The new cell phone policy has taken full effect.

The new policy bans students from having any wireless devices out during classroom instruction, and students who violate the rule lose their phones temporarily.

“Each teacher has a plastic case that the student’s phone is put in. The phone is taken down to the office and stored in Mr. Gassaway’s office until a parent can pick it up” Mr. Craig Bruns, assistant principal, said.

The phone ban is now a state law, signed into law on March 11.

“State legislators were looking for what we can do to get test scores back up, and one of the things they realized was that eating into students’ class time was social media,” Ms. Sandy James, psychology teacher and nominee for District 58 Indiana State Representative, said.

Benefits from this new phone ban were noted just one week into the school year.

“From an administrative point of view, students appear more engaged, focused, and seem to be communicating with their teachers,” Mr. Bruns said.

Although the phone ban does not include teachers’ phones, some teachers are also following along.

“I put my phone away too, just like the kids have to. It’s nice to sit there and not go onto Facebook or check my Twitter,” Ms. James said.

Unsurprisingly, many students are not happy with this new rule as it requires around three-fourths of no phone usage during the school day.

“Give it a chance and be grateful for the opportunities in PowerHour to have your phones. Also, look at the positives of the situation rather than the negatives,” Mr. Bruns said.