Blue Ridge School District Cell Phone Policy (2026)

Blue Ridge School District in Susquehanna County enrolled 1,028 students in 2024-25 according to federal data. Its middle school went phone free in 2024.

Blue Ridge phone rules today

The Raider Reader, Blue Ridge's student newspaper, reported on September 25, 2024 that Blue Ridge Middle School students must keep phones in their lockers at all times during the school day, with no use at lunch or in hallways, ending earlier lunch and passing-time use. "The driving force was that we want students to focus on academics and building social skills when they are at school," Vice Principal Brian Woodruff said. "Middle school students, in particular, are very distracted by cell phones and social media. This was causing major disruptions and unnecessary drama during the school day."

"One of the best parts is seeing everyone at lunch talking, playing card games, and having fun together instead of staring down at screens," Woodruff said. Seventh graders interviewed wanted lunch use and to keep phones in their bags, and said many students still did.

What Act 117 requires of Blue Ridge by 2027-28

Gov. Josh Shapiro approved SB 1014 on October 26, 2026. It is Act 117 of 2026, and it took effect that day. The text is Printer's No. 1697 on palegis.us. Every school entity must adopt a bell-to-bell policy by the start of the 2027-28 school year.

Act 117 requires	Blue Ridge today	What changes by 2027-28
No student use for the whole school day, including homeroom, lunch, recess and passing time	MS all day including lunch	Aligned at the middle school; confirm the high school rule.
The board decides how possession is restricted (taking phones is not required)	Lockers	Aligned: Act 117 lets boards decide possession.
Required exceptions: documented medical need of the student or an immediate family member, IEP or 504, English learner translation, limited teacher-approved instructional use	Not stated	Add medical, IEP/504 and English learner translation.
Optional: a principal may approve another exception for up to one school day, with notice to the superintendent within 5 days after	Not stated	Teacher use must meet Act 117's three conditions; other exceptions capped at one day.
Written notice each year and on enrollment: a staffed way to reach your child, and how to sign up for emergency notifications	Not stated	Written notice each year and on enrollment of a staffed contact method and emergency sign-up.
Tell families, teachers and students about the policy each year; verify to PDE within 5 business days that it is posted online	Middle school rule (2024-25)	Board policy posted, announced each year and verified to PDE.

Where LockedIn fits

Blue Ridge students told their paper that many phones stayed in bags anyway. LockedIn locks students' own phones from an admin dashboard with nothing to collect, so a phone in a bag is still locked and the locker rule does not depend on spot checks.

Act 117 has no general student emergency-use exception. The closest tool is the optional principal exception, which is capped at one school day and reported to the superintendent within five days afterward. LockedIn's Emergency Mode unlocks every phone on campus at once, so districts should have counsel review how that fits their emergency procedures and Act 117's exception rules.

Private and independent schools in New Milford

Act 117's definition of "school entity" includes private schools, approved private schools and nonpublic schools, so New Milford's private, independent and parochial schools need their own bell-to-bell policy by 2027-28. For those schools, the governing body plays the role the superintendent plays in a district, including receiving notice of any principal-approved exception.

Draft a policy that tracks Act 117's required exceptions and family notices with our policy generator.