August 26, 2025
P.S. 204 SLT Minutes
Cell Phone Policy Review
Meeting Start Time: 10:00 AM
Attendance:
Roseann Sainato, Principal
Brittany LaGala, AP
Laura Bonomolo, AP
Denise Racioppo, AP
Julie Ramirez, PTA President
Jennifer Lee, Title I PAC Chairperson
Alfredo Campos Jr., Title I Alternate Chairperson
Bonny Tan, PTA Recording Secretary
Mrs. Sainato: Welcome, review the reason we are calling an August SLT meeting: to review the new Cell Phone Policy which must go into effect on the first day of school, September 4.
● We are an elementary school and we usually do not have major issues with cell phones
● This plan is in effect from bell to bell: beginning of school day to the end
● All of this information will also be shared at our Town Hall Meeting and the first PTA meeting
● The plan must go out before the first day of school and takes effect on 9/4
● All 3-5 students will receive this plan and there will be an attestation sheet that must be signed by the child and the parent
● Kept our plan simple
● Magnetic pouches are costly so we bought Velcro pouches for all students in grades 3-5
● Students will come through the front doors and there will be a bin with the empty Velcro pouches
● Students put their phone and smartwatch in the pouch and put it in their school bag
● They continue to their line up area
● The phone stays in the Velcro pouch in their schoolbag for the rest of the school day. Schoolbags must be put away in the classroom closet
● At the end of the day, there will be a bin by the exit doors. Students will take their phone out of the Velcro pouch and put the empty pouch in the bin
● Bins at each exit door will be dumped into the main bin at the main entrance so they are all back in the correct place for the next morning
● If a child loses the pouch- first time we will replace it for free
● If same student loses the pouch 2 or more times, the cost to replace will be $15
● If a child goes home early, as they pack up, they take the phone out of the pouch and drop the pouch off by the security desk
● In an emergency (lockdown), no one is using their phone
● We will send messages through GAMA
● If we need to relocate, we will send messages to parents via GAMA and Remind
● Point Person: Salina Yuen (Parent Coordinator)- her PC cell phone number will be provided to families in case of emergency
● Progressive Discipline: 2nd offense- parents come in for a meeting, 3rd offense- confiscate phone and parents must come pick it up
● If many offenses and student is using phone for something inappropriate, discipline becomes more progressive, but cannot suspend just because child has one incident with the cell phone
Feedback:
Julie: I think these are the right steps to take. It seems efficient.
Bonny: Will they be powered down?
Mrs. Sainato: Yes, they will be turned off before going in the Velcro pouches.
Julie: Will all parents get the parent coordinator’s number in case of an emergency?
Mrs. Sainato: Yes, it will be sent in the family letter. That is part of the plan.
*Safety Town Hall will be held September 10th at 8:15 AM*
PTA meeting is also on September 10th at 6 PM
Bonny: Will this go into effect the first day of school?
Mrs. Sainato: Yes. September 4th is the first day it will be in effect. First, we needed to get the SLT approval. We have not received any back order email so we should have them in time.
Jennifer: Does this apply to smart watches?
Bonny: Some watches are used for parents to track their kids, like the Gabb watches and Giobit.
Mrs. LaGala: It applies to any internet-enabled devices.
Mrs. Sainato: We will check those and get back to you.
Julie: What if a child is in therapy and needs a watch for a specific purpose?
Mrs. Sainato: There are medical exemptions and they will be added to a child’s IEP. We have 72 hours to respond when a parent puts in a request.
Mrs. Sainato: Thumbs up to approve the plan?
All: Yes
Mrs. LaGala: Bonny, please post a reminder about school supply drop off on social media with the assigned days for each grade.
Bonny: Will do!
Meeting adjourned at 10:33 AM