TUPPER LAKE — It’s early, but things appear to be off to a good start for the state-mandated internet-enabled devices bell-to-bell ban at the Tupper Lake Central School District.

Internet-enabled devices covered under the ban include cellphones, personal devices, smart watches, earbuds or any other non-school-issued device that has the capability of internet connection, according to TLCSD policy. This includes devices with Bluetooth capability.

TLCSD students are allowed to use the devices on the bus before and after school. In the buildings, they have the option of either storing the devices in their lockers or using district-provided secure storage facilities located in the middle-high school’s main office. There are exceptions if the device is needed for health or other significant reasons stipulated in the district’s policy.

If a student is found to be using an internet-based device outside of a locker during the school day, it will be confiscated and turned into the main office. The student is not allowed to retrieve it. That must be done by a parent or guardian at the main office during open hours.

With three days of the school year completed at the time, Middle-High School Principal Chris Savage shared an update with the TLCSD school board at its regular meeting Monday evening. Savage stated that parents and guardians have been “really great teammates” in making sure that students understand and abide by the policy.

“Students and families have been really great and supportive,” he said. “Nobody likes getting called out on the rule change, but the students are conducting themselves appropriately, even through that, even though they’re frustrated.”

TLCSD Superintendent Jaycee Welsh reported that on the first day of school, there were three internet-enabled device confiscations from students. On the second day, there were four confiscations and on the third day, there were zero.

“So we’ll keep it up and hopefully we keep the consistency,” Welsh said.

With a middle-high school student population of just over 330 students, the TLCSD school board appeared to see those confiscation figures as encouragingly low. Board President Jane Whitmore noted that she was relieved to see single-digit totals and had previously been worried that the school year could have seen a rockier start.

“I was worried about you guys, from afar,” she said.

The statewide ban was signed into law last year by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It’s intended to minimize the learning distractions that the devices had presented throughout the school day in previous years.

To view TLCSD’s policy in its entirety, visit tinyurl.com/y553kz9r.