YONDR Phone-Free Schools

The Yondr pouch is a secure bag that is used to store an individual’s mobile device or devices. It is secured and unlocked with a special locking device.

• As students enter school, they place their phone, smartwatch, etc. in their assigned Yondr pouch.
• Students close and secure their Yondr pouch manually and keep it with them throughout the day.
• When leaving school, students tap their Yondr pouch on a base unit to unlock it and have access to their devices.

More Details

The middle schools are seeking to limit distractions in the classroom and improve overall student engagement, mental health and well-being.

In August 2024, all students in grades 6-8 will be assigned a Yondr pouch to secure their phone, smartwatch, and/or earbuds. The pouch is the property of the school and is considered on loan to the student during the school year. Students are responsible for the Yondr pouch at all times and for bringing the pouch to and from school each day.

Upon entering school, students will turn off their phone and other similar technologies, place them inside of the Yondr pouch, and lock it. The pouch will be unlocked at the end of the school day at multiple locations upon exiting.

Students are in possession of their phone – in their Yondr pouch – for the entire school day. We will advise students to store the pouch in their backpacks.

If a student needs to leave school early for an approved early dismissal, personal appointment
or other reason, students will be able to unlock their pouches at school prior to their departure. If returning to school during the instructional day, the Yondr pouch would be locked upon re-entry to the building.

We want our students to be engaged in their learning, but we understand that emergencies will occur. If you need to contact your child during the school day, call the main office or the attendance office. There are phones in every classroom and office in the school. Additionally, Yondr pouches can be unlocked temporarily at the office to allow students to access their phones for parent/family contact if necessary.

• School safety experts share that students having access to cell phones during school emergencies can negatively impact student safety for a variety of reasons. For example:

  • Student use of cell phones during an emergency can distract their attention from the
    critical safety and emergency directions given by staff.

  • Cell phone use by students during an emergency often results in inaccurate or
    incomplete information and, in doing so, may disrupt and delay effective public safety
    response.

  • Cell phone use by students can impede site safety by accelerating parental and
    community arrival at the scene of an emergency during times when officials may be
    attempting to evacuate students to another site.

  • Student cell phone use during an emergency may overload cell tower capacity, limiting
    critical school and first responder communication.

• Once students are safe, if necessary, pouches can be unlocked via multiple handheld
  unlocking devices, so students can contact family members.

• Communication with parents will continue to occur through the district’s mass notification and communication tools.

The Yondr pouch is property of the school. If a student damages their pouch or is caught on their phone, they will be subject to disciplinary action. An administrator, or designee, will collect the phone/pouch and call home:

• The parent/guardian will come to the school and pick up their child’s phone
• Consequences may include: community service / detention / in-school suspension
• Note: Damage consists of any signs that the physical integrity of the pouch has been compromised, whether intentional or unintentional, as determined by the school. If lost or damaged, replacement pouches can be purchased for $30.

The phone may be turned over to main office staff and secured in the school office until the end of the school day or parents may be contacted to come to school and pick the phone up.

Students who have a documented medical condition and who need a personal device for monitoring their condition will be provided with an alternate Yondr pouch which has immediate access.

Research shows asking students to simply put their phones away is not effective.

If permitted by the classroom teachers, students will be able to use headphones with cords to connect to their Chromebooks. All Bluetooth devices, including AirPods, smartwatches and other headphones, must be stored in the Yondr pouch.

The school has many afterschool programs and athletic events. If the building is still open, students can return to unlock their pouch.

Teachers who request to have students use their phones for an instructional lesson will be able to borrow a mobile unlocking device as needed.

The Yondr pouches do not block cell signals or the internet. Students are expected to silent their devices before putting them in their Yondr pouch.

No, as cell phones or personal devices are not allowed at the elementary school. They must be kept at home or turned off and placed in their backpack throughout the instructional day.

The Yondr FAQs will be updated as the implementation begins. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school directly. Call or email the building principal.