BROOKINGS Prying a cellphone from a teenagers hand can prove a difficult task.
But Superintendent Summer Schultz reported to the Brookings School Board last week that Brookings High School has found success in doing that with its Yondr pouch program.
Yondr pouches are locking bags that physically seal students phones and other devices. Students keep the pouches with them, but cant access their devices, all day other than during lunch, until they are unlocked at a special wall-mounted station at the end of the day.
This fall, student cellphones were banned in the high school and the Yondr pouch system was implemented. Schultz told the board that the system has been working better than expected so far.
I wasnt sure what to expect on year one of the Yondr pouches, because I know whats happened in most schools and our students took the stance of We know its good for us. Were good with it and they have just done an amazing job, Schultz said.
Schultz expressed gratitude to the student body for its acceptance of the Yondr pouch system.
I dont know how to thank them. So this is my public thank you, No. 1 to the student body, because this could be hard, especially year one, and they have made it so much better than I ever could have imagined, Schultz said.
Our kids and our staff at the high school did something that a lot of schools dont have the guts to try it, Schultz said.
The school board voted in August to make all Brookings schools device-free during the school day. So far, the high school is the only building implementing the Yondr pouch system.
Thus far, the South Dakota Legislature has not passed any statewide law on the use of cell phones in the states schools, leaving the policy decision up to each individual school district.
A recent South Dakota Searchlight survey revealed that 60% of school districts in the state restrict cellphone usage for at least part of the day and about a third of the districts lock away the electronic devices for a least a portion of the day.
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