Cellphones in hand, Hinsdale Central students click away at text messages in the high school cafeteria. In the hallways between classes, they phone home to check in with parents.

This year Hinsdale High school opted to let students use phones between classes, during lunch periods and — when teachers give permission — in the classroom.

"It's pretty much the same amount of phone use around here. Last year we would just hide it from teachers."

Assistant Principal's Take

"Assistant Principal Bill Walsh said administrators at the school began noticing most violations of cellphone use were coming from study hall, the cafeteria and school hallways — not during instructional time. For this reason, they decided to take another look and re-evaluate the policy, which in the past prohibited cellphones and similar devices during school hours.

"This year we've chosen to be less restrictive in noninstructional areas," Walsh said. "It's about defining what's appropriate use for an educational environment during a time of expanding technology."

The policy covers computers, laptops and iPods, as well as cellphones.

"We're encouraging opportunities for students to engage in technology to further the learning process," Walsh said. "There are ways for the students to create educational opportunities using electronics during the school day."

"But Walsh said he hasn't seen a drastic change in the hallways of Hinsdale Central. He's noticed just a few extra texters and some students using headphones between classes."

"Bandwidth "is something we're looking into going down this avenue," Walsh said. "Questions like, 'When we max connectivity, what are we going to do?'"

Cellphone Policies Vary

"There are variations to cellphone policies throughout the Chicago area. After nearly 13 years of banning cellphones, Maine Township High School District 207, which serves Des Plaines, Park Ridge and parts of several nearby towns, loosened its rules in August after school officials called their "off and away" policy outdated and pointed out most students don't follow it anyway.

Students can now use the phones in limited case such as emergencies, individualized educational programs and for instructional purposes during class.

But Glenbard District 87 high schools in Glen Ellyn, Lombard and Carol Stream still ban phone use during the school day.

"In order to maintain a positive educational environment, we limit the use of cellphones to before and after school hours only. During the school day, students must store their cellphones in their lockers," spokeswoman Peg Mannion said.

Cellphone applications are used in some classes, and personal phone use is allowed in designated areas in District 211 high schools, which serve Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Palatine, Schaumburg and parts of seven other towns."

Teachers' Take on Cellphones

Teachers give the new policy mixed reviews.

That might be explained by one student's observation that some teachers still rule with an iron fist when it comes to cellphones.

"Some teachers will still take away your cellphone if they see it out in class," said Nicole Stankus, a sophomore at Hinsdale Central. "I don't see them as a distraction. They aren't being used 24/7. I use mine during the school day mostly to check grades."

"The new policy allows the students more freedom. We want them to feel comfortable here," special education teacher Brent Kujawa said. "As long as it's not interfering with class time, I don't see it as a problem."

Family and consumer science teacher Marge McMahon sees drawbacks. The more students use cellphones to communicate, the less they're working on necessary life skills, she said.

"They don't know how to talk to each other — make eye contact, listen for inflections, think of a reply quickly on their feet," McMahon said. "That's a decline in communication skills they'll all need to survive in the professional world."

McMahon said she hasn't felt cellphones infringing on class time, but she has noticed the school's bandwidth has slowed tremendously.