Maya McFadden file photo
Truman School students show off their Yondr pouches in March.
Yondr pouches are working so far in freeing up classroom time for teaching, learning, and discussion instead of phone-scrolling distraction.
Three assistant superintendents and a principal offered that assessment Wednesday night during a City Hall hearing about the city school district’s recent implementation of phone-free tech.
The hearing took place in the Aldermanic Chamber on the second floor of City Hall, and was hosted by the Board of Alders Education Committee.
Yondr pouches are a locking system designed to create a cellphone-free environment. According to New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) Asst. Supt. Kristina DeNegre, students come to school, put any wearable devices (such as airpods, smartwatches, and cellphones) in a pouch, that pouch is then locked by a staff member, the student stores the pouch safely, and then the pouch is unlocked at dismissal.
NHPS rolled out Yondr pouches to all middle schools this spring, and plans to expand their use into all high schools this fall.
“Kids are not paying attention to what’s being instructed and it can take up to 20 minutes for students to be focused and engaged in the lesson,” DeNegre said about when cellphones are allowed to remain available to students in classrooms.
DeNegre cited student safety, mental health, and academic performance as reasons why cellphone-free environments were introduced to city classrooms.
When the pouches were first proposed, many parents were worried about how to reach their child in case of an emergency. There is a multi-unlock system in place so many pouches can be unlocked quickly, and parents can call the school if they need to reach their child, Asst. Supt. Paul Whyte said. Additionally, there are unlocked pouches for students with medical conditions who need to be more reachable.
At first, students were wary of giving their phones up. Then, it became like second nature to them, according to DeNegre. She said one student had told her that there is no longer any cellphone-related drama in school. Asst. Supt. Keisha Redd-Hannans said her nephew has a watch that’s not an Apple watch, but he acts like it is so he can have a Yondr pouch like the other kids.
”Students carried them [Yondr pouches] almost like a security blanket,” she said.
Teachers have also cited feeling relieved from the implementation of Yondr pouches, as it means less time in the classroom wasted to confiscate phones and lecture about phone use. One teacher also said that it’s nice to see students having more conversations, according to DeNegre.
While the Yondr pouches have been fully implemented in elementary and middle schools, high school piloting has begun. Principal Gregory Baldwin of New Haven Academy said the Yondr pouch policy was implemented at NHA in February.
Baldwin said he has since seen increased engagement in the classroom, and little pushback from students.
”It’s not an anti-technology policy, it’s an anti-phone and social media policy,” he said, citing the fact that students still have access to their Chromebooks to complete their schoolwork.
The students have a number assigned to their pouch and sign a document agreeing to repercussions if any damage occurs to it, similar to how Chromebook sign-outs work. There have been few cases of damage occurring to the pouches, according to Baldwin. There are also extra pouches just in case, so the schools have a surplus.
Upper Westville Alder Amy Marx asked the assistant superintendents and principal why the district decided to use Yondr pouches, and not a free method of creating a cellphone-free learning environment.
Baldwin said the pouches are anxiety reducing, as the phones are still on the students’ person instead of with a teacher.
“You’re not at the whim of your least attentive adult,” he said. “It’s self-managed.”
The Yondr pouches are planned to be implemented in all high schools on Aug. 28.