When Plum students return to the classroom this fall their cell phones better be turned off and out of sight of teachers and administrators.

Plum Borough School Board has approved a policy prohibiting the use of cell phones and a number of other electronic devices during the school day.

"It is a problem," acting superintendent Lillian Naccarati said. "The administration is attempting to do what it can to control the problem."

Board member Kevin Dowdell said students are getting so good at sending text messages they could be doing it during tests, and no one would realize it.

Starting this fall, if a student is caught using a cell phone during school hours the phone will be confiscated and the student will be punished.

"The board prohibits use of personal communication devices -- and cellular telephones that have the capability to take photographs or record audio or video -- by students during the school day, in district buildings, on district property and while students are attending school-sponsored activities," states the new policy.

Exceptions to the policy can be made in the interest of health, safety or emergency reasons with prior approval of building principals.

Confiscated phones will not be returned until a conference has been held with a parent or guardian and at the discretion of a building principal.

At the high school, in addition to phone confiscation, students will receive a lunch detention for the first offense, an administrative detention for the second and an in-school suspension for the third offence.

The new student/parent handbooks for the 2008-09 school year will outline the policy as it applies to each school level.

At the elementary level, the handbook states, "If any of these items are used in school they will be confiscated and returned to the student and/or parent at the end of the day.Repeated infractions will result in progressive discipline."

At the high school, content stored on cell phones can lead to serious level offenses.

Students in possession of cell phones on school grounds "containing inappropriate or pornographic pictures/video clips, inappropriate or harassing text messages, and information stored for the purposes of cheating academically," will face more serious disciplinary action.

"We made the new policy for the elementary, junior high and senior high vary just slightly," said Loretta White, board policy chairwoman. "We pretty much have it covered."

Dowdell said the policy is covered, but the difficulty will be in the enforcement.

"If they're going to do it, they're going to do it. Technology is just going to make cheating easier," board member Jeff Russo said.

Cell phones, pagers or beepers will be permitted for students who need such a device due to the medical condition of an immediate family member. Other reasons, deemed appropriate by the building principal could permit their use.

The new policy also covers other types of electronic devices such as laser pointers and any device that provides for wireless, unfiltered connection to the Internet.

At the high school level, "radios, tape players, gaming and recording devices, MP3 players, iPods, digital cameras, and CD players are not to be visible or used during school hours unless permission is granted by an administrator or teacher who requires such for a specific learning activity," according to the handbook.

Such items will be confiscated, and a first offense will earn a student a lunch detention, a second will receive administrative detention and the third offense will bring an in-school suspension.

The elementary handbook highlights the prohibition of iPods, Game Boys and CD players, but the policy isn't limited to those items. Such devices will be confiscated and repeated infractions will result in progressive discipline, according to the handbook.

Laptop computers and personal digital assistants brought to school will be restricted to in-classroom use and instructional-related activities.

White said she hopes that if parents understand the punishments and consequences it will cut down on the cell phone related issues in the district.