King MS Cell Phone Policy (Yondr)

 

 

LINKS TO POLICIES AND RESOURCES

King MS Cell Phone Policy (Yondr)

Replacement Policy for Lost/Damaged Yondr Pouch

Parent Verification Form - Exemption Due to No Personal Electronic Devices

Consequences 

Emergencies 

YONDR

What is Yondr?

Impact of a Phone-Free School Day

 

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01/31/25

Greetings King Parents/Guardians:

Thomas Starr King Middle School will begin the Phone-Free School Day implementation on Monday, February 24, 2025. Students will be required to turn off (or put on airplane mode) all cell phones and store them in their assigned Yondr Pouch during the school day. This also applies to devices that provide similar functionality to a smartphone, such as a smart watch, earbuds, and smart glasses. This applies from the time students enter campus until the dismissal bell rings. The benefits of a Phone-Free School Day are to increase and enhance the focus on learning, improve social interaction, and  promote physical activity and overall student mental health and wellness. 

The following outline the steps for implementation:

  • Students will be issued and assigned a pouch to store their cell phone
  • Students are required to turn off (or put on airplane mode) their cell phones as they enter campus and place them into their assigned pouches, which will be secured and locked
  • Students will then place their pouch inside their backpacks throughout the school day
  • Students will unlock their pouches to retrieve their cell phones at the designated stations located throughout the campus when the school day ends

Our school will continue to encourage students and parents to follow the policy. Support will be provided throughout the implementation for a successful transition. Additional resources and information will be available and posted on our school website and Schoology.  

We thank you in advance for your continued engagement and support.

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

01/15/25

Dear King MS Community,

The LA Unified Board of Education has adopted a resolution implementing phone-free school days to enhance student mental health and academic performance. Under this policy, all smartphones and similar devices (including smart watches, earbuds, and smart glasses) must be powered off and stored away during school hours.

On December 5, 2024, King's Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Council—comprising elected students, parents, and staff members—voted to implement this policy using magnetic pouches schoolwide.

We are currently working with the vendor to coordinate the delivery of these pouches and arrange staff training. Once these details are finalized, we will share a comprehensive implementation plan.

We appreciate your partnership in supporting and enforcing this policy, which aims to improve both student achievement and well-being.

 

-------------------------------------------------

12/06/24

 

On December 5, 2024, King's Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Council—comprising elected students, parents, and staff members—voted to implement cell phone policy using magnetic pouches schoolwide.

-------------------------------------------------

11/13/24

On June 16, 2024, LAUSD passed a Board Resolution to address a cell phone-free school day to support students' mental health and well-being. This policy will be implemented district-wide upon return from Winter Break. The phone-free school day policy calls for the following:

 

  • Supporting students' mental health and creating environments where students feel safe;

  • Promoting a phone-free school day to increase academic performance.

 

King's current cell-phone policy already aligns with this recent Board Resolution, where student cell phones (or any device that allows you to communicate with others, such as an Apple Watch) must be powered off and out-of-sight before students enter campus and until the dismissal bell rings. 

 

At the upcoming Shared Decision-Making (SDM) council meeting on December 5, 2024, at 3:30 p.m., more information will be shared that delves into research on the harmful effects of cell phones and supporting a cell phone-free implementation for the entire school day. At this upcoming SDM meeting, our council will also approve the policy for implementation in the second semester.

 

We appreciate parent support in implementing the policy.

 

 

 

LINKS TO POLICIES AND RESOURCES

King MS Cell Phone Policy (Yondr) – coming soon

Replacement Policy for Lost/Damaged Yondr Pouch

Parent Verification Form - Exemption Due to No Personal Electronic Devices

Consequences 

Emergencies 

YONDR

What is Yondr?

Impact of a Phone-Free School Day

 

-------------------------------------------------

02/06/25

 

Parents are invited to a Zoom webinar!

 

TopicKing MS Cell Phone Policy (Yondr) PARENT WEBINAR

When: Wed, Feb 12, 2025 11:00 AM

 

Zoom Webinar Info

Link: https://lausd.zoom.us/j/82099272853

Webinar ID: 820 9927 2853

Join via audio: +1 213 338 8477 US (Los Angeles)

 

 

Dear King MS Parents & Students - 

 

Starting on Monday, February 24th, all students are expected to store their cell phones in a Yondr pouch that they lock up before entering campus, store in their backpack throughout the school day, then unlock at dismissal. 

 

Students will be assigned their personal pouch through PE the week of February 18th. Just like with their computer and textbooks, students are expected to bring their Yondr Pouch every day and return it in good shape at the end of the year. Lost or damaged pouches will be assessed a replacement fee.

 

The only exemption is if parents verify that students do not have a personal device and/or that they will not bring it to school. Parent Verification Exemption forms must be completed and returned by Tuesday, February 18, before we distribute the pouches.

 

For more details on the cell phone policy, including consequences for violations, please go to KingMS.org 

 

We understand there may be some concerns and anxiety, from parents and students, about limiting access to phones. You are invited to our Parent Webinar on Wednesday, February 12th, at 11 am, to learn more about the policy, see how the benefits outweigh the concerns, and what we will do as a school to help support student mental health and wellbeing. (If you are unable to make the Webinar, we plan to provide the slides and recording afterward.)  

 

We look forward to your partnership in establishing a phone free school day to support positive student engagement and academic success. 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------

01/31/25

Greetings King Parents/Guardians:

Thomas Starr King Middle School will begin the Phone-Free School Day implementation on Monday, February 24, 2025. Students will be required to turn off (or put on airplane mode) all cell phones and store them in their assigned Yondr Pouch during the school day. This also applies to devices that provide similar functionality to a smartphone, such as a smart watch, earbuds, and smart glasses. This applies from the time students enter campus until the dismissal bell rings. The benefits of a Phone-Free School Day are to increase and enhance the focus on learning, improve social interaction, and  promote physical activity and overall student mental health and wellness. 

The following outline the steps for implementation:

  • Students will be issued and assigned a pouch to store their cell phone
  • Students are required to turn off (or put on airplane mode) their cell phones as they enter campus and place them into their assigned pouches, which will be secured and locked
  • Students will then place their pouch inside their backpacks throughout the school day
  • Students will unlock their pouches to retrieve their cell phones at the designated stations located throughout the campus when the school day ends

Our school will continue to encourage students and parents to follow the policy. Support will be provided throughout the implementation for a successful transition. Additional resources and information will be available and posted on our school website and Schoology.  

We thank you in advance for your continued engagement and support.

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

01/15/25

Dear King MS Community,

The LA Unified Board of Education has adopted a resolution implementing phone-free school days to enhance student mental health and academic performance. Under this policy, all smartphones and similar devices (including smart watches, earbuds, and smart glasses) must be powered off and stored away during school hours.

On December 5, 2024, King's Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Council—comprising elected students, parents, and staff members—voted to implement this policy using magnetic pouches schoolwide.

We are currently working with the vendor to coordinate the delivery of these pouches and arrange staff training. Once these details are finalized, we will share a comprehensive implementation plan.

We appreciate your partnership in supporting and enforcing this policy, which aims to improve both student achievement and well-being.

 

-------------------------------------------------

12/06/24

 

On December 5, 2024, King's Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Council—comprising elected students, parents, and staff members—voted to implement cell phone policy using magnetic pouches schoolwide.

-------------------------------------------------

11/13/24

On June 16, 2024, LAUSD passed a Board Resolution to address a cell phone-free school day to support students' mental health and well-being. This policy will be implemented district-wide upon return from Winter Break. The phone-free school day policy calls for the following:

 

  • Supporting students' mental health and creating environments where students feel safe;

  • Promoting a phone-free school day to increase academic performance.

 

King's current cell-phone policy already aligns with this recent Board Resolution, where student cell phones (or any device that allows you to communicate with others, such as an Apple Watch) must be powered off and out-of-sight before students enter campus and until the dismissal bell rings. 

 

At the upcoming Shared Decision-Making (SDM) council meeting on December 5, 2024, at 3:30 p.m., more information will be shared that delves into research on the harmful effects of cell phones and supporting a cell phone-free implementation for the entire school day. At this upcoming SDM meeting, our council will also approve the policy for implementation in the second semester.

 

We appreciate parent support in implementing the policy.