Message for PK-5 Families

To Our K-5 Families,

You may have heard about the change coming to New York State public schools this year in regards to the new bell-to-bell device-free policy. At Pal-Mac, we are committed to learning and creating an environment that does not have distractions from personal electronic devices.  

Some examples of Personal Electronic Devices (PED’s) include cell phones, smart watches, gaming devices, e-readers, bluetooth enabled headphones/earbuds, tablets, fitness trackers, voice recorders, cameras, and music devices.

This will not be a big change for children at PMP and PMI because students already know that we put away any cell phones brought to school.  We have been doing this for the past four years. 

The only change for students is we will now be putting any other personal electronic devices away for the day, including smart watches.  

It is strongly recommended that these devices be kept at home.  If you allow your child to bring them to school, they are expected to follow the guidelines below.

• Students may not use personal electronic devices on school grounds during the school day.  This includes the hallways and while walking to and from the bus.  
• Any personal electronic device that is brought to school must be silenced and put away before getting off a bus or out of a vehicle when they arrive at school each morning.
• Personal electronic devices will be kept in your child’s personal classroom storage space, as assigned by the teacher, and secured during the day.
• A landline telephone is available in the main office to send and receive any urgent information.  
• Electronics may be used to play games or listen to music with headphones on the bus at the discretion of the driver.
• For safety and out of respect for others, taking pictures, videos, and sending and responding to text messages or phone calls on personal electronic devices is prohibited.  
• Students are responsible for all of their belongings, including electronics.  The District is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen items.  
• Having personal electronics in school is a privilege.  Students must respect the rules and expectations with regard to their use in school.  Students who violate this policy may be subject to disciplinary penalties pursuant to the District’s Code of Conduct and subject to applicable law and regulations, including confiscation, disciplinary consequences per the Code of Conduct, and cooperation with law enforcement officials as appropriate.

Thank you for partnering with us to support a positive environment for our young learners!