This ban also includes smart watches, personal computers, tablets, and smart glasses. Elementary school students are also not allowed to use any personal technology once school starts at 7:45 a.m., a policy that preceded this year’s change.

“The decision to ban cellphones during the school day was made after a determination that the benefits of allowing cell phones in school do not outweigh the costs,” a statement issued by the board reads. “While cell phones can be used in ways that promote an engaging learning environment, they also have the capacity to significantly distract from the learning environment, which can impact student focus and academic achievement.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the board also clarified its new policy which allows phones to be searched in a similar way that backpacks can be searched. To search a cellphone, a certified administrator must have reasonable suspicion that a law or school policy has been violated and that evidence can be found on the phone. The search of the phone must only include areas of the phone where evidence might be found and must involve an impartial witness.

The change at LPCSD comes amid a broader national effort to protect students from potential harm posed by cellphone use. In the spring of last year, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a health advisory on the effects of social media use on mental health. In July, Gov. Kathy Hochul began a listening tour as she considers a statewide policy banning cellphones in schools.

Following the last school board meeting in August, LPCSD Superintendent Tim Seymour said that national and state movements informed the LPCSD decision, as well as research on the effect of phones on mental health and feedback from students.

The board voted to approve the changes to the code of conduct, which also include minor changes to the dress code and a clarified policy on artificial intelligence and academic honesty, after a hearing was held on Aug. 13. All seven members voted yes.

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Student resource officer

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The board also discussed the hiring of a student resource officer, or SRO, at the Sept. 3 meeting. During the meeting, the board heard a presentation by Essex County Sheriff David Reynolds, who emphasized that the primary goal of an SRO is to build trust and rapport with students.

When Reynolds ran for Essex County sheriff in 2018, he proposed putting SROs in the 11 public school districts in the county. This plan was included in the 2019 Essex County Budget.

Ultimately, the LPCSD board decided against hiring an SRO when the topic was last discussed in 2018, which was also in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier that year. At that time, former LPCSD Superintendent Roger Catania said board members were willing to consider having an SRO in the future. However, the board had lingering questions about the specifics of the role and wasn’t sure the proposed program would fit their needs.

Currently, six out of the 12 school districts in Essex county employ an SRO — Crown Point, Minerva, Moriah, Ticonderoga, Willsboro and Boquet Valley — Reynolds said Thursday, Sept. 5.

At the Sept. 3 meeting, school board member Ryan St. Louis was vocal in his support of the district employing an SRO.

“I really like the fact that you’re trying to bridge the gap between negative interaction with police and a positive interaction with police officer,” St. Louis said. “And I don’t think that we can put a price on that. We can’t put a price on safety either.”

The school board members discussed the cost and potential benefit of hiring an SRO. Many board members said it’s a priority to both keep students safe and to educate them about the role of police officers in civic life.

Some members doubted that the cost to taxpayers would be worthwhile. Board President Colleen Locke pointed out that teachers, therapists and social workers are already building essential relationships with children and that some of the same aims could potentially be achieved by partnering with the Lake Placid Village Police, whose headquarters are located across the street from the middle-high school.

The Lake Placid Village Police do regular walkthroughs at Lake Placid Elementary, the middle-high school, and the private St. Agnes School. The frequency of these walkthroughs can vary according to availability, Lake Placid Police Chief Chuck Dobson said, but they try to do them once per week. During their visits, police officers walk through the school and interact with students. Dobson said that he feels the police have “a very good working relationship with the schools.”

“The police department strives to have those relationships and make those relationships through the years, whether it be younger kids or older kids,” Dobson said.

Dobson also said that if the schools wanted to increase police presence at the schools for any reason, they would potentially be limited by staffing because they need to prioritize calls for service.

Seymour plans to get feedback from the community and said he will put together action steps for future board meetings.