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The Hollidaysburg Area School Board finetuned revisions to the secondary student/parent handbook for the 2026-27 school year during Wednesday's meeting.
After administrators from the junior and senior high schools added clarifications and new policies in a collaborative effort, board members singled out a few additions for further discussion, including, most notably, the cellphone policy and energy drink policy.
In recent meetings, the board had discussed the passage at the state level of a cellphone ban in public schools and what it would look like to implement such a ban in Hollidaysburg. Following those discussions, administrators included a "bell-to-bell" ban in the handbook for both the junior and senior highs.
Board member Michele Luther suggested adding an exemption for senior high students during the cafeteria periods so they could contact parents and search for jobs or updates on afterschool activities.
"I think we need to treat these students how they deserve to be treated at their age," Luther said, adding an 18-year-old has different needs than an 11-year-old junior high student.
"You're going to have students violating this by the dozens," she said. "The good majority of our high school students have jobs."
Senior high school Principal Breanne Venios said secondary administrators were trying to remain consistent and keep the policy the same for both buildings.
"I think we are overestimating the need kids have for phones," board member Cara Eardley said.
She said over time, students will not even miss having their phone during the school day.
In a roll call vote, Luther's proposal failed, 6-2.
Board member Missy Sullivan raised her concern with the addition of a ban on energy drinks in the senior high.
Under the addition, drinks with more than 80 mg of caffeine would be prohibited. All beverages would need to be unopened and resealable or in clear water bottles.
Venios said energy drinks were targeted after several teachers voiced issues they were having with students bringing them into the building. She said teachers have no guidelines when it comes to caffeinated beverages, so the policy attempted to create parameters.
"How do you know if they're drinking an energy drink or a seltzer water?" Eardley asked, as she noted many energy drinks are clear like water.
"I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm trying to understand why we need to police what kids are drinking," she said.
Under the general outside food and beverage policy, teachers are able to prohibit items in their classrooms during periods, so they have the option to ban energy drinks from their class if it becomes an issue, Superintendent Curtis Whitesel said.
"I would like to strike out the high school beverage policy and revert back to what the policy was last year and all the years prior," Sullivan said.
Sullivan's motion passed, 5-3, and the policy was removed from the handbook.
After the board's revisions were addressed, the handbook passed unanimously, 8-0. Board member Kenneth Snyder was absent.