District raises penalties for cell-phone use

By Mary R. Smith

Text messaging could be used to cheat on exams, an administrator said.

McDONALD — The McDonald school board Monday approved stiffer penalties for pupils who violate school cell-phone rules.

The new policy will increase punishment for possession of an activated cell phone or use of it in school. Cell phones are supposed to be turned off and stored in pupil lockers.

The old penalties were: First-time offenders, cell phone confiscated, two-day detention; second-time offenders, cell phone confiscated, four days detention; and third-time offenders, cell phone confiscated, one-day suspension and parents must pick up the cell phone.

New penalties are: Cell phone confiscated, student receives two detentions for first offense. Subsequent offenses will result in one to five days suspension. Whether a cell phone will be returned to the pupil or the parent/guardian is dependent upon circumstances present at the time of the violation.

Schools superintendent Michael Wasser said he has no problem with pupils bringing cell phones to school or using them to call parents after school or after a game, but not for use in the classroom. He noted there is no need for a pupil to bring a cell phone into a classroom, explaining that if an emergency arises, there are land-line telephones available for parents to contact pupils, or vice versa.

He added that text messaging could be used to cheat on exams.

In other business, the board:

UBid farewell to high school principal John LaRocca, who will retire in June after nine years as principal.

U Hired current high school computer teacher Pamela Ross as technology coordinator for the 2008-09 school year, replacing retiring guidance counselor and coordinator, William Walker, who has done the job for 10 years. She will be paid an additional $3,000 annually. She will be responsible for making sure the district’s extensive computer network is up and running daily;

U Accepted a $1,000 donation from the Kunkel family for the William T. Kunkle, Sr. Scholarship Fund. The family has made the donation annually for 13 years.