New York students just underwent their first week of school with a bell-to-bell cellphone ban aimed at improving learning outcomes and fostering face-to-face social connection.

Parents, students, and staff largely had positive reactions to the new policy in comments to CBS News.

“At first, I was really torn up about it. And then, now, I kind of like, like at lunch, we’ll all talk the whole period,” said Jack Kuenstler, a 12-grader at Walt Whitman High School in South Huntington.

At Walt Whitman High School, officials added a special bell to mark to daily deadline for putting away personal devices. The policy only allows for internal school emails and technology used for lessons, according to the report.

“It’s such a habit that I always had [my cellphone]. That’s why I feel like it’

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