GRAND ISLAND, NY (WKBW) — Just a few days into a new school year, and both students and teachers are navigating a new statewide cell phone ban. At one Western New York school district, students appear to be already settled in with the big change.
I headed to the Grand Island High School to share the voices of high school students and the principal about the impact this law is having in the classroom.
"Honestly, it's not that difficult,” said Sienna Sarkess, a senior at Grand Island High School.
Sarkess and fellow senior Aiden Golembiewski told me that although they're only three days into the new school year, the cell phone ban is not a problem for them.
“There's definitely a lot more conversation between students,” said Golembiewski.
Students at both middle and high school are required to store their smart devices inside storage cabinets that are locked for the entire school day.
“I am starting to get used to it a little more," Golembiewski said. "I mean, it's a little different not being able to just reach into my pocket and take it out whenever I want, like at the end of class or during lunch and something like that, but I think we're all adapting pretty well,” noted
The state implemented the cell phone ban to stop classroom distraction and prevent too much time on social media to improve a student's mental health.
These students and their principal told me the cell phone ban already appears to be helping.
“We're seeing students engaged in our instruction, interacting with our teachers, interacting with each other in the classroom,” said Principal Hillary Kretz-Harvey.
Students are noticing how much students are beginning to socialize without a cellphone.
“It’s nice to connect back with your friends and actually talk to them, like face to face,” Golembiewski reflected.
“How does that make you feel, because sometimes we see your generation just all looking down at their phones,” I asked.
“Sometimes in the beginning it's awkward because we're so used to talking to our phones, but once we get into a conversation, it's actually enjoyable,” Golembiewski said.
“Now it's much different," Sarkess said. "Everyone’s talking to each other, and it's actually really nice. One of my teachers mentioned today how nice it is to hear the classroom loud, and how everyone's talking to each other. I thought it would be a change and big for me at the beginning of the year, but honestly, it hasn't been.”
WATCH: 'It's not that difficult': Grand Island students react to new school cell phone ban
Principal Kretz-Harvey told me only a couple of students had difficulty on the first day of school, but the new policy is "going very well."
“It was so great to hear all of our teachers saying how awesome it was that they had to remind students, 'you need to stop talking and quiet down a little bit' because they're all interacting and they aren't distracted by their phones now,” explained Kretz-Harvey.
Students who are late to school or require early dismissal must report to the district's middle and high school new device clerks. They'll help them store their phones.
