Phone and Device-Free Schools

• Yondr is a company teaming up with schools, performing arts venues and other groups to support phone and device free environments. Visit Yondr Website 

• The Yondr pouch is a secure bag that is used to store an individual’s cell phone or devices. It is secured and unlocked with a magnetic locking device similar to theft protection tags you find in clothing stores.
• Velcro instead of the magnetic locking pouches are used by students who need access to their devices for medical or other previously approved reasons.

• As students enter school they will turn off or put their cell phone in Do Not Disturb mode and then place their cell phone, smartwatch, and Airpods/earbuds in their assigned Yondr pouch.
  • iOS Do Not Disturb Instructions
  • Android Do Not Disturb Instructions
• Students close and secure their Yondr pouch to and put it in their backpack or bag to keep it with them throughout the school day.
• When leaving school, students tap their Yondr pouch on a base unit to unlock it and remove their devices from the pouch until the next day.
• Students keep the pouches with them whether at school or not. Students are responsible for their pouches at all times.

• Do Not Disturb mode allows the device to continue receiving messages without notifying the user with any vibrations or sounds.
• Do Not Disturb mode allows parents/guardians and others who use Find My Phone, Life 360, or other apps to monitor the location of their child. Airplane mode restricts this option.
• Silent mode, unless changed in settings, will continue to vibrate. These vibrations are distracting and can be anxiety provoking for the user to be aware of new messages throughout the day without being able to access them. 
  • iOS Do Not Disturb Instructions
  • Android Do Not Disturb Instructions

• SCUSD is seeking to limit distractions in the classroom and improve overall student engagement, mental health, and well-being. We have received feedback from staff, families, and students that an updated mobile device policy is needed in schools. Feedback includes a concern that access to smartphones, smartwatches, and earbuds are a barrier to learning and student success. Concerns have been raised about the distractions and unwanted attention caused by constant access to social media, text messaging, and cameras (photos and videos taken at school are sometimes used for online harassment and bullying of other students).
• The pouches physically restrict access, but more importantly they serve as a symbolic decision that we will make each day to set aside personal devices in favor of active participation in school socially and academically.

Yes, students and families will have the opportunity to receive a demonstration prior to the start of school to check out and test the Yondr pouches and unlocking devices.

• Yondr Demonstration Video
• Yondr In A School Demonstration Video 

• In August, all students in grades 6-12 will be assigned a Yondr pouch to secure their personal devices i.e. cell phone, smartwatch, and AirPods/earbuds. Students are responsible for the Yondr pouch at all times and for bringing the pouch to and from school each day.
• Elementary grade students are encouraged not to bring personal devices to school. If elementary students must have access to a personal device, families will complete a form with their elementary school and receive a Yondr pouch.

• Upon entering school before the first instructional bell, students will turn off their cell phone, or place it in Do Not Disturb mode, put it inside the Yondr pouch and lock it. Students will keep their Yondr pouch in their backpack. The pouch will be unlocked after the last instructional bell at the end of the school day, in classrooms, at exit gates and/or in the school office main lobby area.
  • iOS Do Not Disturb Instructions
  • Android Do Not Disturb Instructions

• Students are in possession of their phone and other mobile devices – in their Yondr pouch – for the entire school day. Students should store the pouch in their backpacks where it is completely safe. Students are responsible for their pouches at all times.

• One pouch will be provided to each student at no fee.
• The replacement cost for each pouch is $25.
  • Students who need to replace a lost or damaged pouch will go to the school office.
  • Until the pouch is replaced, students are expected to adhere to all phone expectations and are subject to the same consequences. 
• New students who enroll during the year will be assigned their Yondr pouch during the registration process and receive their pouch from the school office.

• Yondr pouches do not block cell signals or the internet. Students are expected to turn their devices off or put them in Do Not Disturb mode before putting them in their Yondr pouch.
  • iOS Do Not Disturb Instructions
  • Android Do Not Disturb Instructions

• All cell phones, smart watches and earbuds must be turned off or placed in Do Not Disturb mode and locked in the Yondr pouch in a backpack during the school day. Students will be able to open their pouch when they leave campus. If they return to campus they will need to re-lock their items in their pouch.
• All personal devices, earbuds, phones and/or watches must be locked in the Yonder bag pouch no later than the start of a student's first period of the day and may be unlocked at the end of the student day. After the last instructional bell of the school day, students will be able to find an unlocking station to open up their Yondr pouches.
• If a student arrives late to school, that student needs to lock up their devices as they enter campus and check-in at the front desk.
• If a student leaves early from school, that student can unlock at the front office on their way out of school.

• Students must write their name on their pouch so that it can easily be identified. Any personalization should not interfere with the functionality of the pouch or locking clasp. Other markings or decorations must uphold the values and expectations of the district and schools.
• Cutting holes or slits in the pouch is prohibited. If a pouch is damaged and is no longer functional as deemed by the school, a replacement pouch must be purchased through the school office. Replacement pouches are available for purchase for $25.

• SCUSD is seeking to limit distractions in the classroom and improve overall student engagement, mental health, and well-being. We have received feedback from staff, families, and students that an updated mobile device policy is needed in schools. Feedback includes a concern that access to smartphones, smartwatches, and earbuds are a barrier to learning and student success. Concerns have been raised about the distractions and unwanted attention caused by constant access to social media, text messaging, and cameras (photos and videos taken at school are sometimes used for online harassment and bullying of other students).
• The pouches physically restrict access, but more importantly they serve as a symbolic decision that we will make each day to set aside personal devices in favor of active participation in school socially and academically.

Phone and Device-Free Schools will go into effect on the first day of school in the 2025-2026 school year.

• Yondr pouches with a velcro opening will be available for students that require access to a phone to monitor or track a medical condition. This not only provides access to students when they need it, but it also ensures they are not excluded from having a Yondr pouch because of their health impairment. When the student has finished using the phone it will need to be put back in the Yondr pouch and placed in the student’s backpack.

• Students will be able to receive emails on their district email account from family members and they can check their email account on their school issued Chromebook. 
• Our schools are staffed throughout the day with people who are here to help. Families can call the front office and ask for a note to be delivered to the student.
• Offices at our schools have phones and students can use an office phone to contact a parent.
• Students can visit the office or other identified locations on campus where they can request to unlock their pouch to access their phone to check and respond to messages from families.
• Messages can be sent to students' phones which they will receive after school ends for the day.

• Yes. Cell signals and access to the internet are not blocked by a Yondr pouch. When arriving at school, students should put their cell phone in Do Not Disturb mode prior to putting it in a pouch. If a student turns off their cell phone prior to putting it in a pouch, then parents will not be able to use Find My Phone to track the location of their student.
  • iOS Do Not Disturb Instructions
  • Android Do Not Disturb Instructions

• If this is a specified accommodation approved by the classroom teacher, students will be able to use headphones to connect to their school issued laptops to listen to music within specified times within the classroom.

• School staff will allow student access to personal devices at the appropriate time and when it is safe to do so. Our staff is trained to handle several different emergency events. It is imperative in an emergency that students focus on the information and direction being provided by the trained adult and that will include when it is safe to access/use their personal devices.

• Not having access to social media and texting might actually keep students safer during an emergency.
  • This keeps students from messaging locations, creating vibration and chime sounds that give away locations, or other information that could compromise safety.
  • Students will be able to more clearly focus on instructions and directions from school administrators, trained adults, and first responders during an emergency situation.
  • Allows the district to communicate accurate information to families regarding a situation, reunification, and other announcements.

• Your child will have their phone. The mobile device pouches stay with the student in their backpack the entire day.
• Our district has put significant work into ensuring that students can thrive at school without access to their mobile devices. Please review the FAQs for exceptions for students with medical conditions, and how to contact students as needed. After reviewing the FAQs, if you still have any questions, please contact your principal.

• Like with any concern, we encourage families and community members to start with administrators at their school. If the concern is not resolved, the matter can be brought to district office administrators, starting with our executive director of schools. 

• Students are issued district-provided devices for use at school. Personal laptops or tablets are not allowed, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

• Smartwatches can be used to send and receive text messages which is a distraction to the learning environment of the student and other students in the vicinity of the smartwatch. We know smartwatches can be set to a “Schooltime mode” but we cannot guarantee every student will have their smartwatch set to “Schooltime mode” nor can we guarantee that the smartwatch won’t be changed out of “Schooltime mode” during the school day which would make it possible for the watch to send messages and be used in other ways during class and while at school which will cause distractions and interruptions to the learning environment. 

• Our schools will always meet with families and students to determine if a situation warrants deviating from the policy. It will be an exception, not a norm.

• Students have demonstrated time and again that they will not comply with simply putting their phones away. Enforcement of this becomes a burden of the classroom teachers when students do not comply and valuable instructional time is lost. It also creates an unfair liability for the teacher when they have to confiscate a device due to student non-compliance with a zero-tolerance policy.

• Mobile devices, Airpods/earbuds, and smartwatches are highly discouraged at our elementary schools. They should be kept at home.
• Families who insist on their elementary-aged students having a mobile device at school can fill out a form with their school office. Students will be issued a Yondr pouch and follow our mobile device policy.

• This website section will continue to be updated with education materials. Please watch the recording of the online webinar above featuring parents and teachers from San Mateo High School describe their experience with a device free campus policy. In addition, we will partner with our Family Resource Center to develop resources for families and host education sessions designed to empower families to help teach their children how to establish a more balanced and healthy relationship with technology.

• A student's first Yondr pouch will be provided by the school district at no cost to the family. The replacement cost for lost or damaged pouches is $25.

• SCUSD is seeking to limit distractions in the classroom and improve overall student engagement, mental health, and well-being. We have received feedback from staff, families, and students that an updated mobile device policy is needed in schools. Feedback includes a concern that access to smartphones, smartwatches, and earbuds are a barrier to learning and student success. Concerns have been raised about the distractions and unwanted attention caused by constant access to social media, text messaging, and cameras (photos and videos taken at school are sometimes used for online harassment and bullying of other students).
• The pouches physically restrict access, but more importantly they serve as a symbolic decision that we will make each day to set aside personal devices in favor of active participation in school socially and academically.

• Students can go to the main office and other identified locations on campus to request to use a phone.
• Students can email their parents from their district accounts on their district issued laptop.

• All cell phones, smart watches and earbuds must be turned off or placed in Do Not Disturb mode and locked in the Yondr pouch in a backpack during the school day.
• All personal devices, earbuds, phones and/or watches must be locked in the Yonder bag pouch no later than the start of a student's first period of the day and may be unlocked at the end of the student day. After the last instructional bell of the school day, students will be able to find an unlocking station to open up their Yondr pouches.
• If a student arrives late to school, that student needs to lock up their devices as they enter campus and check-in at the front desk.
• If a student leaves early from school, that student can unlock at the front office on their way out of school.

• Students should either power off or place their cell phone in Do Not Disturb mode before placing items in the pouch. If not, it can be anxiety provoking to have a device buzzing throughout the day without being able to access it. If you or your family would like to be able to monitor your location, note that it will only work in Do No Disturb mode.
  • iOS Do Not Disturb Instruction
  • Android Do Not Disturb Instructions

• Students can open the pouch using the magnetic unlocking mechanism after the last bell of the instructional school day, in their last period classroom, or on the way out of the school at various established locations, including the main office area, at the end of the school day.
• During the school day, students can go to the front office or other identified locations on campus to ask to use a phone.

• Our goal with this Phone and Device-Free Schools policy is to provide a school atmosphere free from distraction. We believe this is as important during lunch and passing times as it is during class. We want our students to engage with the humans around them and learn to interact without technology.
• The unlocking of pouches during lunch, or between classes, will lead students to using their devices in the halls heading to class and into class, which causes a situation where time must be time spent by teachers and staff to make sure students have put their phones back in their pouch and in a backpack. The time spent to do this will be time taken away from class instruction. Upon entering class, students should be ready to engage in the classroom instruction.
• Students have off periods and not all students are in the common/lunch area at all times during lunch. Unlocking pouches during these two times creates a situation where students would have access to cell phones in areas of the schools where other students do not have access.

Schools are working together to develop consequences for students who do not have their cell phone, smartwatch, and Airpods/earbuds in a Yondr pouch. These consequences are not yet finalized but will be similar to the draft set below:

• First offense - Teachers or staff member will ask students to place the devices in their Yondr pouch, and ensure that the pouch is locked. If the student does not have a pouch, they will be sent to the office to turn in their devices for the remainder of the school day. 
• Second offense - Teachers or staff member will ask students to place the devices in their Yondr pouch, and ensure that the pouch is locked. The office is notified, and either a staff person comes to pick up the pouch, or the students is sent to the office to turn in the pouch. If the student does not have a pouch, they will be sent to the office to turn in their devices at the office. The pouch and devices will only be returned to a parent/guardian, who will be notified that they need to come to the school office to pick up the pouch and devices*. A restorative conversation with the student and possibly a parent/guardian will be held. 
• Any further offenses will be handled on a case by case basis which could include future discipline up to and including bag searches, community service, and/or other disciplinary action including detention or even suspension from school.

*Special Note: School office and administrative staff will not wait after school office hours for a parent/guardian to pick up a confiscated device.

Yes. You can have your device on the bus. We will be monitoring device use on buses this school year and could implement a policy regarding buses next school year.

• Coaches and other after school staff will need to adjust their messages to students in response to Phone and Device-Free Schools.
• Coaches, club advisors, and other after school staff may use ParentSquare/StudentSquare groups as a means to communicate with students. They can also email students updates to their school email address. Students have access to these platforms throughout the day on their district assigned device.
• As a backup, coaches, club advisors, and other after school staff can also send messages that will be seen after school when students open their Yondr pouches and have access to their phones.

• If the front office is still open, students can return to unlock their pouch.
• If the office is locked then students will have to wait until the next school day to unlock their pouch.

If a student forgets their pouch, they must turn in their phone and other devices for the day to the office, where they will be labeled, logged, and secured. They can retrieve their phone and other devices after the end of the instructional school day or when they leave campus. Students who repeatedly forget their pouch will have their parents/guardians informed, who could be required to retrieve it for their student. Loaner pouches will not be given out to students who forget their pouch. Consequences for being caught having a cell phone or device outside of a pouch would still apply.

• Students must write their name on their pouch so that it can easily be identified. Any personalization should not interfere with the functionality of the pouch or locking clasp. Other markings or decorations must uphold the values and expectations of the district and schools.
• Cutting holes or slits in the pouch is prohibited. If a pouch is damaged and is no longer functional as deemed by the school, a replacement pouch must be purchased through the school office. Replacement pouches are available for purchase for $25.

• Students that have questions should contact their school administrators and counselors.

• SCUSD is seeking to limit distractions in the classroom and improve overall student engagement, mental health, and well-being. We have received feedback from staff, families, and students that an updated mobile device policy is needed in schools. Feedback includes a concern that access to smartphones, smartwatches, and earbuds are a barrier to learning and student success. Concerns have been raised about the distractions and unwanted attention caused by constant access to social media, text messaging, and cameras (photos and videos taken at school are sometimes used for online harassment and bullying of other students).
• The pouches physically restrict access, but more importantly they serve as a symbolic decision that we will make each day to set aside personal devices in favor of active participation in school socially and academically.

• Students will be watching staff as Phone and Device-Free Schools is implemented and staff need to model the behavior we expect from our students. Staff will not be required to put their cell phones in a pouch. However, publicly texting, accessing social media, and walking around with phones in ones back pockets is not the example we want to set for our students. We strongly encourage our staff to put their cell phones away during class time and not access their cell phones when students are present.
• How to be a Phone and Device-Free Schools role model:
  • In spaces where we restrict cell phone use for students the same norms will apply to staff.
  • Staff cell phones, smartwatches, Airpods/earbuds are not out or visible in classrooms, hallways, and other student areas when students are present.
  • Office spaces are places where devices are permitted for use. 
  • Staff should not place their cell phones in the back pocket of their pants and move around their class or school. Cell phones should be out of sight.

• Teachers can use their discretion to allow students to unlock their pouches for legitimate educational purposes, using the unlocking device assigned to that teacher.
• Teachers are responsible for ensuring students put their phones back into their pouches and lock them before they leave that class.

Staff should work with their school administrators, TOSAs, or tech services staff to determine the plausibility of students accessing the app through their district assigned devices. Staff should also identify alternative strategies that do not require the use of a cell phone or other mobile device. That being said, teachers still have discretion to allow students’ use of their devices under the teacher’s direct supervision.

All staff share responsibility for enforcing Phone and Device-Free Schools. Your school administrator will work with staff at your site to determine specific school-level protocols.

• Teachers will conduct device pouch checks during the first few minutes of class, especially at the beginning of the school day. Students will be asked to have their pouches out and on their desks once they are seated.
• Site administrators and other staff will conduct random classroom checks as well as checks outside the classroom to ensure compliance with our Phone and Device-Free Schools policy.