East Bridgewater High School to Pilot Strict Cell Phone Policy
Soil Work Begins for Central School Project
EAST BRIDGEWATER - February 17, 2026 - The East Bridgewater School Committee on Tuesday approved a new 2026-2027 school calendar and heard detailed updates on a pilot cell phone policy for high schoolers, the initial site preparation for the Central School building project, and the district’s ongoing recovery from a recent cyber security incident. Superintendent Dr. Gina Williams also presented a plan for her mid-cycle evaluation and the launch of a new strategic planning committee.
The Full Story
The meeting opened with a look at the “Superintendent’s Corner,” where Dr. Gina Williams outlined the timeline for her professional evaluation [01:46]. The process is set to conclude by the May 5th meeting, ensuring the current committee can finalize her assessment before the upcoming election. In tandem with her evaluation, Dr. Williams announced the formation of a Strategic Planning Committee, which will begin meeting on March 2nd to develop a new mission, vision, and multi-year plan for the district [03:50].
Cyber Security Recovery and “Old School” Lessons
A significant portion of the early discussion focused on the district’s response to a recent cyber security incident [07:20]. Dr. Williams praised Town Technology Director Ryan McGonigle and the district’s tech team—including Andrew LaMacchia, Bryan Barlatier, and Josh Cavanaugh—for their “endless days, nights, and weekends” spent restoring systems. While the district is now roughly 95% recovered, Dr. Williams noted an unexpected silver lining during the outage.
Teachers and students reported a “refreshing” return to “old school” teaching methods [08:44]. Dr. Williams shared an anecdote from a kindergarten classroom where a student, amazed that a teacher was leading a lesson without a screen, asked, “How do you know all of this?” [09:19]. The district will hold a virtual executive session with cyber security attorneys on Thursday to discuss the legal and technical specifics of the breach [07:20].
“A lot of the comments I heard was it was a little refreshing... kids were saying, ‘We’re actually talking to each other.’ Nurses were seeing low numbers of students reporting headaches. It gives us a little bit of pause to think about how much we are using technology.” [08:44] — Dr. Gina Williams, Superintendent
Central School Site Work Commences
The physical landscape of the district is about to change as Gilbane, the project’s construction manager, officially took over the Central School property this week [10:27]. Residents will soon see “barrier fencing” and the delivery of approximately 30,000 yards of soil—estimated at 1,500 truckloads—over the coming weeks [11:15].
The soil will sit on-site for roughly 10 months to settle before groundbreaking begins next year. To minimize disruption, truck deliveries will follow a strict route on Route 18 and will not occur during school arrival or dismissal times [12:01].
High School Cell Phone Pilot
Starting Monday, February 23rd, East Bridgewater Junior-Senior High School will pilot a “bell-to-bell” cell phone policy for grades 9 through 12 [14:22]. Under the new rules, students must place their phones in designated holders in every classroom during instructional time [16:10].
The policy allows for exceptions for medical needs or specific academic programming, and students may still use their phones during passing periods and lunch [15:55]. Dr. Williams noted that while there were some “groans” during student assemblies, the pilot is intended to iron out logistics—such as “what if there’s a lockdown”—before the policy is formally added to the handbook [15:27].
Financial Status and Academic Progress
Director of Business Administration John Shea presented the year-to-date financial report, projecting a positive year-end balance of approximately $165,000, bolstered by revolving funds and circuit breaker reimbursements [26:32]. Shea also highlighted a “lottery” shift for vocational schools, noting that 50 students from East Bridgewater have applied to Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School this year [37:46].
Assistant Superintendent Jennifer McPartland provided a mid-year data review using i-Ready assessments [52:08]. The data showed exceptional progress in early literacy, with 90% of kindergarten students currently performing above grade level in reading following the implementation of the “UFLI” phonics program [56:09]. However, officials noted a persistent challenge in motivating 7th and 8th graders, a trend seen nationwide [57:05].
Why It Matters
For residents, the start of the Central School project represents the tangible beginning of a multi-million dollar investment in town infrastructure. For parents, the new cell phone pilot signals a shift toward minimizing digital distractions in the classroom. Additionally, the approval of an early start for the 2026-2027 school year (August 31 for students) is a strategic move to ensure the school year ends by mid-June, providing a buffer against late-season snow days [01:03:10].
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the 2026-2027 East Bridgewater Public Schools calendar.
Vote: Unanimous [01:06:58]
Motion: To approve the School Committee goals for FY27, FY28, and FY29.
Vote: Unanimous [01:05:41]
Motion: To wave the first reading and approve the new policy (IKACC) regarding audio/video recording of private meetings in school facilities.
Vote: Unanimous [01:07:32]
Motion: To approve payroll warrants 29PS and 31PS.
Outcome: Passed [01:04:37]
Public Comment
No members of the public addressed the committee during this session.
What’s Next
February 19, 2026: Virtual Executive Session regarding cyber security at 11:00 AM [07:20].
February 23, 2026: Launch of the high school cell phone pilot program [16:57].
March 2, 2026: First meeting of the Strategic Planning Committee [04:23].
March 17, 2026: Public presentation of the FY27 budget [13:42].
Source Video: EBCAM - East Bridgewater School Committee Meeting 2-17-26