Students returned back to Hayes for their first day of school this week with an opening presentation from the administrators. During the presentation, two main changes were brought to the students’ attention: the state-wide cell phone policy they are enacting this year and a new academic period during Friday mornings.

Cell Phone Policy
Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted, along with the Department of Education and Workforce, have passed legislation to require all schools to adopt a “no phones” policy for students during the school day. With this new policy, the team has created a statewide model policy for schools across Ohio to use and enforce.
“Our school children will be free to flourish and will see improved academic engagement and social interaction,”

DeWine said during his announcement of the policy in May 2024.
A version of the new policy is being put into action at Hayes along with all Ohio schools, and Hayes administrators spoke to students on the first day of school over changes regarding the policy. With the new policy students will quickly be discouraged from grabbing their phone in class because of the discipline plans mentioned at the morning presentation on August 14.
“I mean it’s good, because most classes you go to, everyone’s on their phone, no one’s paying attention,” senior Ty Steck said.
Schools in Ohio have until July 1, 2025 to start applying this policy into their own district for their students. However, Dempsey Middle School has been instating a school wide policy similar to this for a few years, having students put away their cell phones during the class periods.
“It’s been in our board policy since 2010. We just never acted on it [at Hayes],” Assistant Principal Jean Trimble said.
With this policy, students are not able to access their phones during class periods, including study halls. Students are able to use their phones during their lunch period and in their transitions from class to class. Trimble prefers cell phone usage to stop at the door; however, she is leaving the decision up to the teachers on whether or not they are allowing cell phones until the bell, or if they are expecting students to put their phones away as soon as they walk through the door.

Academic Options
Among the changes this year, administrators discussed a new period being offered during the school day on Fridays: Academic Options. During this hour-long period, students are able to retake tests and quizzes for their classes, as well as receive assistance and tutoring from teachers on their respective subjects.
“We’d heard from the community that students just weren’t having a lot of time to study and do homework at home,” Trimble said.
With the addition of this period, juniors and seniors are given the opportunity to opt out of Academic Options. Opting out gives students the chance to arrive at school an hour later than other weekly school days. With this new addition, upperclassmen have the chance to opt out of three periods during the day; lunch, House, and now Academic Options.

“It’s also another opportunity for juniors and seniors to have a fresher mind, especially coming in later for school,” Steck said.
So far in the school year, over 170 students have been approved to opt out of Academic Options. Students who want to opt out must meet three requirements to receive approval: a GPA of a 2.0 or higher from last school year, not currently enrolled in an Apex learning class, along with being a junior or senior this school year.
For the second quarter, these students will be looked through again to make sure they still meet the requirements of having a C- or above in all of their classes to still be eligible to opt out.
With these opportunities, upperclassmen are able to create their own flexible schedule for their school day and spend more time with their friends or working. Regardless of whether or not they opt out, students are able to continue to be involved with their school in after school activities and sports alike. Spreading out into different groups of students and learning more about ways that they can be spending their time in high school.
“[Students] get out of high school what [they] put into it, and if [they] don’t put anything into it, then it’s gonna be a long four years,” Trimble said.