'They'll be OK, it's probably a good thing, they might even like it after a while'

Administrators will apply progressive discipline as they seek to enforce the new state law passed over the summer. (Courtesy photo)

Steven Martin of Middleton, who was at the Rochester Common last week with his wife and child, probably summed up best how school children will feel tomorrow when they stow their cellphones in their locker before heading to class.
"I would not have liked it if they banned cellphones when I was going to school, but this is for the best," he said. "This is the right thing."
Pretty much everyone on the planet knows that cellphones are a detriment to learning, including everyone from Rochester School Supt. Jared Fulgoni to teachers to parents to kids on the street.
"I know it's going to be hard for kids coming into schools without their personal devices," Fulgoni said. "They've never known a world like this. It will be a shock."
He noted that if students don't comply administrators will apply progressive discipline as they seek to enforce the new state law passed over the summer.
"The first time might draw a warning, a second perhaps detention and a third possibly making a parent come in and get it," he said, adding that school principals will ultimately decide the specific rules and consequences.
Fulgoni did stress that the cellphone ban runs from bell to bell, including lunchtime.
Spaulding High School Deputy Principal Jenna Kotsonis conceded that the first few weeks of school could "be a little bumpy."
"This is a big change in routine for students," she said. "This will take time, the first couple of weeks it'll be tough, but this will be a healthy change."
A high school student hanging out with friends at the Hanson Pines basketball courts said he knew of some friends who were "freaking out" about the new rule, but added, "They'll be OK, it's probably a good thing, they might even like it after a while."
The school district released a list of exceptions that could allow for some students to have their phones on them at all times. They include
• A student needs a device for a medical reason (such as an insulin pump).
• A student has a disability and the device is part of their learning plan (IEP or 504).
• A student is learning English and needs support to communicate.
• If you need to reach your student urgently during the school day, please call the main office.