Students Welcomed Back To OC, Told New Cell Phone Rules

There were lots of smiles - and a few new rules - Tuesday morning as Clearwater-Orchard students started the new school year. 

High school principal Mike Sanne told students 7-12 about changes in policy, including the new rules regarding cell phone use in class. Both Sanne and Superintendent Dale Martin bluntly told students that cell phones are not a requirement for education. They have plenty of other technology in the school that is for education.

"If we don't start doing a better job with cell phones in school, there will not be cell phones in school," Sanne said. 

He added, "We've always been supportive of cell phones in our schools, but what we found out after a couple years were cell phones for educational purposes is pretty minimal. There is some thought in board process of getting rid of phones all together."

Martin agreed, "We have been very supportive of technology in our district. We have good technology - Chromebooks, iPads in elementary. The board has been very supportive of that. But there is a movement now to go the other direction. You're the ones who will have to make this happen to where we have technology and are able to use it the right way."

Sanne told students they will put their cell phones in a basket on their teacher's desk when entering classrooms, but they can have their phones before and after school, as well as at lunch. If their phones are visible at other times, the phones will be confiscated. 

"When you walk into a classroom, you will basically take your phone and put it in a basket," Sanne said. "The reason for this is most you follow the rules pretty good, but a lot of us do not. In class, we shouldn't be taking pictures or doing things that are not appropriate."

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