GASD Yondr – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
In 2024-25, Greater Amsterdam School District will increase efforts to become a phone-free learning environment. Learn more about Yondr pouches below:
What is a Yondr pouch?
The Yondr Pouch is a secure bag that is used to store an individual’s mobile device or devices. It is secured and unlocked with a special magnetic locking device.
Why is the school introducing Yondr pouches?
The middle school and high school is seeking to limit distractions in the classroom and improve overall student engagement, mental health and well-being.
How will students receive a Yondr pouch?
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.
How will the process work at arrival and dismissal?
Upon entering school, students will turn their phone off, place the phone inside of the Yondr pouch, and lock it in front of the designated staff. The pouches will be unlocked at the end of the school day at several designated locations within the building.
What if a student needs their personal device for a medical issue?
Students who have a documented medical condition and who need a personal device for monitoring their condition will be provided with a non-locking Yondr pouch that has a velcro seal.
How is the “end of the day” defined?
The end of the day is 2:07 p.m. Students who leave school before 2:07 will be able to unlock their phones as they leave.
My student attends BOCES CTE classes where Yondr pouches are not required. What will the process be for these students?
Students who attend BOCES CTE classes in the afternoon will be able to unlock their devices when they leave the high school. Those who attend morning CTE classes will have to lock their devices upon arrival to the high school.
Will my student’s phone be safe?
Phones never leave the possession of the students.
Will my student still be able to listen to music?
Students will be able to use headphones with cords to connect to their Chromebooks. They will be able to use the headphones for classroom work or for listening to music during free periods. All Bluetooth devices, including AirPods, smartwatches, and other headphones, must be stored in the Yondr pouch.
What if a student needs to leave the building before regular dismissal?
If a student needs to leave school early for an approved early dismissal, medical emergency, work assignment, athletic event, or other school-sponsored trip, students will be able to unlock their devices at school just prior to their departure. If returning to school during the instructional day, the Yondr pouch would be locked upon re-entry to the building.
What happens if there is an emergency at school?
Every location in the high school is equipped with a phone that can dial 911. Our staff is trained to execute safety and emergency procedures. Students will follow the school’s emergency procedures in the case of an emergency. Schools will communicate with parents through the district’s mass notification and communication tools.
What if a student does not comply or damages the locked case to access their phone?
Students who are found to unlock the pouches, cause damage to the pouch, or use an alternate phone will be subject to disciplinary action.
What happens if a student doesn’t have their Yondr Pouch?
The phone will be turned over to main office staff and secured in the school, safe until the end of the school day. At the end of the school day, students will retrieve their phone by showing their school ID.
How will students be able to contact families if there is a lockdown or active shooter situation?
Students and staff at all schools practice lockdown drills four times a year. Students and staff are instructed to be silent during a lockdown. The response action guidelines outlined in the middle and high school’s building-level safety plan has a community notification plan for all emergency situation. This notification plan includes first and foremost, parents and guardians of students in the building.
What if my child is at school and needs to call 911?
Every classroom is equipped with a phone that can dial 911. There are no codes or prefix needed to dial outside of the district. Anyone can dial direct.
Why can’t the school just implement a zero-tolerance policy and allow students to keep their phones put away?
The school introduced a zero-tolerance policy in an attempt to limit cell phone use in the classroom. However, enforcement of this practice becomes the burden of classroom teachers when students do not comply and valuable instruction time is lost as these issues are addressed.
Requiring students to lock their phones away seems like a punishment for high school students. Is this the case?
The introduction of Yondr is not a punitive measure. The intention of Yondr is three-fold:
to create classroom environments where teachers can teach and students can learn free from distractions caused by the personal use of devices;
to reduce the negative impacts for ALL students of inappropriate use of devices at school, such as cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and incidents involving mobile phones that detract from a healthy school climate; and
to increase meaningful face-to-face connections between students.
Are students able to use their Chromebooks to email outside of gasd.org
Currently, students in grades 6-12 can email outside the district and will continue to have access to do so. Lower grades will not have this ability. All district email is filtered and monitored.
Will students be able to put their personal email accounts on the district-owned Chromebooks?
No. Students will only be able to use their gasd.org accounts on district-owned devices. All devices and networks owned by the district are monitored.
Will teachers be using the Yondr pouches as well?
All teachers and staff at the high school will be provided a Yondr pouch with a velcro closure . Teachers and staff will be encouraged to model responsible cell phone use for students.
If a student forgets to unlock the pouch before leaving the building, is there a way for students to unlock the pouch – ie an unlock station outside the school building?
There will not be an unlocking station outside the building. If the student forgets to unlock their pouch, they will be able to return to school before the last late bus departs to unlock it.
What if there is a building-wide emergency and students are unable to return to the building, how will they open their Yondr pouch?
There will be mobile unlocking devices available for these types of circumstances.
If the Yondr pouch is stolen/lost who is responsible for replacement?
Students will ultimately be responsible for the care of their Yondr pouch. If a student intentionally damages the pouch, they will be responsible for replacement and may face disciplinary consequences. If a student loses their pouch, the district may replace the pouch free of charge in the first instance only and introduce a sliding scale for replacement costs for subsequent losses. As the new school year gets underway, the district will provide families and students with replacement protocols.
Will each teacher be able to unlock the pouches in the event of an active shooter in the building or a lockdown due to swatting?
No. Individual teachers will not be able to unlock the pouches.
How many Yondr stations will there be and where will they be located?
Staff from Yondr will be visiting the district in May to determine the most appropriate locations in the school for the unlocking devices. Safety, efficiency and effectiveness will be top priorities in locating the unlocking devices. Yondr staff will also be on site for the first few days of the new school year to help troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
Do the Yondr pouches block cell signals or internet?
Yondr pouches do not block cell signals or the internet. The company is looking at upgrading pouches to include RFID chips that could enable blocking, however, that technology is currently not available with Yondr.
How will students know whose Yondr pouch is whose?
When the school year begins, the pouches will be distributed and each high school student will be required to put their name on their pouch as it is handed to them. Staff from Yondr will work with school administrators to ensure a smooth distribution process. Students will keep their pouches with them at all times.
What tools will the school use to help gauge effectiveness of the Yondr pouches?
The district will use quantitative and qualitative data to assess the effectiveness of Yondr in improving the student experience. This includes School Climate Survey data, PASS survey data, Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, discipline referrals, as well as faculty and staff feedback.
The information above doesn’t answer my questions. How can I submit a question about Yondr pouches?
The Yondr FAQs will be updated as the implementation gets underway in 2024-25. If you have a question regarding the implementation of Yondr pouches at the middle and high school, contact their building principals.
Amsterdam High School Principal: Mike Gennett - mgennett@gasd.org (518-843-4932)
Lynch Literacy Academy: Bryan Wood - bwood@gasd.org (518-843-3716)