August 20, 2026
Dear Midland Park Community,
As we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, we want to share an important update regarding student use of cell phones and other personal internet-enabled devices during the school day. Under New Jersey law, all public school districts must adopt and implement a “bell-to-bell” restriction on personal internet-enabled devices beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. The New Jersey Department of Education has clarified that bell-to-bell applies to the start of the school day and carries through to dismissal. This includes classes, passing time in the hallway, lunch, study halls, assemblies, and all other portions of the regular school day.
At last night’s meeting on August 19, 2026, the Board of Education officially approved our revised policy aligning with state law, NJDOE guidance, and the specific needs of our students and schools. The revised policy provides a simple, easy-to-understand process to ensure we are in compliance with the law and maintain a distraction-free environment that increases student attention to the tasks at hand and promotes more social interaction.
Students will be permitted to retain possession of their devices but will be required to power them off and store them out of sight in a backpack, bag, purse, locker, or pocket for the entirety of the regular school day. In short, students are able to possess cell phones and smartwatches, but they must be powered off while in the school building. In our schools, this rule will apply from the time a student steps into the building before class begins until end-of-day dismissal. After dismissal, students may use their phones inside the school buildings if needed. We believe this approach provides a clear and manageable expectation while allowing students to maintain possession of their personal belongings, and in turn have access to their devices in case of an extreme emergency.
Important Notes:
Types of Devices: The restriction applies to cell phones, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, smart glasses, earbuds connected to personal devices, and similar personal communication or internet-enabled devices.
District Laptops: Students will continue to use district-issued laptops and approved educational platforms as directed by their teachers.
School Hours Restriction: As noted above, students will not be permitted to access personal devices during lunch, transition time, study halls, assemblies, or other parts of the regular school day. Families should not expect students to read or respond to calls, texts, or notifications during school hours.
Urgent Communication: If a family needs to communicate an urgent message to a student, the school’s main office should be contacted so staff can assist. Students who need to contact home during the school day will also be able to seek support through the main office.
Off-Campus Privileges: Students with off-campus privileges are permitted to use their phones and devices during the school day when they are out of the building.
Field Trips: Students' use of phones on field trips will be evaluated on a case to case basis. Policy permits teachers to authorize the use of phones on field trips if necessary or if it will enhance the student experience (e.g., taking photos of historical monuments, landmarks, etc.).
Approved Exceptions: The law and NJDOE guidance recognize that there are certain circumstances in which a student may have an approved need that requires the use of a personal cell phone or internet-enabled device. These may include needs connected to an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or student health plan. Please contact your child's building principal if they are in need of an exception.
We understand that this new policy will be an adjustment for students and families; however, we already had fairly restrictive policies in place, making the new policy less of an adjustment than it may be for some school districts. Our goal is to implement the policy with clarity and consistency. In its simplest form: there is a new rule in place.
Just like any code of conduct violation, if a student is unable to follow the rule, there are progressive disciplinary consequences for each violation.
Thank you for your partnership and support as we prepare for this change. While our building administrators and teachers will review the rules and expectations with our students when school begins, we kindly ask that you talk to your child about the new policy so they walk into their school building on the first day with devices powered off, ready to learn and connect with their peers.
Sincerely,
Kevin Ulmer
Superintendent of Schools
Midland Park School District