Back to School with No Cell Phones
Fredericksburg City students return this week. Here's how the division will begin to implement the new cell phone-free policy.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
“Off, Yondr, and away” is the mantra that Fredericksburg City Public Schools wants students returning to school this week to keep in their heads.
The division’s cell phone-free policy was approved last month by the School Board and messaging went out last week about what students should do with their personal communication devices—a category that includes smartwatches, earbuds, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.
James Monroe High School freshmen attending Transition Day on Monday, August 5, will check in with their counselors when they arrive in the building. They’ll receive a welcome packet and their Yondr pouch, assistant principal Nick Brousse said in a voicemail that went out to the school community on Friday.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors will receive their Yondr pouches on Tuesday during their homerooms. Phones are to be powered off, locked in the Yondr pouches, and stored in backpacks.
“The pouch is yours until it’s turned in at end of year,” Brousse said. “You must use it every day if you have your phone at school.”
There will be locking (and unlocking stations) at the front door and outside the front door for students to use at dismissal to retrieve their devices.
At Walker-Grant Middle School, 6th graders attending Transition Day on Monday will start the day with an assembly at which administration will review the cell phone-free expectations. After the assembly, students will power off their devices and receive their Yondr pouches.
On Tuesday, August 6, 8th grade students will remain in the cafeteria after breakfast for the cell phone-free assembly and to receive their Yondr pouches.
While this is happening, 7th grade students will be in the gymnasium with teachers. Once the 8th-grade students are dismissed, the 7th-grade students will return to the cafeteria for the same assembly and will follow the same process.
“All students, please be mindful to protect your Yondr pouches carefully so your phone and pouch do not become lost,” assistant principal Kisha Frye said in a voicemail message to the school community that went out last week. “The replacement cost for the pouch is $30.”
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My kids are not in the city, but I have a question. What if my student has a pouch, but doesn’t put their phone in the pouch, instead they simply power off their phone and put it in their backpack and don’t use it or access it during the day?