Hadley School Committee Votes to Ban Cell Phone Use at Hopkins Academy

HADLEY -- August 25, 2025, Hadley School Committee bans personal cell phones at Hopkins Academy during the school day. The committee voted unanimously Monday to require students to store phones in backpacks from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., aligning the high school with the stricter policy already in place at the middle school. Hopkins Academy Principal April Camuso presented four years of staff survey and discipline data showing cell phone violations have consistently represented 15 to 25 percent of all behavioral referrals. Three Hopkins teachers offered public comment backing the change, with Amy Lanham telling the board that "we wouldn't tell a cocaine user, you can keep your cocaine in your pocket, but please don't take it out and use it." The committee called for a standalone parent email, virtual Q-and-A sessions, and advisory-period reviews before school opens August 27, and asked for a formal follow-up data report in July 2026. The Massachusetts Senate passed an off-and-away cell phone mandate on July 31, which has been sent to the House Ways and Means Committee but has no scheduled hearing.