Mars High School senior Joe Donofrio reads from his iPad in class as part of a new bring your own technology policy in the district. The policy took effect Feb. 25 and allows the use of such devices for educational purposes.

ADAMS TWP — Thanks to a new Mars School District policy, students who bring their iPhone or Android devices to school can carry them right into class instead of leaving them at home or depositing them at the office.

The district's bring your own technology policy, which took effect Feb. 25, encourages students to bring their personal computing devices into the classroom for educational purposes. Smartphones, electronic tablets like iPads, laptop computers, and digital reading devices such as Nook and Kindle readers are all permitted.

Matt Friedman, assistant superintendent and director of curriculum, said that the devices are used for educational purposes only, and that the district has installed its own secure network that students use to access the Internet.

“Our secure network should put parents' and teachers' minds at ease,” Friedman said. “We are controlling and filtering what students and teachers are able to see during the school day.”

Friedman said examples of the ways students can use their mobile devices, with teacher permission, include online research or reading a book during down time.

“Obviously, we're not going to let them sit there and play video games and things of that nature,” Friedman said. Usage is most prevalent in the high school, middle school and, to some degree, the Centennial School, which has fifth- and sixth-graders, he said.

Middle school Principal Rich Cornell said the seventh- and eighth-grade students in his building use their digital reading devices in the Accelerated Reader program, in which students read a book every nine weeks and then take a quiz on it.

He said they also use their smartphones, laptops and tablets for educational research in a classroom under teacher supervision.

Students who do not own electronic devices are provided access to the school's computer lab.

Friedman said district policy regarding student-owned electronic devices was revised to provide updated guidelines for bringing technology to school, and to include the previously prohibited smartphones.

High school Principal Todd Kolson said he is seeing about the same number of students bringing smartphones to school as he did when the office collected them before the start of the school day.

“I think the kids are extremely excited (about bringing their smartphones to school),” Kolson said with a chuckle.

He said the policy is more in line with the educational times, but must remain structured to avoid becoming a distraction.

“There are a lot of nuisance items on those devices,” Kolson said. “Our staff will be very diligent in ensuring they are only used for educational purposes, and the kids have shown that they are willing to fall in line with that.”

Friedman said many schools are moving toward embracing electronics instead of prohibiting them.

“This is starting to become very commonplace,” Friedman said. “It's just a different approach to learning, and how kids today learn. They jump on the computer.”

He said while Mars' program is voluntary, most schools have instituted the program in the interest of moving toward a school building without a computer lab, in which each student has his or her own Internet-accessible device, whether bought by the district or through an agreement with parents.

“That way you can really integrate (technology) into the daily classroom,” Friedman said. “At Mars, we have had no formal talks about it, but I would love to get to that point.”