Hay River (Apr 10/06) - When it comes to cell phones and other electronic devices, silence is golden at Hay River's Diamond Jenness secondary school.

It recently adopted a new electronic policy to keep classrooms clear of cell phones, MP3 players, hand-held games and all the other fun - but noisy and distracting - gadgets of the modern world.

Grade 8 student Danielle Gardiner jokingly shushes a cellphone in a Diamond Jenness school classroom. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Vice-principal Lenny Hill says the electronic devices have not been banned from the school, but are not to be used during classes.

"All electronics are to be put away or turned off," he says.

Hill says the policy was developed for several reasons, but mainly because teachers were concerned about students concentrating on their lessons.

Ringing cell phones were creating noise and disturbances in class, he says. "It was interfering with the educational process."

As for hand-held games, some students were popping into a game while walking between classes, and would enter their next class trying to finish the game.

Another concern is about expensive electronics going missing, Hill says, noting one MP3 player owned by a student disappeared last week.

Grade 8 student Danielle Gardiner, 13, is blunt in her assessment of the new policy.

"I don't like it," she says.

Danielle says that electronics might even help with studying. "Sometimes it helps people when they listen to music."

The cell phone owner says herself and others don't like having to turn them off in class. "Because some people might need cellphones."

Another Grade 8 student, 14-year-old Kelly Larocque, agrees with the new policy.

"I think it's okay because people get distracted by them," he says.

While he doesn't have a cell phone, Kelly says he would sometimes listen to an MP3 player in class.

Hill recognizes the reaction among the school's 365 students has been mixed. "There were some students that questioned it."

However, he says there have been no disciplinary problems because of the new policy.

It was introduced on March 13 on a trial and warning basis for the first several days. After that, teachers began to take electronic devices from students who violated the policy. The items were held at the school office for parents to pick up.

Hill says only two or three devices have been confiscated -- one cell phone and two MP3 players.

"The kids have been very compliant with this, which is great," he says.

They can still use electronics at lunch, during breaks and on spare time.

Diamond Jenness is not the only NWT school dealing will electronic devices invading the classroom.

At Samuel Hearne secondary school in Inuvik, there is one hard and fast rule about electronics: no headphones or ear buds.

"A lot of research shows a big part of getting an education comes from the interaction you have with your teacher or your peers," says vice-principal Lorne Guy. "Headphones limit those interactions."

The ban was put in place at the beginning of the current school year.

Guy says Blackberries and cell phones are not a problem at the school.

"But we don't allow them to be used in class," he says.

"Students can come down to the foyer and use them on their break time," he says, noting hardly any students have Blackberries or other text messaging devices to begin with.

Guy credits having a phone in every classroom as perhaps taking away the need for students to use their own phones should they need to call home or for other important reasons.