A new school year brings new or improved rules with the expectation of benefiting the school and its environment.

This school year, the statewide cell phone ban continues, but with the anticipation of being enforced in a way that might be a little stricter.

Free to Focus officially began in January, but to make this an easier transition for students, Chapman started enforcing this policy in August of last year.

One significant difference in the policy this year is that a simple warning is being replaced with a referral.

Just from last school year, there were 362 referrals. This semester started off tough with 10 referrals in the first week.

“I do not want students to be in ISS for cell phones,” Principal Matt Davis said. “But at some point, they’ve got to learn you just can’t use it.”

There are many students who have various opinions on the ban, especially considering the differences in grade levels.

Freshman Sofia Maslyanchuk came from Mabry, where cell phones were already banned.

“It really hasn’t changed much,” she said. “It kind of made it easier, but at the same time it’s annoying in a whole new place not having my phone, especially not knowing where everything is.”

From a different perspective, senior Laini Gedenberg has not experienced the ban in all of her previous semesters.

“It feels like even though I’ve gotten a grade older, I’ve been given less freedom than I have been previously, so it’s a little bit disappointing,” Gedenberg said.

It may not be the most liked rule, but students and staff still work together to follow and enforce this policy in the best way they can.

“It comes from the state,” Davis said. “There’s nothing we can do about it. We had a phone policy in place, but obviously it got a lot stricter.”