NO SCHOOL: Holiday Recess 12/23–1/1
The City School District of Albany has established a task force to review policies and procedures related to student use of cell phones at school, and we are seeking input from parents and guardians as we begin this process.
Please take a few minutes to complete this survey to share your feedback. The survey will be open through Friday, Aug. 9.
If you have students in more than one grade level, please complete the survey once for each of your students. This will allow us to better understand the thoughts of parents and guardians across multiple age and grade levels.
Over the next several months, members of the Cell Phone Use Task Force will review all current policies, procedures and practices regarding student cell phone use, review relevant research and solutions, and explore legal and policy implications.
The task force is scheduled to report its findings and recommendations to Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter in January, followed by review and discussion by the Board of Education. Any updates that may be identified would be incorporated into the district’s Student Code of Conduct for the 2025-26 school year.
Two district schools currently have restrictions in place for student use of cell phones during the school day: Giffen Memorial Elementary School (grades 4-5), and Tony Clement Center for Education.
The state also is considering updated guidance for the use of cell phones in schools. The superintendent participated in a July 15 roundtable discussion on the topic led by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the first in a series of statewide meetings the governor is holding to gather feedback.
