The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee this week approved an updated student handbook that strictly limits the use of personal devices during school hours.

A new policy dubbed Away for the Day requires students to secure their mobile phones, smart watches and earbuds inside frequency-blocking pouches while school is in session, including during lunch.

Students also will be prohibited from using their own laptops and tablets at school, with everyone receiving an identical Chromebook instead.

School committee members split 5-3 on approving the new handbook, with Michael Watts opposing the inclusion of smart watches and earbuds in the Away for the Day Policy.

“I’m really opposed to removing music from children’s days while they’re in the building,” Mr. Watts said at Monday’s committee meeting.

“There are a lot of kids who put earbuds in to drown out the noise of chatter around them in study halls while they’re doing their work. And what are we going to do for the kid who has a medical condition they monitor with their smart watch?” he added.

Principal Sara Dingledy said the school has noise-canceling headphones available for students who need to mute distracting sounds, and that her staff will work with any child who has a documented medical condition.

Committee member Kathryn Shertzer and chair Skipper Manter joined Mr. Watts in voting against the handbook.

Also Monday, the committee approved the addition of a new dance, pom and cheer club to perform at high school sports events and discussed whether or not to charge a $700 tuition for driver’s education classes. The school recently acquired and modified a Toyota Corolla for driving lessons and has two accredited instructors, making it possible to offer up to four semester-long driver’s ed courses each school year with 15 students in each class.

Committee members agreed to vote on the tuition proposal at next month’s meeting.

School begins Sept. 3.