Technology Communications

June 10, 2026

Dear Croton-Harmon Community,

As we continue to address national and local discussion around the role that technology should play in schools, we wanted to provide an update on some of our recent conversations and planned changes.  Consistent with our earlier updates, the Croton-Harmon Schools remain dedicated to the essential and timely imperative to evaluate technology and screen time within our learning environments.

This year, we have made a number of changes to how technology is used in our district, including moving towards an access-based model in grades K-4 and significantly reducing our spending on educational technology software.  Last week, as part of the continued work in this area, we convened a committee of educators from grade levels and departments at each of our schools to engage in a thoughtful, research-based conversation around best practices for technology use.

The product of those conversations was a shared list of commitments for each building.  We brought those commitments back to faculty meetings last week where the entire faculty engaged in refining and finalizing implementation plans.  We appreciate the thoughtful engagement of our educators as we navigate the complexities of this conversation and the importance of it for our students.  Below is a summary of practices that will be discontinued in our classrooms across the district.

K-12, we will no longer be:

• Beginning or concluding instructional blocks with students utilizing devices

• Utilizing online read-alouds

• Utilizing screens during snack and movement breaks

• Using video-based lessons for first-time content delivery or initial teaching

• Using technology as a reward or as an enrichment activity for students who finish work early

• Using technology as a regular component of substitute teacher lesson plans

In addition to the above, student computers/iPads will only be used when needed for specific instructional purposes in classes, in all grades.  Student device use will also continue to be limited in the following ways:

• Devices will not be sent home on a daily basis (K-5)

• Devices will not be sent home for school breaks (K-8)

• Devices will not be sent home on weekends (K-6)

• Devices will not be brought to specials (K-4)

To ensure equity and access, parents of students in grade levels where devices are not typically sent home on weekends or evenings may still request home access for academic work by contacting their building administrator to make necessary arrangements.

Please also note that the technology plan posted on our website is a state-required plan that encourages equity and access for technology and is updated every 3 years.  This plan is intended to outline the broad goals and help inform the decisions that we implement as a district, such as the ones we are sharing in this communication.

As part of our ongoing work, we look forward to continuing to look at research and best practices and gather feedback as we implement these changes.  We will continue to communicate on this work as we begin the new school year and appreciate your support.

Thank you,

Steve Walker, Dr. Laura Dubak, and Dr. Ellen Moskowitz

February 26, 2026

Dear Croton-Harmon Community,

In Croton-Harmon Schools, we value face-to-face dialogue, hands-on learning experiences, outdoor activity, reading physical texts, and collaborative problem-solving without devices. Aligned with our District Technology Vision, we are committed to ensuring that technology use is active, intentional, and adds to the student experience. Devices in our classrooms are tools for producing, creating, researching, designing, collaborating, coding, modeling, analyzing data, and communicating ideas. Students are not simply consuming content; they are using technology to deepen understanding, remove barriers to learning, and demonstrate knowledge in ways that would not otherwise be possible.

In Croton-Harmon, we recognize that not all “screen time” is the same. The term often suggests a single, uniform experience; however, research and classroom practice clearly demonstrate that the quality, purpose, and context of screen use matter far more than the number of minutes spent on a device.

As our society continues to grapple with the impacts of how ubiquitous screen time and technology use have become in our lives, in our schools, we see an opportunity to lead on this topic and have already engaged in some noteworthy actions in order to provide for healthy balance for our students in terms of their technology use, both in and outside of our schools:

• Reducing investment in educational technology purchases across our District by nearly 33%
• Ending the regular practice of sending devices home with students in Grades K - 5
• Leading faculty conversations about student screen time and supporting technology use when used for the purpose of enhancing learning

Our goal is to be intentional with the time students spend on screens by improving the quality, intentionality, and impact of this time.  While we are proud of the work that we are doing toward this goal, we recognize that this is a gradual, important process, and we look forward to continuing our growth.  Together, we aim to prepare Croton-Harmon students to be adaptable, ethical communicators and learners who actively shape their world, using technology with purpose, confidence, discernment, and responsibility.

For further information on the use of technology for the purpose of enhancing learning in our schools, please see our newest Superintendent’s Video Update.

With Tiger Pride,

Steve Walker,