Students will be required to use cellphone pouches at Carson City middle and high schools

UPDATE 2:30PM: The following is a news release from Carson City School District regarding implementation of cellphone pouches for middle and high school students:

The Carson City School District is pleased to announce a new school-based initiative aimed at enhancing the educational environment and minimizing distractions in classrooms. Starting August 19, 2024, all middle and high school students will be required to place their cellphones and other smart technology devices in locking pouches during school hours.

This innovative approach is designed to foster better focus, engagement and interaction among students and staff. By limiting access to cellphones and other smart technology devices, schools in Carson City seek to reduce the potential for distractions, cyberbullying and academic dishonesty, while promoting a more cohesive and focused learning atmosphere.

"Schools want to create a focused environment conducive to learning where students can fully engage with their studies, peers and teachers," said Andrew Feuling, superintendent of Carson City School District. "The introduction of secure technology pouches is a proactive step towards minimizing distractions and promoting a culture of respect and academic excellence."

Schools that have piloted this and similar products nationwide, overwhelmingly report huge benefits to the school and students, Feuling continued. “We strongly support our schools wanting to take action on this to improve student engagement, safety, academic outcomes and mental health.”

How It Works
Upon arrival at school, students will be required to place their cellphones and other smart technology devices in secure, individual pouches provided by the district. These pouches will then be locked and stored by the students in their backpacks. Students will retain possession of their phones and other devices but will be unable to access them until the end of the school day, ensuring they remain focused on their educational activities.

The secure pouches, known as Yondr pouches, will remain secure until a teacher or administrator uses an unlocking station so students may access and retrieve their phone at the end of the school-day. Unlocking stations will be available in every classroom as well as other common school areas such as the front office. Additionally, portable unlocking stations will be available in the event of an emergency.

At Carson High and Carson Middle School, the pouches will be distributed to students, similar to the issuing of Chromebooks, at the start of the school year. Students will be responsible for bringing the pouches to and from school each day. At Eagle Valley Middle School, the pouches will be issued to students in their homerooms at the start of the school day and then retrieved from the student in their final class period at the end of school when pouches are unlocked. As with all school-issued items, tampering, damaging or failure to follow established school practices will result in penalties, fines or disciplinary actions.

Benefits
The Yondr cellphone pouch system has promising data, which the company acquired from more than 1,200 schools throughout the nation. According to surveys conducted, schools utilizing the cellphone pouch system reported an 82% increase in student engagement, a 72% improvement in student behavior, and a 68% enhancement in academic performance. Additionally, 86% saw a positive impact in student safety and wellness.

Parent and Student Involvement
The district understands the importance of communication between students and their families. Therefore, students will have access to their phones during emergency situations, as safety permits and where staff members are available to assist as needed. For non-emergency communications, parents should contact the school office.

“We believe phones have great utility, but we have also found that learning and social behavior improve drastically when students are fully engaged with their teachers and other classmates," Feuling said. “This new effort is designed to strike a balance between accessibility and minimizing disruptions.”

Frequently Asked Questions
Why have schools decided to use secure cellphone pouches?
Schools want students to be engaged in learning and in appropriate interpersonal social interaction throughout the day. Phones have become a distraction within the school day for many students and for teachers who have to constantly monitor students for phone use during class and school activities. Additionally, schools have seen an increase in discipline related to cyberbullying and the circulation of inappropriate videos and pictures. This new process simply assists schools in enforcing guidelines currently in place regarding cellphone use on campus.

What if I want to reach my child during the school day?
Schools want students to be engaged in learning. If parents or families need to contact students during the school day, please contact the school’s main office. Additionally, any text messages sent to a student’s phone will be received by the student as soon as the phone is removed from the secure pouch and powered on.

Will my child’s phone be locked away?
Beginning August 19, 2024, all student cellphones and other smart technology devices should be turned off, stowed in the district-issued secure pouch and stowed away in a backpack during the school day. Students will keep the phone and pouch with them, in their backpack, throughout the instructional day. When the final bell rings, students will be able to unlock the pouch to access their phones and other smart technology devices.

Will my student’s phone be safe?
Students are in possession of their phone and other smart technology devices for the entire school day. The pouch itself is made of a soft fabric padding that provides protection to the phone while stored.

Does this apply to smartwatches and other devices like airpods?
Yes. All smartwatches and other wearable technology devices will be required to be stored in the pouch. There are clocks in each classroom, on chromebooks and other areas of each school to help assist students with time-management.

What if my child uses their cellphone to monitor sugar levels for diabetes or other health conditions?
Accommodations will be made for students with specific needs. In some instances, the cellphone pouch may be secured with Velcro.

What if the pouch gets damaged or a student is caught on their phone?
The secure pouch is property of the Carson City School District. If a student damages their pouch or is caught on their phone, administration will collect the phone/pouch and call home:

The Parent will come to the school and pick up their child’s phone
And/or consequences may include: In-School Suspension, detention eeplacement fee
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 staff.

What if there is a school emergency?
As safety permits, each classroom has an unlocking station that may open the pouches for students to access their phone. In case of a school emergency, the school will direct students to safety first, following school emergency preparedness protocol.

Please note, it is the advisement of National School Safety and Security Services, representatives from Nevada Emergency Services, and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office that cellphone use during an emergency creates a less safe school emergency response. Specifically:

— Cellphone use during crisis management overloads telephone systems and renders them useless.

— Calls, texts and other outside communications have the potential to alert a dangerous individual to the location of students and staff during a lockdown.

— Cellphone use accelerates the unintentional (and potentially intentional) spread of misinformation, rumors and fear.

— Cellphone use, texting and other outside communications by students during a crisis also have the potential to cause parents to flock to school at a time when school and public safety officials may need parents to be away from the school site due to evacuations, emergency response and/or other tactical or safety reasons. This could actually delay or otherwise hinder timely and efficient parent-student reunification. It could also potentially put parents into a zone of harm.

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The Carson City School District will unveil a new school-based initiative Tuesday for Carson High School and both middle schools, requiring students to place their cellphones or similar electronic smart devices in locking pouches during school hours.

In a press conference scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, the district will discuss the plans. In that conference, more information will likely address how the pouches work, what safety plans will be installed, how students can quickly retrieve their phones in the event of an emergency and concerns addressed among parents, especially after a July 30 Carson Now story about the rumored cellphone measure.

Carson Now, which has attempted to speak on record with Carson City School District officials about rumors of potential plans, was informed of the press conference Monday and was told the information and details were to be addressed at the press conference.

A similar practice is being done in Clark County and other school districts in the U.S. has put similar measures into place.

Word began to spread, however, after the district gave notice about the press conference, with a Reno TV station reporting the plan was to be unveiled, prompting social media messaging outside of district officials.

What we know is the district will unveil the plan, which is designed to bring better focus, engagement and interaction among students and staff. The plan will likely begin the first day of school, Monday, August 19.

Rumors of the cell phone pouches circulated earlier this summer. Carson Now contacted the district regarding rumors last week. The district would not confirm the rumors. On Monday, the press conference was announced.

We will provide an update once the district unveils its plans today.

Check back for updates to this developing story.