Pathfinder Tech to implement new cellphone policy

Date: 10/17/2023

PALMER — The Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical School Committee discussed and approved a new cellphone policy to be added to the school’s handbook at its Oct. 11 meeting.

Pathfinder Tech Superintendent Eric Duda talked about the used of Yondr pouches starting this month.
He said, “We had talked about some issues in this building, and we homed in on the use of cellphones and social media and we had talked as a group about adopting some practices that we might use for cellphones in this building. We updated our policy on that, we updated our handbook on that.”

Duda said he and a group have worked with the Yondr company to secure some cellphone pouches.

Yondr launched in 2014 and the pouch doesn’t interfere with the phone’s connectivity.

Pathfinder Tech sent a letter home to parents stating that the use of the Yondr pouches will start on Oct. 18 and students will continue to have access to their Chromebooks for educational purposes.

Families can communicate with their student via email or by calling the school, if necessary.

Duda added that the Yondr program was discussed during an open house on Oct. 5, and it was greeted with a lot of positive feedback.

“We’ve had a lot leading up to this, we had various committee meetings, surveys have gone out, parent information has gone out and a forum at open house where people could submit feedback. The vast majority of the feedback was very supportive and positive. We are pleased with that.”

As part of the program, students will be required turn off cell phones before locking them up in the pouch and are unable to access them during that time.

The students will carry the locked phone with them during the day.

The pouch automatically locks when it is closed and a circular magnet, or “unlocking base,” must be used to unlock them.

For those wondering how the phones could be accessed quickly if there was a school wide emergency, Pathfinder Tech Assistant Principal Patrick Boudette said that they can be cut or torn.

He said, “It is a magnetic closure, not so much a lock, and should the situation arise where a school wide emergency did come into play, they could easily be slammed against something or stomped on to disengage that pin if necessary. We also have a plan to have two sets of high quality scissors in every room if necessary to cut through that pouch efficiently and effectively.”

Duda added that Pathfinder Tech received grant money to implement this program as each pouch cost around $35 for each student.

Pathfinder Tech School Committee Chair Julie Quink talked about a policy that the school added last year that prohibited cellphones to be used by students during lunch.

She said, “There were some policies that were enacted last year for the safety and security of the students at lunchtime, and I had the fortune of walking through the lunchroom during lunchtime and I wouldn’t of believed it but it was very orderly, students were engaging with each other, there were no phones out because that is policy and people were actually talking and engaging.”

Students and parents can visit the Yondr website for more information at overyondr.com/phone-free-schools.

Pathfinder Tech interim Principal Brenda Turner added, “There will be some more information we will be sharing with students and families to reinforce the importance of this and why we think it is beneficial for students and our community and a little more understanding for the student perspective as to why this is important. We are not just looking to restrict their cellphone use, we feel that the benefits far outweigh the convenience of having that device.”