Student Phone Policy & Guidelines
2022-2023
Dear Parents,
We will be making our school a phone-free space to improve teaching and learning using a system called Yondr. Yondr has been implemented in over 1,000 schools across 21 countries to facilitate an engaged learning environment.
We believe that phones have great utility. We have also found that learning and social behavior improve drastically when students are fully engaged with their teachers and classmates.
The Yondr Program utilizes a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone. Every student will secure their phone in a personally assigned Yondr pouch when they arrive at school. Students will maintain possession of their phones and will not use them until their pouches are opened at the end of the school day. Students are required to obtain their Yondr pouch each day at arrival and are responsible for their pouch at all times.
Yondr recently surveyed over 900 school partners to measure the effects of creating phone-free educational environments. These schools achieved notable progress in multiple areas:
65% of schools saw an improvement in academic performance
74% of schools saw an improvement in student behavior
83% of schools saw an improvement in student engagement in the classroom
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school directly at 216-838-0750.
If there is an emergency and you would like to get in contact with your child, please reach out to the main office at 216-838-0750.
In an effort to best serve your child, we appreciate your full support in the adoption of the Yondr Program at our school.
Thank you,
Greg Adkins
Principal
How Yondr Works
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I want to reach my child during the school day?
We want our students to be engaged in their learning. If you need to contact your child during the school day, contact the main office at 216-838-0750.
What if there is a school emergency?
In case of a school emergency, we direct our students to safety first, following our school emergency preparedness protocol.
Will my student’s phone be safe?
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 where it is completely safe.
What if the Yondr pouch gets damaged or a student is caught on their phone?
The Yondr pouch is property of Hannah Gibbons - Nottingham School.
If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone:
1st Offense - Pouch Phone & Text Home.
2nd Offense - Phone Collected & Call Home. Phone Returned EOD.
3rd Offense - Phone Collected & Held for 5 Days OR Parent Pickup OR Planning Center.
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 or Yondr staff.
STUDENT PHONE POLICY & GUIDELINES
Phones are not to be used during school. Every student is assigned a personal Yondr Pouch. While the Yondr Pouch is considered school property, it is each student’s responsibility to obtain their Pouch at entry every day and keep it in good working condition.
DAILY PROCESS
As students Arrive to School, they will:
Turn their phone off.
Open their Yondr Pouch by tapping against the Unlocking Base.
Place their phone inside the Pouch and secure it in front of school staff.
Store it in their backpack for the day.
At the end of the day, students will open their Pouch, remove their phone, close their Pouch and put it in their grade-level bin.
*Students arriving late or leaving early will pouch/unpouch their phones in the main office.
VIOLATIONS
Pouch Damage / Lost Pouch / Using Phone During School
If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone, Administration will collect the phone/Pouch and call home for a Parent Pickup.
Examples of damage:
(see picture below)
Ripped
Cut
Torn
Pen/pencil marks
Bent/cut pin
Signs of force to black button on flap
Forgotten Pouch
If a student forgets their Pouch, their phone will be collected and Admin will call home to remind the Parent of the policy. The phone will be returned to the student at dismissal.
If a student consistently forgets their Pouch, it is considered Lost.
Refer to the Lost Pouch policy above.