From left, Frewsburg Central School District Board of Education President Mike LeBaron congratulates U.S. Army Veteran Gary Walker on earning his diploma. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

FREWSBURG – It’s never too late to earn a high school diploma.

Thursday, Vietnam Army Veteran Gary Walker was awarded his high school diploma during a meeting of the Frewsburg Central School Board of Education.

Walker, who earned his diploma through Operation Recognition, said he dropped out of high school and wanted to join the Navy, but he was rejected. In 1969, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years.

“In the age and what it was, I quit school,” Walker told the board.

Walker grew up in Frewsburg and now resides in Watts Flatts. He worked at Jamestown Metal, and worked at Chautauqua Institution until his retirement.

According to veterans.ny.gov, Operation Recognition is for vets who left high school without graduating are eligible to earn New York State high school diplomas. Operation Recognition, created by Section 305 of New York’s Education Law, recognizes the devotion and sacrifice of all Veterans who left school early by presenting them with a high school diploma. To be eligible, a vet must meet these requirements:

– Be a New York State resident

– Engaged in active duty service for at least one day

– Discharged under honorable conditions

Deceased vets can receive a diploma. The child or spouse of a deceased vet who met the criteria listed above may apply and accept a posthumous diploma on the vet’s behalf, the website said.

In other business, the board also approved the district’s internet enabled devices plan and the district’s code of conduct.

During a public hearing before the regular board meeting, Interim Superintendent Tiffany Frederes said the intent of the internet device plan is to support a safe and focused learning environment where students are free of distractions from bell to bell.

Frederes said it’s not just a cell phone ban.

“It’s any device that can access the internet,” Frederes said.

Beginning in September, the use of all internet-enabled personal devices is prohibited on school grounds during the entire day, Frederes said.

Here is what’s prohibited:

– Cell phones/smartphones

– Smartwatches

– Meta glasses

Other devices capable of connecting to the internet

An exception will be made for students who require an internet-enabled device to manage a documented health-related reason. It must be clearly stated in a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Accommodation Plan, along with a medical note from the student’s doctor, Frederes said. Another exception is when devices will be used for education purposes, but a teacher would have to get prior district permission, before using devices in a classroom.

The district will receive $3,717 from the New York state to help with the implementation of the policy, Frederes said.

“With that money, we (the district) are purchasing something to help us store cell phones throughout the day,” Frederes said.

Frederes added that communication will be done via the website, social media, handouts during open house, and the principals will explain expectations during class meetings; parents will be able to contact the school via phone, email, and Remind to get messages to their children; and students will be able to access phones in the offices if they need to get in contact with their parents.

For more information on the plan visit the district’s website, frewsburgcsd.org.