Beginning Sept. 4, 2025, the Stillwater Central School District will transition to a distraction-free learning environment. Learn more about Yondr pouches below:
1. What is a Yondr pouch?
The Yondr pouch is a case designed specifically to store personal electronic devices securely.
2. Why is Stillwater CSD introducing Yondr pouches?
In accordance with New York State’s Distraction-Free Schools law, the district is seeking to limit classroom distractions and improve student engagement, mental health and well-being.
3. Where can I read the student cellphone/electronic device policy?
The Stillwater CSD Student Cellphone/Electronic Device policy can be found on the district website. The policy will take effect on Sept. 4, 2025.
4. How will students receive a Yondr pouch?
On the first day of school, Sept. 4, 2025, each student in grades 6–12 will be assigned a Yondr pouch. Similar to district-issued Chromebooks, each pouch will be numbered and assigned to a specific student. It will also include an ID card with the student’s name.
The pouch is the property of the school and is considered a loan to the student during the school year. Students are responsible for the Yondr pouch at all times and for bringing the pouch to and from school each day and maintaining its condition.
5. How will the process work at arrival and dismissal?
Upon arrival, students are permitted to use their phones until the official start of the school day, which is 7:30 a.m. for MS/HS students. At the first bell, students will be required to turn off their phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth headphones and any other electronic devices, place them in their Yondr pouch and lock it.
The pouch remains with the student all day. Students can unlock their pouches at the end of the school day at several designated locations within the building.
6. How is the “end of the day” defined?
The end of the day is 2:19 p.m. for MS/HS students. Students who leave school before these times will be able to unlock their phones as they leave the building.
7. 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 pouches when they leave school. Students who attend off-site locations in the morning will have to lock their pouches when they return to campus.
8. What if a student needs their personal device for a medical issue?
Students with a documented medical exemption and need their personal device to monitor their health will be provided with a non-locking Yondr pouch that has a velcro seal.
9. Will my student’s phone be safe?
Phones never leave the possession of the students.
10. Will my student still be able to listen to music?
Students may not bring personal music players, large headphones or alternative listening devices into the building. Wired headphones are permitted only for instructional purposes. All Bluetooth products including AirPods, smartwatches and other internet-enabled devices, must be stored in the Yondr pouch.
11. 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 obligation or other reasons, students will be able to unlock their devices at school prior to their departure. If students return to school during the instructional day, their Yondr pouch would be locked upon re-entry into the building.
12. What happens if there is an emergency at school?
Every location in Stillwater Elementary, Middle and High Schools is equipped with a phone that can dial 911. There are no codes or prefixes needed to dial outside of the district. Our staff is trained to follow safety and emergency procedures. In the event of an emergency, students will follow the school’s safety procedures and all families will be immediately notified via ParentSquare.
13. What if a parent or guardian needs to reach their child during the school day?
We understand that emergencies will occur. If the need arises, parents and guardians may contact the main office of their child’s school or send a message to the student’s district-provided email. Similarly, students can reach their parents by requesting to use a district phone or by sending an email using their SCSD account.
Please note students will only be able to email staff and other SCSD students, in addition to parents/guardian emails white-listed by the district. All district email is filtered and monitored.
14. What if a student does not comply or damages the locked case to access their phone?
Students who are found with unlocked or damaged pouches, unauthorized magnets or an alternative phone or device will be subject to disciplinary action, according to the above referenced district policy.
15. What happens if a student doesn’t have their Yondr pouch?
Their phone, Bluetooth/wireless headphones and/or smartwatch will be turned over to main office staff and secured in the school, safe until the end of the day. At the end of the school day, students will retrieve their phone from the office.
16. 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 prefixes needed to dial outside of the district. Anyone can dial directly.
17. How will students be able to contact families if there is a lockdown or more urgent situation?
Students and staff at all schools practice lockdown, fire and other safety drills multiple times a year. Students and staff are instructed to be silent during a lockdown. The response action guidelines outlined in each Building-Level Emergency Response Plan has a community notification plan for emergency situations. This notification plan includes first and foremost, families of students in the building.
18. Why can’t the district just implement a zero-tolerance policy and allow students to keep their phones put away?
The district’s previous policy was difficult to enforce uniformly and placed the burden of enforcement on classroom teachers, leading to the loss of valuable instruction time. Research has shown that Yondr pouches return learning and teaching time to the classroom, increasing student engagement and academic performance.
19. 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 is to:
- to create classroom environments where teachers can teach and students can learn free from distractions caused by the use of personal devices;
- to reduce the negative impacts for ALL students of improper use of devices at school including cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content and incidents involving cellphones that detract from a healthy school climate and culture;
- to increase meaningful face-to-face connections between students.
20. Are students able to use their Chromebooks to email outside of scsd.org?
No. Students will only be able to email staff and other SCSD students, in addition to parents/guardian emails white-listed by the district. All district email is filtered and monitored.
21. Will students be able to put their personal email accounts on the district-owned Chromebooks?
No. Students will only be able to use their scsd.org accounts on district-owned devices. All devices and networks owned by the district are strictly monitored.
22. Will teachers be using Yondr pouches as well?
Teachers and staff will not be provided a Yondr pouch, however, they’ll be encouraged to model responsible cellphone use for students.
23. If a student forgets to unlock the pouch before leaving the building, is there a way for students to unlock the pouch? For example, is there 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 may return to school to unlock their device.
24. 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 during these situations.
25. 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.
26. How many Yondr stations will there be and where will they be located?
There will be multiple unlocking stations located where students normally enter and exit the building, including the auditorium, MS/HS entrances, and the Lilac Lobby.
27. Do the Yondr pouches block cell signals or the internet?
No, they do not block cell signals or the internet.
28. How will students know whose Yondr pouch is whose?
When pouches are distributed, each student in grades 6-12 will be assigned a pouch numbered in Sharpie that will include an ID card for the student’s name.
29. Will Stillwater Elementary be using Yondr pouches?
Stillwater Elementary will remain cellphone-free; however, any smartwatches or internet-enabled devices brought to school must be turned off and stored in a student’s backpack or cubby.
30. What are the penalties for violating the district cellphone/electronic device policy?
A: First violation: the student must surrender their device to the requesting staff member immediately. The student may retrieve the device at the end of the school day from the office, and the parent/guardian will be notified.
Second violation: the student must surrender their device to the requesting staff member immediately. The parent/guardian will be notified and the student’s parent/guardian must pick up the device from the office.
Third violation: the student must surrender their device to the requesting staff member immediately. The parent will be notified and the student’s parent/guardian must retrieve the device from the office. For a period of 30 calendar days, upon entering the building, the student will surrender their device(s) to a building principal. To ensure compliance with this policy, the student and belongings may be screened using a metal detection device.
31. What tools will the school use to help gauge the effectiveness of the Yondr pouches?
The district will use qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the effectiveness of Yondr in improving student learning, engagement, academic performance and mental health. This includes the School Climate Survey, discipline referrals and stakeholder feedback.