OBSERVER Photo by Sara Holthouse The Clymer Central School board discussed beginning the year with the newly mandated cellphone ban from the state.

CLYMER — Statewide, school districts have begun the new school year with the addition of the mandated cellphone ban from the state, and members of Clymer Central School’s administration have reported that so far, the ban has produced good results.

Andrea Bryant, the district’s director of learning and development, reported on the cellphone ban to the Clymer Board of Education at their September meeting, saying that everything seems to be going pretty well. She added that they have seen a little bit of pushing back and students trying to see what they can get away with, but she said that is also to be expected. There have been questions regarding smart watches and ear buds that have come up that she said they need to look more into, as they are on the banned list but there are some cases where the watches can just be used as watches and headphones can be needed for some classes, raising the question of if they can have headphones should it be said they cannot have ear buds. These are things Bryant said they need to look into and clarify for teachers.

Overall so far she said only four things have been collected from students, and one big change that she said they have seen is in the lunchroom.

“Lunch has been a big change that we’ve seen,” Bryant said. “There’s lots more conversation with the older students talking and not just staring at their phones. Fifth and sixth grade; they’re playing games. We’ve gone to some of the classrooms and brought down some games, and we went down there yesterday and they were all playing games with each other, and having a great time. So, I think that’s a huge improvement.”

Bryant said it has been reported to them by some teachers that there is also a visible difference in the everyday classroom, and that it has allowed for more involved and in-depth learning.

The student board of education members also had mostly positive things to say about the cellphone ban so far this school year. Roman Wassink said he feels it is going well, and that students are engaging more with each other now during the day. He said that sometimes there will be times where the students have moments where they want to take a picture or something and have a realization that they do not have their phones, but that that is not a bad thing, and that overall it is going well.

Adelie Jackson agreed, saying that as a senior while she has known the kids in her class for a long time, this is the first time in a while she feels like she can actually get to know them.

“This year is the first year I feel like I know the people I’ve been in school with,” Jackson said. “I won’t name names but there are some kids I probably haven’t talked to since fifth and sixth grade, and I mean these are kids in my class, I should know them pretty well.”

She returned to the lunchroom conversation as well, saying that the students will be talking about things like the volleyball game, which she normally would not do as someone who does not play sports, but that being able to talk more and have moments like that are “pretty nice”.

The third student board member, Kara Collins, also agreed with the others, but added that there are some moments she’s seen in her grade in places like study hall or at a longer lunch where the students are struggling to find something to do. She added that the changes in the classrooms and that everyone talks more is nice.

The board discussed that there are some different lunch times for some students, where middle school students were targeted to have a shorter, 20 minute lunch and other students have a 30 minute lunch, as that is often also when teachers have lunch to work out scheduling better for them. The board also talked a little bit more about ear buds being included in the ban, specifically the ones without cords that can be connected to phones or something else. Bryant said they have not had enough details for that to address it, and that it will be something that is case by case. Principal Brianne Fadale added that for classes such as the Jamestown Community College courses where teachers are connected to over Zoom, headphones are needed for class.

“So, we just need to sift through when it’s appropriate and when it’s not,” Fadale said. “That’s the stuff we are working through.”