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Students in Culpeper County’s middle and high schools began locking up their cellphones this week.
In October, school board members opted to utilize Yondr locked pouches to keep students from accessing their devices during the school day.
The pouches, which have been implemented in other school divisions including Fredericksburg City Schools, use magnetic locks to prevent access to phones and other personal electronic devices such as smartwatches.
Students maintain possession of their devices within the pouches, but are unable to unlock them.
The program, which costs $137,101, was funded through a transfer of capital improvement funds. According to Culpeper County Public Schools Director of Communication Laura Hoover, each school has created a well thought out exit and unlocking plan based on its building and traffic patterns. The school division does not anticipate delays in students exiting the building due to unlocking the pouches. Students will unlock their own pouches.
The Yondr program is part of a larger school board approved cellphone policy to keep cellphones “off and away” during the day. The policy utilizes the pouches for students in sixth through 12th grade while elementary school students must keep their devices off or in airplane mode and in their backpacks or other personal storage.
Accommodations will be made for students who have medical plans in place that utilize their phones. Students needing to notify parents will do so from their school’s main office.
Culpeper’s cellphone policy is in response to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33 directing officials to issue guidance on cellphone-free education policies in Virginia’s elementary and secondary schools.
The governor said cellphone usage was contributing to problems in the classroom and mental health issues among students.
Final guidance was released in September stating phones should be off and away from the first bell at the start of the school day to final bell signaling dismissal. This includes lunch and time between classes.
School divisions have until Jan. 1 to develop and implement policies and procedures in accordance with the guidance.
