There’s one way to get rid of an addiction: Go cold turkey.

Come fall, that’s what the students of Old Rochester Regional High School will have to do with their cell phones or face punishment.

On Thursday night, the ORR School Committee approved several changes to the student handbook, including one that prohibits the use of cell phones except during locker visits between classes.

“We’re seeking to essentially rein in cell phone use,” said Principal Mike Devoll. “It’s the single greatest distracter and single greatest impediment in the classroom.”

Devoll admitted that he had championed the idea of more cell phones in school eight years ago when he was the assistant principal, thinking it would improve communication.

In 2013, Devoll asked the School Committee to allow them in classrooms. With cell phone use already ubiquitous, he proposed an if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em policy.

Usage for cell phones was allowed in the cafeteria and in classes under “teacher discretion,” but Devoll said that was too gray. Students having the phones on their desks, in study halls and walking through the halls with their heads down have become too commonplace, he said.

“They’re not focused on the school day or the task at hand,” Devoll said. “Our students, I believe are really unhealthy victims of this device in their classroom. It’s basically shut down a lot of learning.”

Devoll said the school was one of the first in the area to allow such open use of cell phones in the building, but ORR isn’t the only one seeing the negative effects.

And while some parents may push back saying the restriction on phones could decrease students’ safety, Devoll said during a gun threat in April, the school’s potential security was compromised due to the pervasive use of mobile devices. Instead of keeping the school in a “stay in place” state ­– where the hallways are kept clear but education continues – the faculty issued a lockdown – lights off, instruction stopped and everyone in one corner of the room.

Devoll said that students were taking photos and discussing the situation on their phones, which could have been dangerous if the threat was real.

Despite these reasons, Devoll acknowledged, “I can’t imagine this being a popular thing among our student body.”

He said the School Council, composed of students, parents and faculty, did unanimously back the decision.

Those found in violation of the new rule will have to turn over their devices to the assistant principal for the rest of the day and go to detention. A second offense will add a parent notification onto the punishment, and with a third offense a student will lose the privilege of having a phone in the school for the rest of the year.

School Committee member Paul Goulet was concerned that the administration could see a constant stream of violators, while James Muse said if the phones aren’t on silent the hallways are going to sound like the “Boston Symphony Orchestra.” Devoll said the rule would be an adjustment for the school.

“I believe we’ll see an increase in students needing to use the rest room,” he joked.

Tessa Cambia, a junior on the Student Council, said the reaction from students was not positive.

"People were very angry," she said.

Cambia agreed that some students may misuse their phones at school, but said they are often used for educational purposes in her honors classes.

Rather than changing the policy, she said teachers should make it more clear what the rules are for their classrooms.

"I know there are classes where I won’t touch my phone. In other classes, we’ll be looking up things because it helps benefit the actual learning experience," said Cambia.

Since her calculator broke, Cambia said she has used her phone's calculator app instead, and she often checks assignments her teachers post on Google Classroom.

The adjustment to no phones next year will be tough for the class of 2017. Since the students' freshmen year they've been allowed to use phones, and Cambia said it's going to be a hard habit to break...one that may accompany quite a few stays in detention.

Ultimately, Devoll believes students would rather have their phone in their lockers than not at all.

He also said tri-town schools should look at the use of devices from kindergarteners through seniors.

“There’s emerging data and research around true addiction for kids,” said Devoll. “This is a problem across the board.”

The pass/fail fail
Another change to the handbook will allow students taking an online class to receive a numerical grade. Until now, students only received a pass or fail. Devoll said the administration was made aware that a “pass” appears as a 65, the minimum passing score, to colleges.

Devoll said that could hurt students’ college opportunities. The courses still won’t factor into students’ grade point average or class ranking.

Those students taking an online class to make up for one they failed will still receive a pass or fail grade.

Junior high dress code

For the junior high, the School Committee approved a change that will do away with the dress code in lieu of a policy that asks students to take responsibility for their appearance.

ORR Junior High Assistant Principal Silas Coellner said the school doesn’t have many dress code violations, and it’s difficult to set hard and fast rules. The staff will still have the right to address any outfits deemed inappropriate, which will be done with discretion, said Principal Kevin Brogioli.

An earlier version of this story said the Student Council not the School Council approved the policy.