use or access their personal internet-enabled electronic devices upon arrival at school until the end of the school day. The school day is defined as the period from the moment students enter the school building until the last class of the day ends, including during lunch. The regular school day starts at 8:20 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m for most students, or 3:45 p.m./4:45 p.m for P. M. school students. If a student has P. M. school from 2:45-4:45 p.m. they will get their devices after their last P. M. school class. Students will be able to use school/NYCPS-issued devices during the school day.
1. COLLECTION/STORAGE
● Upon arrival, students must power off their devices.
● The school will collect devices…
○ A designated collection point, supervised by staff members, will be set up by student entry on the East 16th Street entrance to the building, before or prior to scanning machines, between times 7:50 a.m. and 9:08 a.m. If students arrive after this window, after 9:08 a.m, banned devices will be collected by the dean Assistant Principal Security or school personnel who will put them in a pouch assigned to you in the office.
○ At the end of the school day, devices will be distributed by school staff in locations near student’s period 8 classes, to the hallways right outside or near those locations:
■ For gyms Basement Gym/B53/B54 go to hallways right outside room B54
■ For classes in rooms 509, 506, 504, 502, 503A, 503B, go to hallway outside 505
■ For classes in rooms 541, 543, 545, 548, 549 go to hallways outside 546
■ For classes in 641, 646, 645, 648, 649, go to the hallway outside 646, between times 2:40 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. After 3:00 p.m., go to main office room 501 and see Ms. Pitts/Ms. Fabian Jochola or school aide. If not available see Ms. Lisette Ramos, Assistant Principal, in room 549 office.
○ Students who were late or had their device confiscated at scanning will have to pick up their device from specific location/room #501.
○ Students with approved early dismissal will retrieve their devices from room 501 main office. Devices will be distributed by one of the following staff members, depending on who is on duty in the office at that time: Tiffany Pitts, community coordinator, Emmanuel Torres, business manager or Ana Fabian Jochola/parent coordinator. The office switchboard will also be manned at all times so parents can call the school and students can reach their families.
We acknowledge that no one policy works best for everyone, therefore we devised a cell phone and electronic device policy that encourages our teachers or staff to take into account both their particular students’ needs, the new state law mandating the ban of cell phones and internet enabled devices as well as the learning parameters of their lesson using school issued devices like iPads with keyboards, calculators, or Lenovo laptops. Teachers and paraprofessionals have the flexibility to employ one of three internet enabled school issued device use zones: Red, Orange, and Green.
Teachers will post the zone in the classroom and clearly communicate expectations around the use of school issued internet enabled devices in their classes before each class.
Classroom expectations should be clear and explicit to avoid confusion on How and When students are able to use their School Issued internet enabled devices in class. Norms should address and communicate the following concerns that students may have, such as:
i. Instructional Uses vs Non-Instructional Uses
ii. Fairness and Consistency to and for all Students
iii. Progressive Interventions and Disciplinary Consequences including Device Confiscation
Teachers can select for their classrooms to be either:
1. RED ZONE-- “SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICE FREE ZONE”
a. Students MUST have devices TURNED OFF & PUT AWAY during class. (ex. during instruction, quizzes, exams, assessments, activities, etc.)
b. Teachers MUST ANNOUNCE and POST this zone visibly in the classroom.
c. Students are to use school issued approved digital devices (i.e. calculators,iPads, laptops)if permitted by teacher or for Advanced Placement or other exams.
d. To ensure fairness and consistency, exceptions should be granted only to students with I. E. P.s that state the medically approved uses or 504 plans that state such exceptions for device use.
e. If a student does not comply, refer to Actions and Consequences below.
2. ORANGE ZONE-- “FOR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONAL OR ASSESSMENT TASKS AND ASSISTANCE ONLY”
a. SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICE CAN be out on the desk and a student may briefly use their device as long as they are being productive/not disrupting the learning environment for specific teacher directed tasks (ex: polls, following Google slides during mini-lessons, uploading a student product like scanned manual documents, etc..
b. Students’ school issued device use in class must be for instructional purposes WHEN DIRECTED BY THE TEACHER (ex. Padlet, Poll Everywhere, kahoot, calculator functions, google searches, AI Artificial Intelligence tools, HMH ELL Read 180 system, Map Growth testing, etc.).
c. Teachers MUST ANNOUNCE and POST this zone visibly in the classroom.
d. At the beginning of each class, teachers will inform students whether they will be using their school issued devices in class for that day for specific instructional tasks or activities only, WHEN and HOW.
e. If using this zone, please ensure that all students have access to a school issued device for technology in order to ensure learning & participation equity.
3. GREEN ZONE-- “USE FREELY FOR ALL ORGANIZATIONAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL TASKS BY STUDENTS”
a. Students may continuously have their school issued devices out for instructional purposes (ex: project design and artifact creation, typing research papers, preparing presentation using Canva or other presentation tools like Google slides, research topics, Khan Academy, Castle Learning, online digital platforms used for applications in Teach Hub (access to Google Classrooms) for students etc..
b. Teachers PLEASE ANNOUNCE and POST this zone visibly in the classroom.
c. Despite students having full freedom to use their school issued devices, students must still abide by NYC DOE Chancellor's Regulation A-413.
If a student does not adhere to the written school based policies and circumstances regarding the ban on the use of cell phones, internet enabled devices, portable music and entertainment systems, during school hours, that are consistent with Chancellor’s Regulation A-413, then
● 1st Incident -- Teacher conferences with the student and redirects the student to the posted school-wide expectations and school policy on the ban of internet enabled devices during school day. It is referred to the Dean to collect banned internet enabled devices, give students verbal warning, and store it in pouches. Dean and student will meet and a verbal warning, at a restorative conference, with a collection of banned devices. The incident should be documented in OORS by the dean or school administrator in absence of dean, and then outreached by phone/text/email to the parent or guardian. This is a B19 Level 2 violation of the citywide discipline policy (Inappropriate use of electronic devices). NYC Discipline Policy: New York City Public Schools Discipline Policy
● 2nd Incident or Unwillingness to Comply -- Teacher refers incident to the Dean or administrator for a restorative conference with guidance counselor/social worker. This is a B19 Level 2 violation of the discipline policy (Inappropriate use of electronic devices).
● 3rd Incident for Unwillingness to Comply –Teacher or staff member refers incident to the Dean or school administrator for parent/guardian conference with student, and guidance counselor or social worker, for violation of B19 Level 2 violation of the disciplinary policy (inappropriate use of electronic devices).
● 4th Incident for Unwillingness to Comply –Teacher or staff member refers incident to the Dean or school administrator for restorative conference with parents or guardians with students for violation of B19 Level 2 violation of the disciplinary policy (inappropriate use of electronic devices). The Principal or school administrator would meet with the dean, guidance counselor/social worker, student and parents/guardians to revise the intervention plan.
Dean Referrals will lead to the following Restorative Actions (progressive discipline):
Level 1:
a. Student - Dean Conference.
b. Parent/guardian contact.
c. Cell phone or internet enabled device collection
d. Restorative Conference by dean only with verbal warning.
Level 2:
a. Student - Dean-Guidance counselor/social worker.
b. Cell phone or internet enabled device collection by the Dean or school administrator.
c. Restorative Conference with guidance counselor/social worker/dean.
d. Parent/guardian contact.
Level 3:
a. Student - Dean - Parent - Guidance Counselor Conference.
b. Cell phone or internet enabled device collection by the Principal for the entire school day.
c. Restorative Conference with parent(s) or guardians and guidance counselor/dean.
Level 4:
a. Student-Dean-Parent-Guidance Counselor-Principal/School Administrator Conference.
b. Cell phone or internet enabled device collection by dean or school administrator.
c. Restorative Conference with parent(s) or guardians and guidance counselor/dean with Principal or school administrator. This would be for violation of B19 Level 2 violation of the discipline policy (Inappropriate use of electronic devices).
***All incidents will be entered in OORS and documented by the dean or school administrator.
If school provides students with locked pouches…
○ Students will place their devices in the lobby before scanners, and secure it in front of school staff.
○ Students will store their locked pouches at the desk for collection in the lobby or if latecomer to dean/school staff member for the day.
○ At the end of the school day, students will unlock their pouch in locations near their period 8 classes as assigned.
○ They will remove their device(s) and lock their pouches before leaving the school. Pouches will remain at the school with school personnel until the next school day.
○ Students with approved early dismissal will be able to unlock their pouch in room 501 main office via one of the following staff members: Tiffany Pitts/Emmanuel Torres/Ana Fabian Jochola or school aides that are available to retrieve banned items for early dismissal students.
○ In the event that a storage device, such as a pouch, is lost or damaged, the school will require a nominal fee for a replacement of $20 or provide a new pouch at no charge. This is if it happens at collection or distribution only. We ask that you be careful in opening the pouch and its pin.
1. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
● In case of emergency or exigent circumstances, parents or guardians can call Ana Jochola Fabian, parent coordinator at 917-499-0506 or at 212-253-3110 extension 50100 or Tiffany Pitts, community coordinator at 212-253-3110 ext. 50102 or Emmanuel Torres at 212-253-3110 ext. 50101 to reach their child. You can also contact the school and try Principal’s Office at extension 50700 and speak to Principal’s secretary Vivian Torres. Ron Welch, our computer and technology technician, can be reached at 1-347-990-0183. He can also be reached for help with technology or internet issues.
● In case of emergency or exigent circumstances, students may access phones in offices in 501, 510, 511, 507, 549 or 650 to reach their parents or guardians.
● In case of emergency or exigent circumstances, the school will use GAMA (New York City School Accounts or NYSCA), and Kinvolved to communicate information to parents or guardians in various languages. a. Here is how parents/guardians can access the automated messaging system: (we have included directions for setting up NYCSA accounts to access GAMA, etc) so you can get alerts in emergency situations
. 2. EXCEPTIONS
● Students are allowed to use their device if they have an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan that includes use of an internet-enabled device and do not have a DOE-issued device for such purpose. Students with exceptions will receive a Yondr velcro pouch to keep their device in at all times so they can use it when needed and it must be put in their school backpack before scanning.
● Parents/guardians must contact Tiffany Pitts, community coordinator at 253-3110 ext. 50102 or Parent Coordinator Ana Jochola Fabian at 212-253-3110 ext. 50100 or 917-499-0506 if a student requires an exception for reasons such as: medical monitoring/treatment s (for example to monitor blood sugar or other similar Page 7 circumstances), if student is a caregiver, for approved language purposes (such as translation or interpretation services if no other means are available), or where otherwise required by law.
● The principal/designee may authorize use for an educational purpose. Please reach out to Principal Bernardo Ascona at 212-253-3110 ext. 50700 to discuss further. The principal can be reached in emergency situations or when school is remote at 646-341-2799 to discuss exceptions.
● Exceptions will be processed and approved within September 4, 2025 to October 4, 2025.
3. DISCIPLINE
● Students who use electronic devices in violation of the NYCPS Discipline Code, the school's policy, Chancellor's Regulation A-413, and/or the NYCPS Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy ("IAUSP") will be subject to progressive discipline. This means that the disciplinary responses will escalate based on the nature and frequency of the violation. As provided in the State law, a student may not be suspended solely on the grounds that the student accessed a personal internet-enabled device in violation of school policy. Repeated incidents of insubordination (i.e. refusal to surrender or store devices) may result in a suspension if approved by the Office of Safety and Youth Development.
4. OTHER: If lost or stolen
● In the unlikely event that an electronic device is stolen or damaged at school, parents can submit a claim to the Comptroller’s Office. More information on submitting a claim is available on the Comptroller’s webpage.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a focused and productive learning environment. If you have any questions or need further clarification regarding these policies, please do not hesitate to contact Danny Rivera, school dean at 212-253-3110 ext. 51100 or at 1-347-759-4247. Mr. Jovany Cuevas, Assistant Principal, in charge of safety for U. S. A. can also be reached at 212-253-3110 ext. 65000.