YONDR family information

NYC DOE Cell Phone POLICY 

  1. Students are permitted to bring personal electronic devices to school. 

  2. Cell phones and portable music and entertainment systems may not be turned on or used during the administration of any school quiz, test or examination.

  3. Computing devices may not be turned on or used during the administration of any school quiz, test or examination, except where such use has been explicitly authorized by the school or is contained in an Individualized Education Program or Section 504 Accommodation Plan. 

  4. Cell phones, computing devices and portable music and entertainment systems may not be turned on or used during school fire drills or other emergency preparedness exercises. 

  5. Cell phones, computing devices, and portable music and entertainment systems may not be used in locker rooms or bathrooms. 

  6. Schools are NOT RESPONSIBLE for lost or stolen personal devices.

YONDR Parent Letter

We will be making our school a phone-free space to improve teaching and learning using a system called Yondr. Yondr has been implemented in over 2,000 schools across 16 countries to facilitate an engaged learning environment. 

We believe that phones have great utility. We have also found that learning and social behavior improve drastically when students are fully engaged with their teachers and classmates.

The Yondr Program utilizes a simple, secure pouch that stores a phone. Every student will secure their phone in a personally assigned Yondr pouch when they arrive at school. Students will maintain possession of their phones and will not use them until their pouches are opened at the end of the school day. Students are required to bring their Yondr pouch to and from school each day and are responsible for their pouch at all times.

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:

  • 65% of schools saw an improvement in academic performance

  • 74% of schools saw an improvement in student behavior

  • 83% of schools saw an improvement in student engagement in the classroom

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school directly at (718) 681-6850. 

If there is an emergency and you would like to get in contact with your child, please reach out to our parent coordinator Ms. Pierna at (718) 681-6850 in the main office. 

In an effort to best serve your child, we appreciate your full support in adoption of the Yondr Program at our school.

Thank you,

Ivelisse Rivera 

Principal JHS 22

STUDENT PHONE POLICY & GUIDELINES

Phones are not to be used during school. Every student is assigned a personal Yondr Pouch. While the Yondr Pouch is considered school property, it is each student’s responsibility to bring their Pouch with them to school every day and keep it in good working condition. 

DAILY PROCESS

As students Arrive to School, they will: 

  1. Turn their phone off.

  2. Place their phone inside their Pouch and secure it in front of school staff.

  3. Store their Pouch in their backpack for the day.

At the end of the day, students will open their Pouch, remove their phone and put their Pouch in their backpack. Students must bring their Pouch to school with them each day.  

*Students arriving late or leaving early will pouch/unpouch their phones in the main office

VIOLATIONS

Pouch Damage / Lost Pouch / Using Phone During School 

  • If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone, Administration will collect the phone/Pouch and call home for a meeting

  • Parent Pickup AND/OR 

  • Community Service AND/OR 

  • Fee for a replacement Pouch

Examples of damage:

Deep scratches on the globe and on the green ring around it 

  • Intentional pen marks on the inside of the Pouch

  • Bent pins

  • Pin and button not fully recessing, due to pin damage

Forgotten Pouch

If a student forgets their Pouch, their phone will be collected and Admin will call home to remind the Parent of the policy. The phone will be returned to the student at dismissal. 

If a student consistently forgets their Pouch, it is considered Lost. Refer to the Lost Pouch policy above.

Damaged Pouch

How Yondr Works

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I want to reach my child during the school day?

We want our students to be engaged in their learning. If you need to contact your child during the school day, contact the main office at (718) 681-6850

What if there is a school emergency?

In case of a school emergency, we direct our students to safety first, following our school emergency preparedness protocol. 

Will my student’s phone be safe?

Students are in possession of their phone - in their Yondr pouch - for the entire school day. We will advise students to store the pouch in their backpacks where it is completely safe.

What if the Yondr pouch gets damaged or a student is caught on their phone?

The Yondr pouch is property of MS 22 If a student damages their Pouch or is caught on their phone, Administration will collect the phone/Pouch and call home: 

● The Parent will come to the school and pick up their child’s phone

● AND/OR Consequences may include: Community Service / In-School 

   Suspension / Detention

Note: Damage consists of any signs that the physical integrity of the pouch has been compromised, whether intentional or unintentional, as determined by the school or Yondr staff.