Cellphone policies vary by each school in Scott County

Sikeston Alternative Education Center principal Brian James demonstrates how the YONDR cellphone pouches work Friday, Aug. 23, at the school in Sikeston.

Gina Curtis ~ Standard Democrat

SIKESTON — As many local schools began the new year, some also have implemented new cellphone policies.

On Aug. 20, the first day of school for Oran R-3 School District, the phone pouch system through the brand YONDR was implemented for students in seventh through 12th grades to help the district enforce its cellphone policy.

Oran R-3 superintendent Adam Friga explained how the phone pouches work.

“Students place their cellphones and all bluetooth wireless-capable devices into a designated pouch before entering the building each day and must keep the pouch in their backpack,” Friga said. “Students can access their devices after school by unlocking the pouch at the assigned station as they exit through the high school lobby doors.”

According to Friga, phones are frequently a source of distraction, both for students who may use them in class and for teachers who must monitor their use.

Friga said by minimizing the presence of devices, the school hopes to increase student engagement and focus on learning and interpersonal interactions.

“There are clear and consistent standards that were set in the student handbook,” Friga said. “Discipline is elevated per phone infraction. Each time a violation occurs, guardians must pick up the phone after school.”

According to Friga, the district decided to use the pouches after receiving feedback from staff on how to improve the learning environment.

“The primary goal is to reduce distractions and enhance student engagement in their learning,” Friga said.

This school year, the phone pouches through YONDR are also being implemented as a pilot program at the Sikeston R-6 Alternative Education Center.

According to Natalie Coppage, Sikeston Public Schools’ communications and marketing specialist, when students enter the building, their electronic devices are placed in the YONDR pouch, which is then secured until school dismissal.

Coppage said the alternative school’s entire staff has been pleased with the results of the YONDR pouches thus far as the new school year began Tuesday, Aug. 20.

According to Coppage, Sikeston High School and Sikeston Junior High do not have YONDR pouches, but the buildings do have their own procedures in place to ensure cellphones do not distract students during instructional time.

Friga said it is still too early for Oran schools to draw conclusions from their experiences so far, but they can already see a positive shift in classroom interactions.

According to Scott County R-4 “Kelly” superintendent Bradley Kolwyck, the school district has a cellphone policy in place, but does not use YONDR pouches.

“Our rules are that they cannot have their phones out during the school day,” Kolwyck said. “They do not have to turn their cellphones in, but they do have to have their phones put up in their backpacks or lockers while school is going on.”

According to Kolwyck, if a student is caught with a cellphone, there will be consequences.

“It’s based on the handbook,” Kolwyck said. “It depends on how many times they get caught with a phone, it could be anywhere from after-school detention or in school suspension.”

East Prairie School District is not issuing cellphone pouches, but it also has cellphone policies.

“Students here at East Prairie are allowed to have a cellphone, but it has to be turned off and put away,” East Prairie High School principal Jamie Johnson said. “No phones are allowed to be used during class while on campus.”

Johnson said if students were to get caught with their phone, the first offense would be a warning and then detention would follow. Johnson said the same rules apply for the whole district.

Charleston High School ran into cellphone issues during the 2022-23 school year and implemented a no-cellphone policy toward the end of that school year.

Starting April 4, 2022, students were asked either to not bring their phones to school or to check them into the office until the day is over, Charleston R-1 superintendent Jamarcus Williams, who was the high school principal at the time, told the Standard Democrat. Students could also opt out of either option and choose to keep their phones in their possession — turned off and out of sight throughout the entirety of the school day. However, if the phone is sighted, it will be confiscated, Williams said at the time.

In addition to cellphones, the procedure adjustments included smartwatches and any other devices that connect them to the internet. Students who check phones into the office may pick them up each day upon dismissal. As always, if student-parent contact is needed, they may call the office, Williams said.

According to Williams, the change was because of many factors, including students taking videos and pictures of other students and posting them on social media; students using phones in several different ways to cheat on tests and other assignments; students using phones while in bathrooms and locker rooms, airdropping random or inappropriate photos during lunch to random people; and large amount of conflicts that begin on social media or through text messages.

“The original plan was to start the new procedures in August (2022), but things were getting out of hand and inappropriate and it had to be implemented sooner,” Williams said.

Williams said there have not been any issues with phones and smart devices since the new procedures began.

Students who choose to lock up their devices will receive them upon dismissal, or they may choose to not bring them at all. Any student who violates the procedures will have their phone confiscated and a parent or guardian will be required to pick it up.