Students at Burlington High School will be able to use their cell phones during school.
Superintendent Jane Evans says the phones will be allowed during lunch, study hall and between classes starting October 23.
The idea to change district policy on cell phones came from the students in the high school’s leadership class, which got its start last year.
Evans says the students wanted to show how they could be responsible and how the phones can make their lives easier while in school.
She says, for example, a student will be able to call his or her parents if they forget a book or their gym clothes.
The trial basis for the cell phones will last three months.
Evans says the Burlington School Board did set several stipulations.
She says the phones need to be kept on silent/vibrate and students with failing grades cannot use them during study hall.
ENROLLMENT
The Burlington School District is serving more than 4,100 students this year, which is an increase of more than 50 students compared to last year.
Superintendent Jane Evans did not expect an increase of that size when there were only eight new residential students in 2011/2012.
She says the increase means an additional $300,000 in state aid and that Burlington will need a few more teachers.
Evans expects the certified enrollment to be closer to 4,600 students.
That figure is much higher because of students open-enrolling out of Burlington or attending another school for a specific program.
