At Brockton High School, 4,000 Yondr phone cases are stored in a secure location, waiting to be distributed to students on the first day of school.
The Brockton School Committee passed a new cell phone policy in March that requires all high school students to lock their phones in a Yondr bag during school hours and keep them in their lockers or backpacks.
In April, after several months of delays and complications, the district received enough cell phone cases for all Brockton High students. The new policy is the first and most restrictive of its kind within BPS, and district officials expect “growing pains” in the first few days.
“The first two to three weeks are going to be difficult because we’re talking about 3,800 students, bags and new procedures,” BHS Principal Kevin McCaskill said at Tuesday night’s school board meeting. “There are going to be teething issues for us … while the students get used to the program.”
“This is not something we’re doing to you, it’s something we’re doing to support you,” McCaskill said of the Yondr program. “This is not a punishment. It will put our focus back on the education business.”
With less than a month until the start of the new school year, parents and students are preparing for a cellphone-free Brockton High. Here’s what you need to know about the Yondr bag policy before summer ends.
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When will I receive my Yondr pouch?
McCaskill said incoming freshmen will receive their assigned Yondr bags during freshman orientation, which begins the week of Aug. 19. The rest of the student body will receive their bags on the first day of school.
On that day, students will walk through the school’s gym or art room where they will receive their Yondr phone case. McCaskill said his biggest concern will be getting all students through the door and into the building on time while students adjust to the new process.
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“This is new for us,” he said. “The most important thing for us is how it changes the entrance … this is not a day’s training.”
The bags are large enough to securely hold cell phones, headphones, and other small electronic devices. When students enter the building each morning, they use one of the building’s new locking mechanisms to lock their items in the Yondr bag.
According to Tony Rodrigues, vice chairman of the school board, students even have the opportunity to design their own bags.
McCaskill plans to hold assemblies with each grade level on the first day of school to discuss the new policy and address any concerns students may have. He said the goal is to “create a cellphone-free environment” so students can “get back to focusing on school business.”
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How do Yondr bags work?
According to the Yondr website, phones are placed in the bag and once the button is pressed, the phone is locked inside. When students leave the building, they must access one of the wall-mounted locking devices to unlock their Yondr bag.
McCaskill said 16 wall-mounted locking devices will be installed at the school. He said the locations of all the wall-mounted locking devices are known, but the school is still working on installing them. Additionally, there will be about 12 portable locking devices in the offices of each building on campus for students who are released from class early.
“Each student is assigned a bag for the year, sort of like a textbook,” said Graham Dugoni, founder of Yondr, at a school board meeting on April 9.
Brockton High’s enrollment is about 3,700 at the beginning of this year, so there will be about 300 additional Yondr bags available for new students or replacements.
Defective Yondr bags are insured by the school district, but if a bag is damaged by a student, families must pay a $30 fee to receive a new one.
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What mobile phone policies apply?
McCaskill said if a student is caught using their cell phone during class, they will receive a verbal warning for the first offense. For the second offense, the student’s cell phone will be confiscated and the school will call the parents. For the third offense, the cell phone will be confiscated and a parent will be called to pick up their child’s device. Any subsequent offenses will result in disciplinary action.
A mass message with further information on the new mobile policy will be sent to the BPS community.
