As Governor Kathy Hochul continues her statewide push to ban smartphones inside New York schools, a school district in the Capital Region has already implemented a plan to make its school a "phone-free" space.

*This post was originally published on 7/24

Should All Schools Do This?

Eventually, they will. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced last month that she plans to introduce legislation that only allows students to carry phones without internet access. The bill would be taken up in New York's next legislative session, which begins in January.

Kathy Hochul Assumes Office As Governor Of New York State
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“When it comes to smartphones and other internet enabled devices in schools, it's clear that the status quo just isn't working for our young people and educators,” Governor Hochul said. “I'm gaining valuable feedback from teachers and parents across the state to ensure we develop effective solutions that will deliver the best result for our kids.

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Cambridge Central School District is one of the first in the area to announce that they're removing cell phones from students during school hours. Photo: Google Maps
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Cambridge Central School will Be "Phone-Free"

One school in the Capital Region is ahead of the proposed legislation. Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, Cambridge Central School will be making its school a phone-free space "to improve teaching and learning," according to the school in Washington County's website.

Cambridge Elementary School students are prohibited from using personal electronic devices from arrival until the end of the regular school day. Such devices must be turned off and stored out of sight during this time.

Cambridge Jr./Sr. High School will use a program called Yondr, which, according to the school district, "has been implemented in over 2,000 schools across 16 countries to facilitate an engaged learning environment."

 

What's Yondr?

Yondr "utilizes a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone. Every student will secure their cell phone in a personally assigned pouch, and they won't be able to them until the end of the school day."

Students must bring their Yondr pouch to and from school daily and are always responsible for it. Students will be allowed to unlock their phones if they are leaving our school campus for any reason.

Yondr has extensively studied schools implementing their program and found a positive change in student engagement, behavior, and academic performance. According to a survey, 86% of students saw a positive impact on student safety and wellness.

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US News & World Report has once again done a deep dive into test scores, graduation rates, and more on almost 25,000 high schools across every state to determine the best of the best nationwide. According to that data, here are the 10 best high schools in the Capital Region, along with where they rank in New York state and nationwide for 2024.

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Sometimes the best places to visit are right here in New York State. New York State has something for everyone from beaches, beautiful mountains, the bright lights of New York City, and the gorgeous roaring Niagara Falls not to mention the many gleaming lakes throughout the state. Check out the many different options right here in New York State. These are the top 15 destinations to visit according to U.S. News and World Report. They considered sights, culture, adventurous pursuits, and the opinions of readers and experts.

Gallery Credit: Google Maps-Canva

 

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