Cherry Hill students walking through school doors on Wednesday, Sept. 2 will face a new reality: smartphones, smartwatches and smart glasses must stay locked in lockers or zipped in backpacks all day, lunch and study halls included.
Superintendent Dr. Kwame R. Morton Sr. confirmed the first-day details in a welcome-back letter posted Tuesday, Aug. 18. The letter also announced a new district technology plan with AI governance rules and screen time limits, and set Wednesday, Aug. 26 as the date families will receive student schedule information.
What Sept. 2 looks like
PreK through fifth-grade students will have an early dismissal day. Students in grades 6 through 12 will attend a full day.
On Aug. 26, families will receive schedule information through the district's Parent Portal. All required forms must be completed in the portal first. No forms, no schedule access.
The phone ban is now Policy 5516
The bell-to-bell device restriction, mandated by a New Jersey law signed Jan. 8, is now codified as district Policy 5516. It replaces the previous Policy 5516.01, which had limited wireless device use during instructional periods since the 2024-25 school year. The new rule extends the ban to the entire school day.
As we reported Aug. 3, the school board insisted on a full two-reading policy process before adopting the restriction, rejecting a state Education Department recommendation to fast-track it.
Exemptions remain for students who monitor health conditions with a device, those with Individualized Education Programs requiring device access, and students who need specific apps for instruction with administrator approval. After school hours, teachers and club advisors can allow device use during activities and on buses.
In February, Morton told The Sun Papers the district chose not to use locked pouch systems like Yondr: "There's a cost factor that comes along with that. In addition, that is the most restrictive approach. We want to ultimately teach our kids responsible behavior."
AI and screen time rules
Morton's letter said the district is implementing a new technology plan with screen time usage limits and "clear parameters" governing AI use in schools. The letter did not detail what those parameters are or which grade levels they affect.
Board member Renee Cherfane raised concerns about broader tech oversight at the board's July 29 meeting, telling fellow members that district-issued Chromebooks give students "very unlimited access to a lot of things" at home. The state law explicitly excludes school-issued devices used for educational purposes from the personal-device ban.
Summer construction
Morton noted "widespread construction and facility improvements at most of our schools" over the summer but did not specify which buildings were affected or what work was completed.
Key dates for families
- Wednesday, Aug. 26: Schedule information released via Parent Portal (forms must be completed first)
- Wednesday, Sept. 2: First day of school. Early dismissal for PreK-5; full day for grades 6-12
