LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 directors voted Thursday to let the district’s adult education program use PayPal to allow people to pay online for courses.

The Maine Adult Educational Association launched a Web site www.maineadulted.org Monday that provides links to all of the adult education programs in the state, SAD 36 Adult Education Director Carrie Castonguay said.

People can find the closest adult education center to them or find a course they wish to take and register online now, she said.

They also can pay for the course through a secure PayPal account such as what is used on eBay.

Superintendent Terry Despres said this would be a pilot program and if it works, he may come back to speak to the board about using it for food services.

Parents like the idea of paying for their children’s lunches or breakfasts through the system because they know where the money is going, Despres said.

In a policy matter, high school Principal Shawn Lambert, who is on the board’s Policy Committee, explained the need for a board policy and specific procedures to govern student use of electronic wireless communication devices in school.

“We currently don’t have a cell phone policy,” Lambert said.

The proposed policy would prohibit the use of cell phones and other communication-ready personal data assistants in the classroom.

It was the first reading on the policy and needs to go through two more before adoption.

Lambert said he requested the procedures to be more specific than usual and just wanted to run them by the board.

“Quite honestly, cell phones are quite controversial,” he said.

The majority of the calls are made from parents to students or students to parents to either get them dismissed or to bring homework or to just chat, he said.

The proposed procedures for wireless communication devices prohibits use of a cell phone, PDAs, MP3 players, iPods and electronic games during school hours and or during school activities. The devices must be turned off and not simply set to vibrate.

Exceptions may be made by administration or by appropriate supervising staff on buses, during field trips and at extracurricular activities. Students may also use wireless communication devices in the main office with the approval of an administrator.

If this rule is violated the electronic item would be confiscated and turned over to the office. Administration will assign discipline as appropriate and only return the devices to the violating student’s parent or guardian.

The use of cameras, including camera phones, is strictly prohibited in classrooms and locker rooms, restrooms and other locations in which privacy is commonly expected. Exceptions may be authorized by an administrator, such as for the yearbook.

Concerns have been raised in other places about students taking pictures during tests including SATs, he said.

“Luckily we have not dealt with that,” Lambert said.

In another matter, Despres updated the board on his health. He had a reaction to medications prescribed by different medical specialists that triggered a loss of electrolytes in his system, Despres said.

He lost 18 pounds in a short period of time, he said.

Initially it was thought to have something to do with his lungs but it turned out not to be that, Despres said.

A pharmacist picked up on prescriptions that shouldn’t be used together and suggested that he notify his primary doctor to take a look at them all and get it fixed.

So far, he has gained 5 pounds, he said.

“I’m feeling better now,” he said.