Meet New York’s Distraction Free School Year Mascot: Frankie Focus

Distraction Free School Year for New York Students

2025 is the year of no distractions.

At the end of the 2024-2025 school year Governor Kathy Hochul announced the start of the Bell-to-Bell cell phone ban.

A press release explained that the Bell-to-Bell initiative would begin in New York State at the start of the 2025 school year the state would require "bell-to-bell restrictions on smartphones in K-12 schools."

The state gave schools until August 1st to get their smart phone restriction policies in place.

Gov. Hochul shared that the initiative was created after getting feedback from teachers, parents and students regarding distractions in the classroom.

Governor Hochul Introduces Distraction Free Mascot for 2025 School Year

As the school year kicked off, Governor Hochul was on the move visiting schools across the state.

At one point Hochul made a stop at a middle school in New York City and explained why cell phones would be banned during the school day. Hochul said "we're doing this because we want to make sure that you can keep learning and in a distraction-free environment."

Adding  "Your teachers will have a better experience teaching you and making connections with you.”

Gov. Hochul wasn't alone on her tour of New York schools. She brought a bright, studious friend along. The Governor introduced her friend by telling students :

I've got a friend here, one of my best friends who I want you to get to know. Frankie Focus, he's introduced here today for the very first time. He doesn't say a lot, he's kind of quiet … But he is very focused on learning in school, focused on the teachers, focused on making friends.”

Take a look at Frankie Focus below:

No word on when we'll see Frankie Focus in schools again.

Local NY Parents React to Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone Ban

As the 2025-2026 school year began, we asked parents how they felt about the cell phone ban.

From the sounds of it, it seems like Hudson Valley parents are split down the middle.

READ MORE: NY Parents React to New Bell-to-Bell School Cell Phone Ban

The biggest arguments range from "I grew up without a cellphone in school and I was fine" to "If there's an emergency, I want my child to be able to contact me immediately."

Schools across the state have plans in place for students to be able to contact their parents and for parents to contact students in case of an emergency.