There will be a new student cell phone policy next school year at the Hillsboro City Schools, superintendent Tim Davis said at Monday’s board of education meeting.

During his report to the board Davis said the school district is looking at options for cell phone use by students in grades 6-12 because it “is a huge problem.”

One of those options is having students keep their phones in a Youndr pouch during the school day. Davis said students would have to place their phones in one of the pouches when they arrive at school each day. The pouch would be locked and phones would not be accessible until they are unlocked by a magnetic device at the end of the school day. Students would be able to keep the pouch with them during the school day, but would not be able to access their phones.

“We still need to work things out like the procedure, but (student phones) will either be off, in a pouch, or something else,” Davis said. “… I walk the buildings and as soon as kids come out of classes, they’re on their cell phones. Multiple other districts around the state (are using the pouches) and they are raving about it.”

The superintendent said cell phones are a disciplinary problem, cause student distraction, and that a new policy would be in line with comments Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine made during his recent State of the State Address requiring all school districts in the state to establish some type of cell phone policy.

In a separate matter during his report, Davis said the district has a new, free option on its website called Varsity Tutors, where students can find self-study help and other resources.

He also talked about the annual Hillsboro prom being held Saturday, April 27. He said doors to the school will open around 4:30 p.m. and the grand march will start around 5:20 p.m. If the weather is good for the grand march students will exit the front of the high school, walk around the sidewalks and parking lots, then conclude by entering the middle school. If the weather is bad the grand march will be held inside.

After the grand march, those attending the prom will board school buses and head to the Roberts Center near Wilmington where the prom will be held. Students will then be bused back to the school and have the option of attending the After Prom Party at Hillsboro Elementary.

Davis said state testing starts next week for elementary students. “We want to encourage them to do their best and to show them what we know,” he said.

During her report, board member Beverly Rhoads said Laurel Oaks is planning to start a Junior ROTC program next fall.

In other news, the board approved the same open enrollment policy it has employed in recent years. Open enrollment at Hillsboro is open to all Ohio school districts. Application deadlines are April 1 through Aug. 1. Previous open enrollment students and their siblings will get first preference. Enrollment limitations will depend on space at each grade level. Approval of special education students will depend on teacher limits and space.

The board approved a list of 172 seniors for graduation that will be held May 26.

The board approved the resignations effective at the end of the current school year from Jacob Zink, an elementary principal, and teachers Jordan Walker and Macy Anderson.

The board approved several contracts and positions including Darci Miles on a three-year contract as the new fourth and fifth grade principal and Diane Michael on a three-year contract as the central office administrator.

Supplemental contracts, pending satisfactory background checks, were awarded to Jim Horne, middle school football; Nate Horne, varsity football coach and spring weight room supervisor; Josh Howland, varsity boys basketball coach; Robert “Leon” Smith, assistant high football coach; and Heather Storer, varsity girls basketball coach.

The following donations were accepted by the board: an anonymous $50 toward robotics, an anonymous $50 for cafeteria student charges, $200 from Bickle Insurance for robotics, $150 from Burwinkel Family Dentistry for robotics and $100 from Hillsboro Family Vision for robotics.

A trip for 40 to 50 students with six chaperones was approved for the high school football team from July 28-31 to Montrose, Michigan. Davis said this will be the second year for the trip and that last summer “it was a very successful trip.”

Treasurer Ben Teeters presented a financial report. He said the district’s general fund cash balance at the end of March was $8,504,645 compared to $6,197,926 a year ago. Revenue for March was $1,886,374 compared to $2,163,747 last year and expenses were $2,487,701 compared to $2,378,512 a year ago. He said revenue fluctuates in the first half of the year depending on when the district receives real estate tax payments.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.