Saturday, July 27, 2024
With the recent wave of Texas school districts turning into cellphone free campuses, Evant Independent School District has announced that it will be implementing a new program for the upcoming school year which is called “Yondr.”
The school board approved the Yondr program in May with hopes to improve educational and discipline outcomes. It is designed to keep student’s cellphone free during school hours by using a locking pouch device.
According to the Texas Family Project, “Cell phones have taken over society and have had a massive impact on children everywhere. Children are being allowed cell phones and electronic devices younger and younger, and that has hindered their academic development.”
Like Evant ISD, a couple of school districts in Texas have also recognized the issue with cellphones and have established the same or similar programs, such as La Vega ISD, Richardson ISD, and most recently, Killeen ISD.
Students will now be required to place their cellphones inside of a Yondr pouch upon entering the school, which will then be locked. Students will be in possession of the pouch at all times during the school day. To unlock the pouch, students will have to step outside the phone-free zone and tap their pouch on an unlocking base.
“We believe the policy will benefit the students academically and behaviorally,” Evant ISD Principal Ricky Mourning said. I personally believe we will see an improvement in academic performance, in student behavior, and an improvement in student engagement.
Mourning expressed that students will be the only ones using the locking pouch, while teachers and staff will have access to a landline phone in each classroom in case of emergency situations.
If parents need to get in contact with their child, Mourning explained that you will have to call the Evant ISD offices main number, send an email to the students’ teacher, or email administration personnel of Evant ISD.
When asked what the goal was for establishing the new policy, Mourning expressed that it is to aid in the reduction of student discipline.
“Student discipline reports indicated that more than 90% of all campus discipline was a result of cell phone usage,” he said.
The district will host a cellphone free program information meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6, to discuss its plans to introduce the Yondr program to students. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the Evant ISD gymnasium.
Evant ISD is located at 339 Memory Lane in Evant.
