Bell 2 Bell Policy at MPMS
Bell 2 Bell Policy at MPMS
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we want to share an important policy update to promote an optimal learning environment and support our students' well-being. New Jersey State Law P.L. 2025, c. 195, mandates that all public school districts implement a "bell-to-bell" policy prohibiting the use of students' personal internet-enabled and Bluetooth devices during the school day.
We want to partner with our students and families to ensure full compliance with this state mandate while respecting students' personal property. Please know that our goal is not to collect or confiscate students’ personal devices on a daily basis, which is why we are continuing to opt for an “off and away” approach to meeting this mandate. To achieve this, we need everyone’s active cooperation and support.
To ensure clarity, please review our district definitions for this policy:
Personal Internet-Enabled Devices: For the purposes of this policy, this includes smartphones, smartwatches, smartglasses, tablets, and all Bluetooth-enabled headphones and earbuds.
"Bell-to-Bell" Period: This timeframe runs from arrival on campus to the final dismissal bell at 3:23 pm. This restriction is in effect during academic instruction, passing times between classes, and lunch periods.
Off and Away: All personal internet-enabled and Bluetooth devices must be completely powered off and stored in a backpack. Devices will remain in their locker for the duration of the day. Students are welcome to use their personal devices after the 3:23 pm dismissal bell for after-school extracurricular activities and sports.
District-Issued Technology: Students will continue to have access to their district-issued Chromebooks for any legitimate technology or instructional needs during the school day.
We understand that families occasionally need to communicate urgent, timely information, such as a last-minute change in transportation plans. To support this transition while keeping classrooms distraction-free, parents may call the MPM Main Office directly at 973-535-8000 x8070. Our office staff will ensure essential messages are conveyed to your child promptly.
To ensure a fair, distraction-free environment for all, this policy will be enforced strictly, consistently, and without exception. Should a student be seen with a personal internet-enabled or Bluetooth device during the bell-to-bell period, the device will be immediately confiscated by staff and turned in to the administration. A parent or emergency contact must come to the school to retrieve the device.
The progressive disciplinary consequences for violating this policy are as follows:
First Offense: Confiscation of the device (parent pickup required) and an afterschool or lunch detention.
Second Offense: Confiscation of the device (parent pickup required) and detention.
Third Offense: Confiscation of the device (parent pickup required) and detention(s).
Fourth Offense: Confiscation of the device (parent pickup required), a one-day In-School suspension for continued and willful disobedience of school rules, and the student will be required to turn their phone in to the main office at the beginning of each school day for the remainder of the school year.
Please know that this letter is intended to clarify our communication and expectations. Students will not receive a warning for a first offense. The adoption of the required Policy and Regulation 5516, Student Use of Internet-Enabled Devices (M), that supports this State mandate will be brought before the Livingston Board of Education on August 20, 2026, and will be shared with the school community after its adoption.
We recognize that our students have developed a strong, daily dependence on their phones and digital devices. This state law and our implementation of it were not created as a punishment, but rather as a supportive measure to help schools and students maintain valuable focus. By minimizing digital distractions, we aim to maximize our students' energy toward classroom instruction, academic achievement, and genuine, face-to-face peer interactions.
We deeply appreciate your partnership, understanding, and cooperation as we transition into this school year. Together, we can create a healthier, more engaged learning community that empowers all to learn, create, contribute, and grow.
Sincerely,
Bronawyn O’Leary, Principal
Mt. Pleasant Middle School