Providence Students' Cell Phones Are Now Being Locked in Pouches at Some Schools

Providence Students' Cell Phones Are Now Being Locked in Pouches at Some Schools

Providence public middle schools have implemented a new approach to cell phones for students. 

While the stated policy according to the district is that cell phone use by students is prohibited, an additional deterrent has been recently added — locked pouches. 

According to the Providence Public School District (PPSD), “Cell phones must be turned off during the school day. Students may not use cell phones during the school day. All emergency calls must be directed to and from the school office. The use of personal music devices/electronics is never allowed during class time or passing time, project-based activities or cooperative learning experiences. Teachers retain the right to select and play music during class.”

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Now, GoLocal has learned that Providence middle schools are all using “Yondr” pouches, after an initial pilot program was rolled out earlier this year. 

According to its website, Yondr “uses a patented system to create phone-free spaces for artists, educators, organizations and individuals.”

“How it works,” writes Yondr. “Each phone is placed into a Yondr pouch that locks when it is closed. Guests flow into and out of the designated phone-free space —as guests enter, secure their phone in a pouch, and unlock their pouch as they exit.

This week, GoLocal obtained footage of students entering Gilbert Stuart Middle School in Providence — and being greeted by school officials to place their phones in the locking bags. 

 

PPSD on Record 

Four years ago, Providence Teachers Union President Maribeth Calabro had flagged that cell phone usage among students was a significant issue. 

"Cell phones are a huge problem. Students refuse to put them away. They won’t give them to teachers when asked. It’s a nightmare," said Calabro in 2019.  "Something needs to be done."

When asked by GoLocal about the impetus — and approval  — for the implementation of the Yondr bags, PPSD responded last week with the following. 

“They were first introduced to staff and families in advance of implementation at Nathanael Greene Middle School,” said PPSD spokesperson Jay Wegimont. “Yondr pouches began being piloted in Providence Public Middle Schools in February 2023.”

As to who made the decision to use the pouches — Wegimont said it was the schools’ level. 

“The Yondr cell phone pouches began being piloted at Nathanael Greene. At the request of other middle schools, Yondr was phased into all PPSD Middle Schools over the 2022-23 school year,” said Wegimont. “Before implementing the Yondr package, Nathanael Greene made the decision, in consultation of their faculty and families, to pilot the program.”

The Yondr pouches have been used around the country in a number of school districts. 

“Springfield students flip on phone pouches, now saying program works,” reported MassLive in October 2022. 

“Every Central High School student was given a Yondr cell phone pouch during the second week of school on Sept. 7. If a student breaks or misplaces their phone pouch they must pay $20 to get the pouch replaced,” MassLive reported. 

According to the publication — while devices are “locked” when students enter the school, they can be unlocked at any point in classrooms. 

“Before Central students can walk inside their school, they must first tap their cellphone pouch on one of the Yondr sealing stations positioned near Central’s front entrance,” they reported. “These stations magnetically lock the pouch and can only be opened using specialized unlocking devices located in classrooms and other points in the building.”