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Northampton cell phone policy committee finalizes draft rules.

Northampton Public School Cell Phone Policy Committee · Meeting of January 15, 2026

Northampton's Ad Hoc Cell Phone Policy Committee finalized a draft phone storage policy for the high schools, with key details still unresolved. The seven-member panel approved prior minutes and reviewed lessons from Chicopee's check-in process, which takes 15 minutes using magnetic pouches and requires eight staff members per shift. Superintendent Portia Bonner indicated the district could offer stipends to hall monitors to assist.

The NHS Student Union, represented by Ana-Lucia Ohm, highlighted student cost concerns and asked for waivers for juniors and seniors; committee members Sarah Marcus and Sue Sullivan pressed for policy language emphasizing community engagement. A critical gap remains: how students will unlock phones if check-in does not occur at school.

In the full story:

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Source: the Northampton Public School Cell Phone Policy Committee meeting of January 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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