Smithtown schools locking up students cellphones NBC New York [Video]

A normal school day at a Long Island middle school now begins with students locking their cellphones up in a pouch and putting it way the entire day.

“We want our kids to be healthy,” said Daniel McCabe, principal of Nesaquake Middle School in Smithtown. “We want them to be engaged in school, to be in an environment that is distraction free.”

McCabe pointed to studies that have shown that removing the cellphone and distractions from the classroom will improve student engagement, mental health and even well-being. For the past two years, the district has had a no cellphone policy in the classrooms, but it is often ignored.  

Eighth grader Taylor Kratz said when a person’s cellphone rings during class, it can be distracting.  

“Kids will have them in their pocket and Snapchat will ring, ding ding, and the teacher will say ‘Put your phone in your locker,’ and everyone …