Dear GASD Parents/Guardians,
While we may be in the first full month of summer recess, our staff is busy preparing for the upcoming school year and the new programs and opportunities that will be in place to support our students. We pride ourselves in providing an educational experience for our students that best prepares them for success in their studies and outside the classroom. In order to provide this opportunity for our students, they need to have as little distraction as possible.
To achieve this and help optimize teaching and learning during the 2024-25 school year, the Greater Amsterdam School District will be implementing phone-free classrooms in grades 6-12. All personal electronic devices (phones, smartwatch, earbuds) will be placed in a personal locked Yondr pouch that is kept sealed during the school day with a magnetized locking device.
As a district we are still a cell-phone free district.
Why are we doing this?
Our staff has reported students are distracted and disengaged in the classroom when they have access to their cell phones. We recognize this is becoming a problem, like it is in many other school districts across the country, and feel it is important that we take steps to preserve a school environment conducive to teaching and learning so all students may reach their potential.
How will this work?
In the second week of September we will begin distributing Yondr pouches to all middle and high school students with a full implementation on Sept. 30, 2024.. Over 1,000 schools across 21 countries use Yondr pouches to facilitate an engaged learning environment. Here at GASD, every student will secure their phone in a personally assigned Yondr pouch when they arrive at school. Students maintain possession of their phones throughout the school day and will not use them until their pouches are opened at the end of the school day. The use of the pouches allows for students to continue to have their phone in their possession while providing for a distraction-free learning environment.
Yondr recently surveyed over 900 school partners to measure the effects of creating phone-free educational environments. These schools achieved notable progress in multiple areas:
83% of schools saw an improvement in student engagement in the classroom
74% of schools saw an improvement in student behavior
65% of schools saw an improvement in academic performance
If there is an emergency during the school day, and you need to get in contact with your child, you will be able to reach out to their school’s main office and they will contact the student. If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian during the school day, student’s will have access to phones in their school’s main office.
I understand that some parents and guardians, as well as students, may not feel there is a need for this type of action, but based on feedback from our staff and the success that other school districts have seen in implementing a program such as this, we feel strongly this is the best move forward to ensure a quality education program for our students.
Before we launch the program, we will be sharing more information about the pouches and how the program will work here at GASD. In the meantime, more detailed information about the pouches can be found on the Yondr website.
I look forward to another exciting school year and again seeing our halls filled with students. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer break!
Sincerely,
Richard Ruberti
GASD Superintendent of Schools