Philadelphia students return to school with new phone restrictions

Philadelphia Students Return to School Under New Cellphone Restrictions

Philadelphia students are heading back to the classroom with new restrictions on cellphone use, as schools work to reduce distractions and keep students focused during the school day.

The policy gives individual schools flexibility in determining how students’ phones and other electronic devices will be secured. At Belmont Charter Elementary and Middle School, administrators have already been using Yondr pouches for the past three years.

Students place their phones, smartwatches and other devices inside the pouches when they arrive. The pouches lock and remain with students until dismissal, when they can be opened using an unlocking device.

Belmont Principal Aquila Waller said the school began the practice because technology was becoming a significant distraction.

“Our students as young as 6 years old come in with cellphones or smart watches or iPads,” Waller said. “Unfortunately, it creates a distraction throughout the day.”

The approach has not been without challenges. Waller said some students have attempted to open the pouches by tapping them against desks, but the system has remained secure.

For parents, one of the biggest concerns is maintaining communication with their children in an emergency. Waller said Belmont works with families to explain how parents can reach students during the school day.

As Philadelphia schools implement the cellphone restrictions, administrators hope limiting access to devices will improve classroom focus and address some of the social-media-related challenges students face.

“A lot of the challenges we are trying to repair with our students come from the misuse of social media and technology,” Waller said.

The goal is simple: fewer distractions during the school day and more attention on learning.