Brockton High to become a 'cell phone-free environment' with Yondr bag program

Inside Brockton High School, there are 4,000 Yondr cell phone pouches stored in a secure location waiting to be distributed to students on the first day of school.

The Brockton School Committee approved a new cell phone policy in March that requires all high school students to lock their phones in a Yondr pouch during school, which they would store in their lockers or backpacks.

In April, after several months of delays and complications , the district received enough cell phone pouches for all students at Brockton High. The new policy is the first and most restrictive of its kind within BPS, and district officials are expecting “growing pains” in the first few days.

“The first two to three weeks will be problematic because we are talking about 3800 students, pouches and new procedures going forward,” said BHS Principal Kevin McCaskill at Tuesday night’s School Committee meeting. “There will be growing pains for us ... as students adapt to the program.”

"This is not something we are doing to you, this is something we are doing to support you," McCaskill said of the Yondr program. "This is not punitive. It will get our focus back on the business of education."

With less than a month before the new school year starts, Brockton parents and students are preparing for a phone-free Brockton High. Here’s what you need to know on the Yondr bag policy before the summer ends.

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When will I get my Yondr pouch?

McCaskill said incoming freshmen will receive their assigned Yondr bags during freshmen orientation, which begins the week of August 19. The rest of the student body will get their pouches on the first day of school.

On that day, student will file through the school’s gymnasium or fine arts auditorium where they’ll be given their Yondr cell phone bag. McCaskill said his biggest concern will be getting all students through the door and into the building in a timely manner while students get used to the new procedure.

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“This is new for us,” he said. “The biggest thing for us is how this will change the entrance…this is not a day’s training.”

The pouches are big enough to secure cell phones, headphones and other small electronics. When students enter the building every morning, they’ll use one of the building’s new locking mechanisms to lock their items in the Yondr bag.

According to School Committee Vice Chair Tony Rodrigues, students will even have the opportunity to design their own pouches.

McCaskill plans to hold assemblies with each grade level on the first day of school to review the new policy and address any of the students’ concerns. He said the goal is to “create a cell phone-free environment” so students can “focus back on the business of education.”

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How do the Yondr bags work?

According to the Yondr website, phones are put in the pouch and once the button is pressed, the phone is locked inside. As students leave the building, they must access one of the wall-mounted locking devices to unlock their Yondr pouch.

McCaskill said there will be 16 wall-mounted unlocking devices placed around the school. He said the locations of all the wall-mounted locking devices have been identified, but the school is still working to install them. There will also be approximately 12 hand-held unlocking devices in the offices of each building on campus for those students who are dismissed early.

"Every student is assigned a pouch, kind of like a textbook, for the year," said Graham Dugoni, founder of Yondr, at an April 9 school committee meeting.

Brockton High's enrollment is approximately 3,700 going into this year, so there will be roughly 300 extra Yondr bags available for new students or as replacements.

Defective Yondr bags are insured by the school district, but if one is damaged by a student, families will pay a fee of $30 to be issued a new one.

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What is the cell phone policy?

McCaskill said if a student is found using their phone during class, they'll receive a verbal warning on their first offense. On a student's second violation, their phone will be confiscated and the school will call their parents. After a third violation, the cell phone will be confiscated, and a parent will be called in to pick up their kid's device. Any further violations will result in disciplinary action.

A message blast will be sent to the BPS community with more information on the new cell phone policy.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton High to become a 'cell phone-free environment' with Yondr bag program