BRUNSWICK COUNTY — As the 2024-2025 school year approaches, the Brunswick County Board of Education is preparing to implement its phone-free school initiatives, launching two Yondr pouch pilot programs and exploring stricter policy changes regarding cellphones.
READ MORE: Parents cite safety concerns with Brunswick Schools pilot cellphone program
At its Aug. 13 meeting, the board received an update from district Superintendent Dale Cole on how the Yondr pouches pilot will be implemented, including daily procedures and handling of insubordination.
Two middle schools, Town Creek and Cedar Grove, were selected in June. Cole outlined the pilot rollout as follows:
This week information letters will be sent to parents at both middle schools, explaining how the pouches work; it also will include an opt-out form. Students who opt out will not be permitted to bring any devices on campus — including cellphones or smart watches.
Opt-out forms must be returned to Town Creek Middle School by Aug. 30 and to Cedar Grove Middle School by Aug. 23, 10 days after the first day of school. On Aug. 21, parents will have the opportunity to see the pouches and ask questions during both schools’ open house sessions.
Cole explained that when students enter school through one of two designated locations — bus riders at one door and car riders at another — they will place their phones in a Yondr pouch. Teachers will be manned at each door to ensure students lock their phones in the pouch, which stays with the student all day.
“They’ll have to … lock it shut in front of staff,” he said, adding it will also have to be powered off.
Students cannot unlock their phones or smart watches from the vessels until the end of the day, at the magnetic posts positioned by exit doors. Then students will be in charge of keeping the pouch safe at home overnight and bring it with them to school daily.
Yondr recommends one magnetic base per 60 students. With 500 students, Town Creek would need about eight bases, while Cedar Grove, with 1,055 students, would require about 17 bases.
Cole mentioned students leaving early will have their phones magnetically unlocked in the office. He also noted students with medical circumstances will be provided with a velcro-based lock for easier access.
Students who choose to ignore the policy will be punished. On the first offense of a student being caught with a phone or smart watch, the device will be confiscated and kept in the front office with administration until the end of the day.
“Essentially, a warning,” Cole said.
For a second offense, the parent or guardian will be notified to retrieve the device by the end of the day. The student also will receive one day of in-school suspension.
“Or if the parent chooses to leave it with us, I guess for a few days, we’ll keep up with it until whenever they’re ready to pick it up,” he said. “I know with my mom, with a situation like that, she would probably come pick it up a month later, but everybody handles things differently.”
A third offense will be considered by policy “insubordination.” The parent or guardian will need to retrieve the student’s phone and the student will face three days of in-school suspension.
A fourth offense will lead to the student being prohibited from bringing any devices to school. The student will also serve one day of out-of-school suspension. As the number of offenses increases, the duration of out-of-school suspension can extend up to 10 days.
The pilot programs are costing the district around $30,000, according to spokesperson Gordon Burnette. The board voted at its June 4 meeting to implement the pilots.
Cole stated if a pouch is lost or damaged, the student’s parents or guardians will be charged $30 for a replacement. If a student repeatedly forgets a pouch, it will be treated as lost.
“Like any changes, I would expect 80 to 90 percent of our students will do exactly what we ask them to do, and it won’t be a problem for them, and we’ll have five to 10 percent that will push the limits,” he said.
Cole also discussed policy changes to cellphone usage districtwide. Policy 4311 addresses the use of wireless communication devices, including personal phones, electronic devices with internet capability, paging devices and two-way radios. Cole proposed several amendments, prohibiting the use of cellphones at all elementary and middle schools throughout the entire instructional day unless permission is granted by an administrator.
At the high-school level, students also cannot use devices during the day. The only exception is whether principals permit students use of wireless communication devices during transitions or lunch periods. The policy allows the top administrator to choose how to handle those situations.
Cole also advised the board to remove language allowing teachers to allow phone use for educational purposes. Since the district has implemented the use of Chromebooks, Cole said phones are no longer needed.
“We can monitor them remotely and see if they’re misusing anything,” he said of their Chromebooks.
The Center of Applied Sciences and Technology (COAST) has its own section addressed in the proposed news policy due to the needs of various students. The school houses sixth-through-12th-graders and t provides career readiness pathways for some, who were allowed cellphone use before. However, COAST also is where the district’s long term suspension program is located, which prohibited students to use devices.
“it just makes it very difficult for staff to be able to manage that in one building,” he said. “So we’re just gonna ban it for the instructional day, all day at the COAST for all students.”
The policy changes were tabled for a second reading at the board’s August 20 committee meeting at board member, Harry Lemon’s request.
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