Allegheny Valley students are already barred from using their cellphones during classes, but the school board plans to discuss a new policy that would ban phone use throughout the whole school day.

That means students would not be allowed to access their phones at lunch, between classes or during study halls.

The board will vote on the first reading of the policy at its meeting Tuesday. Policy changes require two readings, meaning a second and final vote would have to take place at some point down the road.

The new policy is an effort to get ahead of proposed Pennsylvania legislation that would implement a similar “bell-to-bell” plan, according to School Board President Paula Moretti.

Though the bill passed the state Senate earlier this year, it has yet to make it through the House of Representatives in Harrisburg.

Unlike some districts that have opted to take students’ phones or place them in locked bags, Allegheny Valley’s proposed ban would allow students to retain their devices, Moretti said.

It would also carve out exceptions to the ban for health, safety or emergency reasons and for students with an Individualized Education Program.

“We’re going to hope we don’t have to take their phones,” Moretti said.

Electronics wouldn’t be eliminated entirely from Allegheny Valley, however.

Kindergarteners through second graders would still be issued tablets, while third through 12th graders would retain their school-issued chromebooks, according to Moretti.

Even if the looming legal mandate of Pennsylvania’s phone ban were absent, Moretti said, she would still support less phone use during school hours.

“I see the benefit of kids having less screen time,” she said.

But school board member Amy Sarno said the policy warrants more discussion, which she expects to take place, in part, on Tuesday.

Since students are already accustomed to forgoing their phones for most of the school day, Sarno said she doesn’t think the new policy would be a massive change but that it’s “premature.”

She said she’d rather wait for the state House to pass its bell-to-bell ban to work the “exceptions and nuances” of the legislation into the board’s policy.

“Ultimately, we need to discuss it more,” Sarno said.

Coming up

Who: Allegheny Valley School Board

What: Vote on first reading of proposed policy

Where: Acmetonia Forum, next to Acmetonia Elementary

When: 7 p.m., Tuesday