Fayette students who bring

cell phones and pagers with them when they return to class Monday should

still keep them "out of sight and out of mind" while the local

policy on the use of the contraptions awaits formal adoption in two weeks.

The Fayette County Board of

Education was presented with the proposed change to the student code of

conduct policy on "Possession of Electronic Communication Devices"

at a called meeting Tuesday night. According to procedure, the revision

will sit "on the table" for advisement until the board votes

on it officially at the Aug. 18 meeting.

The change in policy is an

attempt to comply with state law. The state legislature lifted the ban

on cell phones last winter, citing the popularity of the devices among

parents who use them to stay in touch twith their kids. A number of local

school districts have since changed their own rules about cell phone use.

School Board Chairman Terri

Smith advised students and parents to check with their individual schools

for updated information, acknowledging that for many students, nothing

will be different.

"If anything, I would let the students know that they should assume

nothing has changed until they learn something different at their individual

schools," she cautioned.

"We all know kids have

been carrying these things to school all along, they've just been keeping

them hidden away," she said. "Nothing's really changed."

The policy still prohibits

students from actually using cell phones while school is in session said

Superintendent John DeCotis. That includes while riding on school buses.

"Our policy will allow

students to have cell phones and beepers, as long as they are not used

during the school day," DeCotis said.

In addition, students will not be allowed to display the devices in any

way, such as clipped to a belt.

Students can carry the devices,

DeCotis said, but the phones or beepers must be out of sight and turned

off. Phones cannot be used at any time during the school day at all.

Once the final bell rings and

students leave class, they can then power up and chat away, so long as

they aren't riding the bus, the revised policy is expected to say.

"The rules on using them

on the bus still apply," said DeCotis. The policy emphasizes forbidding

use that "might interfere with the school bus communications equipment

or the school bus driver's operation of the school bus."

"The phones become a distraction

if the kids display them, hang them on their belts, play with them in

class," said DeCotis. "So we're hoping they comply and put them

away and it doesn't become a problem."

The change comes just in time for the start of the 2003-2004 school year

on Monday, when nearly 21,000 Fayette students return to class.

Previously, state law banned the possession of cell phones and pagers

including riding a school bus. The contraptions were once associated with

drug or gang activity, but have since become popular with parents who

use them to stay in contact with their children 24/7.

The state legislature changed

the law last winter. Fayette is just the latest school district to amend

its own policy to comply with the lifting of the ban.

The cell phone policy change

is just one of the last-minute details being worked out as the hours tick

down to Monday morning.

Of particular concern is Crabapple Lane Elementary in Peachtree City,

which is set to welcome 500 students in grades K-5 on Monday, even though

it hasn't received final occupancy permits yet.

School administrators and teachers

were hoping to begin moving in Wednesday after waiting out last weekend

without word.

"It will be ready," DeCotis assured.

Parking lot paving projects

were still to be completed this week at McIntosh High, and Huddleston,

Oak Grove and East Fayette elementary schools.

Both East Fayette and Fayetteville

elementary schools have kitchen expansions that won't be finished for

another few weeks. Students at both schools will have lunches prepared

at LaFayette Educational Center and driven over daily, for about a month,

DeCotis said.

And pending approval at last

night's board meeting, both McIntosh and Sandy Creek high school students

will see construction start on their campuses soon after classes start.

The board was expected to award construction contracts for expanding facilities

at both campuses.

Otherwise, DeCotis said a good deal of cosmetic work has gone on this

summer at all the schools.

"I hope students and parents

are pleased with all that's gone on," he said. "We've done a

lot of painting, paving, re-tiling. I hope people are encouraged by the

new look."

For updated details on action

from Tuesday night's school board meeting, go to www.TheCitizenNews.com.

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