But they have to be put away all day, unless the student gets permission to use it for instructional purposes, according to the district's cellphones and personal devices regulation.
Mayo sent the note to his school's community on Wednesday to connect with everyone about the regulation, a follow up to what the district sent out to families last week.
And while "some families and students are very pleased with this new regulation," he wrote "some are upset."
Some were more than upset. As of Thursday at 1 p.m., 948 people had signed a petition urging the high school to reverse the regulation.
Student cellphone use is a hot topic of conversation across the state and on Wednesday, the state Board of Education adopted policy guidance urging Connecticut school districts to develop policies to restrict student phone use during the school day.
Along with reminding students and parents about the regulation, in his note Mayo said the school is going to internally focus on the regulation.
"Between the months of September and December, a high school committee will be formed, composed of student government members, staff and select family members, to have more meaningful conversations and make proper adjustments if needed," Mayo wrote. He made no comment marking any connection between the new committee and the petition.
He reminded students and their parents that GHS will not implement consequences for students who violate the regulation until January, "while we focus on redirection and education in the first semester.
"I have heard from so many students voicing their opinions and sharing their idea," Mayo wrote. "Maybe we will go in a different direction for times like lunch."
In his note, Mayo briefly addressed the cellphone and personal devices regulation at the elementary and middle school levels, where phones must be off and put away in a locker or backpack.
Mayo wrote that high schoolers use technology in different ways than the younger students, but "as I am sure you all could agree, we all need to have less screen time and more personal interactions."
"Now is the time to learn self-regulation and self-control," he wrote. "We are respectful to the needs of our students and believe these guidelines can help."
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