The School District of the Chathams will open the 2026-2027 school year on Monday, Aug. 31 with new screen-time rules, a state-mandated cellphone ban, and an AI assistant on its website. Superintendent Emily Sortino outlined the changes in a message to families that also covered a proposed facilities referendum, new classroom technology, and a partnership to strengthen the middle school climate.
Sortino's message covered the district's first formal screen-time guidelines, developed over the summer by a committee of educators and administrators. The guidelines provide grade-level expectations for staff but do not set fixed daily time limits in their first year. The district will evaluate how the guidelines affect instruction and adjust as needed.
"The committee considered the perspectives shared through the family survey along with input from teachers regarding the effective and meaningful use of technology in instruction and developed a framework intended to support purposeful technology use while maintaining an appropriate balance with discussion, collaboration, hands on learning experiences, printed materials, and other screen free experiences," Sortino wrote.
New state cellphone law and monitoring software
New Jersey's "bell-to-bell" law, enacted under P.L.2025, c. 195, requires all public school districts to prohibit non-academic use of cell phones and personal internet-enabled devices from the first bell to final dismissal. The mandate takes full effect in the 2026-2027 school year.
The district also adopted Linewize, a new web filtering, monitoring, and reporting system installed on every district-controlled device. The classroom component, Classwize, lets teachers set limits and block or allow specific websites. Families will receive a free license for one personal device per child and can log into Qustodio, the parent component, to view their child's activity on school-issued devices.
AI assistant and curriculum platform
The district added an AI Assistant to its website that answers family questions through a chat button. The tool also helps the district identify what questions the community has and provide more information in real time. The district is also transitioning curriculum documents to the Atlas Learning Platform, which will give families access to curriculum information and pacing guides across grade levels and subject areas.
Teachers received AI training last October through AI for Education, funded by the Chatham Education Foundation. The foundation contributed more than $73,000 this year, including funding for decodable readers for kindergarten through second grade and assessment resources for early literacy. For educators looking to build similar skills, AI for Teachers Courses cover practical classroom applications. More resources on AI for Education are available for professionals tracking these developments.
Facilities referendum and building updates
Sortino plans to present a proposed referendum at the Aug. 24 Board of Education meeting, with a community vote scheduled for January 2027 pending state approval. The referendum would fund improvements to aging infrastructure, instructional spaces, safety and security systems, and athletic facilities. The district says the work goes beyond the scope of the annual operating budget and could qualify for state debt service aid.
Summer construction included completed roof projects at Washington Avenue School and Milton Avenue School, continued brickwork at Chatham Middle School, and a full replacement of the high school's intercom system.
Middle school climate initiative
Chatham Middle School will partner with Saint Elizabeth University's School Culture and Climate Initiative for a three-year effort to strengthen the school environment. The program will begin by gathering input from students, staff, and families to identify areas for growth and establish shared priorities around student connection, safety, and well-being.
Safety and communication tools
The district partnered with the Morris County Sheriff's Office on RSVP-3 Morris, an anonymous tip application for reporting potential acts of violence. Reports go directly to local law enforcement and are forwarded to school personnel if they concern a student or school. Visitor management software remains in use at each building, and adults must present a government-issued ID to enter.
The district also adopted new policies from Strauss & Esmay, replacing NJSBA policies, and will house them in a searchable database on the website once formally adopted. The 2027-2028 school calendar, selected by families through a survey, was approved at the July 13 Board of Education meeting.
Why this matters for educators
The Chathams rollout shows how districts are translating state mandates and community concerns into concrete classroom policy. The screen-time guidelines and Linewize monitoring system will change how teachers plan lessons and manage devices, while the AI assistant and Atlas platform shift how families access information. Educators in other districts can expect similar pressure to document technology use, justify screen time, and respond to state cellphone laws - and the Chathams approach of piloting guidelines before setting fixed limits offers a model for phased implementation.
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