Massachusetts lawmakers are reviewing a bill that would ban cellphone use in schools across the state. Several towns have already come up with their own ways to limit phone use in school.

Two of them are in Ipswich and Newburyport, where both have taken different approaches with similar results.

Ipswich High School cellphone ban

At Ipswich High School, students shut off their phones at the start of their day and place them in a caddy, where they stay locked away until dismissal.

"It's a true bell-to-bell policy. Not even at lunch, not at passing time, not at all," said Ipswich High School Principal Jonathan Mitchell.

The school put this policy in place one year ago to cut down on distractions in classrooms.

"Notifications, honestly, was a pretty big one. Because people's phone ringer would be on and that would distract some teachers," said Joseph Wertz, a junior at Ipswich High School.

Mitchell said putting the phones out of sight is making a big difference.

"The teachers said they got through their curriculum much more quickly," he said.

The principal also sees changes in the cafeteria.

"I see a lot more smiling faces. Just more social interactions," said Mitchell. He noted that most of the students don't seem to mind handing their phones over.

"It keeps me on task, focused. I've had astonishing grades because of that, I would say. So, I was really happy about that," said Isaiah Louima, a sophomore at Ipswich High.

This kind of policy could soon be implemented at all schools in Massachusetts. This summer, the Massachusetts Senate approved legislation for a state-wide cell phone ban in schools. The House hasn't scheduled a floor vote on the ban yet.

"I think it makes sense. It's been a success here and then we wouldn't be an outlier. If there's some pushback about the policy, we say, 'Hey, look it's a state law, we have to enforce it,' so it makes it easier for schools if that law does pass," Mitchell said.

Right now, schools across Massachusetts can choose whether they want any rules around cell phones or not.

Newburyport High School cellphone ban

A brand new policy is taking effect this school year at Newburyport High School. Students are not allowed to use their cell phones in classrooms or hallways, but they can turn them back on in the cafeteria.

"We basically had to find a happy medium," said Lucy Rimer, a senior at Newburyport High. She was part of a group of students that helped craft the new rules. They spent months working with their peers, teachers, parents and community members to come up with a plan.

"A lot of parents and students during the dialogue were like it's a safety factor having their phone on them. 'What happens if something happens to my child? Are they going to be able to call me?' So, we put all these into play- we're not going to completely ban it," said Caroline Jones, a junior at Newburyport High.

So, students turn their phones off when school starts, but they can keep them in their bags.

"Our underclassmen they are learning how to be independent, how to take responsibility for their own actions," said Rimer.

"Simply taking something away, banning it, restricting it, prohibiting it, doesn't really give our students the opportunity to practice, which I think is going to be important when they become adults and their phones are part of their lives," said Eric Schildge, a teacher and Trained Dialogue Coach at Ipswich High.

If the bill does become law, Newburyport High School may have to change its compromise policy to a full bell-to-bell ban.

"They should leave it up to each community to be able to choose what needs they have. I also understand that a bell-to-bell makes more sense. It's more unified and consistent ban, so I respect it, but I don't agree with it," said David Pearce, a junior at Newburyport High School.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education doesn't have data on how many school districts in Massachusetts currently have a cellphone policy, but they expect to have those numbers later this year.