CORINTH, N.Y. -- With modern technology’s impact on our daily lives only expected to grow, one local school has a new cell phone policy for its students.

Starting this academic year, Corinth High School students who are failing two or more classes will be moved into a separate study hall where cell phone use is not allowed.

The high school’s principal, Brian Testani, estimates about 95 percent of high school students bring a cell phone to class each day. He says the policy is designed to allow struggling students more time to focus on their academics and hopefully get their grades back up.

If their grades improve, they will be allowed to return to normal study hall at the start of the following marking period.

“Cell phones are a great tool but they can be a distraction so we are trying to raise our student achievement and trying to help students focus on their academics while in school,” Testani said Monday.

The new policy takes effect in a few weeks after the first mid-term period, at which time students will have received their first grades of the young school year.