APS Yondr Pouch: Opening at home questions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is forgetful. Very. I give it fewer than 2 months before the pouch comes home locked for a weekend. We use the phone for tracking since the bus stop is so far away. Will my tracking device work while the phone is in the pouch?

Questions; Why didn't APS get cell phone lockers for every homeroom? That way the kid would have to go get it but it wouldn't be locked in some impenetrable bag.

What kind of magnet do I need at home for when this thing comes home locked. Can I buy a Yondr one?

I bet your kid won't forget again after no phone for a weekend or evening. I would thank APS for this opportunity for your child to have natural consequences.

The homeroom teacher having them would be so annoying. Kids in and out during the day for late arrival/early departure and then APS has to deal with the liability issue of the phone being out of the kids' possession and being responsible for them, which I can see why they don't want that at all.

I'm a parent of a very ADHD kid who can't take stimulant medication. I am a firm believer in natural consequences, but I will say that the idea that a kid with a disability that impacts memory and attention will learn not to have ADHD because of a natural consequence like this is wrong. My kid has learned strategies for getting around the lack of a phone. He's learned to be fine with very cheap phones because that's all he can afford as a replacement. He's learned to be very polite about asking to borrow someone's phone. I have learned to not need tracking software on him. He hasn't learned to not to lose the phone, and I am sure would come home with a yondr bag if he were OP's situation. Of course if they used a shoe holder or a phone locker he'd leave it there too, so those aren't solutions to that problem.

I'm pretty sure the APS policy on this has exceptions for kids with IEPs, which surely a student who is very ADHD has one, yes?

I would hope that having a 504 or IEP is not an automatic reprieve from the pouch. Not all students with accommodations need a smart phone to provide those accommodations. "Because Jimmy will forget to unlock the pouch before getting on the bus" is not a sufficient excuse.

yes it is

I believe you are wrong. Everyone with an IEP or 504 is not automatically exempted from the pouch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

They unlock their phone on their way out of the building. They lock it up again upon their return.
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? The phones are not locked up in a safe in the main office - they stay with the kids the entire time and are locked and unlocked upon entry and exit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

My kid goes to a private school that uses the shoe holder type things and no phones are stolen. We had back to school night last week and the teachers/admin say they're working well.

You can see how this isn’t relevant at all right?

I think it is. I"m the OP and have one kid in private and this is what they do. It's in the main office so kids can use them during the day, in the main office, in full view of front office staff. Of course this won't work for a big school but it's a reasonable solution if by homeroom, or last class. At our MS, my kids locker is by homeroom so a shoe box type thing in homeroom would work.

2300 students having to return to a homeroom at the end of the day before getting to extracurriculars or catching their bus, or going to their last of the day classroom before the start of school is not practical.
It is also not practical for the countless students leaving for medical appointments, getting sick and going home early, leaving campus for lunch, and leaving campus for another class at the Career Center throughout the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is forgetful. Very. I give it fewer than 2 months before the pouch comes home locked for a weekend. We use the phone for tracking since the bus stop is so far away. Will my tracking device work while the phone is in the pouch?

Questions; Why didn't APS get cell phone lockers for every homeroom? That way the kid would have to go get it but it wouldn't be locked in some impenetrable bag.

What kind of magnet do I need at home for when this thing comes home locked. Can I buy a Yondr one?

I bet your kid won't forget again after no phone for a weekend or evening. I would thank APS for this opportunity for your child to have natural consequences.

The homeroom teacher having them would be so annoying. Kids in and out during the day for late arrival/early departure and then APS has to deal with the liability issue of the phone being out of the kids' possession and being responsible for them, which I can see why they don't want that at all.

I'm a parent of a very ADHD kid who can't take stimulant medication. I am a firm believer in natural consequences, but I will say that the idea that a kid with a disability that impacts memory and attention will learn not to have ADHD because of a natural consequence like this is wrong. My kid has learned strategies for getting around the lack of a phone. He's learned to be fine with very cheap phones because that's all he can afford as a replacement. He's learned to be very polite about asking to borrow someone's phone. I have learned to not need tracking software on him. He hasn't learned to not to lose the phone, and I am sure would come home with a yondr bag if he were OP's situation. Of course if they used a shoe holder or a phone locker he'd leave it there too, so those aren't solutions to that problem.

I'm pretty sure the APS policy on this has exceptions for kids with IEPs, which surely a student who is very ADHD has one, yes?

I am not OP, but my son has ADHD and several other correlated disorders, takes all intensified classes, and has straight As. Many kids with ADHD may have a 504 plan accommodation for their disability. But not all qualify for an IEP. My plan is to plan that he loses the pouch a few times, we deal with it with his tutors and therapist and at home, and we pay for the new pouch. A lot of parents aren't so lucky as we are, though, to be able to afford a few replacement pouches. And, please read the APS policy before you comment. It's exceptions are very limited and do not address the issue of attention deficits.

+1
And not all students with ADHD are actually diagnosed with ADHD. And people without ADHD can be forgetful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is forgetful. Very. I give it fewer than 2 months before the pouch comes home locked for a weekend. We use the phone for tracking since the bus stop is so far away. Will my tracking device work while the phone is in the pouch?

Questions; Why didn't APS get cell phone lockers for every homeroom? That way the kid would have to go get it but it wouldn't be locked in some impenetrable bag.

What kind of magnet do I need at home for when this thing comes home locked. Can I buy a Yondr one?

I bet your kid won't forget again after no phone for a weekend or evening. I would thank APS for this opportunity for your child to have natural consequences.

The homeroom teacher having them would be so annoying. Kids in and out during the day for late arrival/early departure and then APS has to deal with the liability issue of the phone being out of the kids' possession and being responsible for them, which I can see why they don't want that at all.

I'm a parent of a very ADHD kid who can't take stimulant medication. I am a firm believer in natural consequences, but I will say that the idea that a kid with a disability that impacts memory and attention will learn not to have ADHD because of a natural consequence like this is wrong. My kid has learned strategies for getting around the lack of a phone. He's learned to be fine with very cheap phones because that's all he can afford as a replacement. He's learned to be very polite about asking to borrow someone's phone. I have learned to not need tracking software on him. He hasn't learned to not to lose the phone, and I am sure would come home with a yondr bag if he were OP's situation. Of course if they used a shoe holder or a phone locker he'd leave it there too, so those aren't solutions to that problem.

I'm pretty sure the APS policy on this has exceptions for kids with IEPs, which surely a student who is very ADHD has one, yes?

I would hope that having a 504 or IEP is not an automatic reprieve from the pouch. Not all students with accommodations need a smart phone to provide those accommodations. "Because Jimmy will forget to unlock the pouch before getting on the bus" is not a sufficient excuse.

yes it is

I believe you are wrong. Everyone with an IEP or 504 is not automatically exempted from the pouch.

Of course not. That was in response to a claim that "Because Jimmy will forget to unlock the pouch before getting on the bus" is not a sufficient excuse." It definitely could be a reason to justify an accommodation for a student with a disability that impacts attention or executive functioning. Also wrong to think of it as an "excuse."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

They unlock their phone on their way out of the building. They lock it up again upon their return.
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? The phones are not locked up in a safe in the main office - they stay with the kids the entire time and are locked and unlocked upon entry and exit.

Are you sure? Because the governor says bell to bell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No parent that I've spoken to in person is in favor of this pouch nonsense. I sometimes wonder who is on the other side of the screen in here.

It’s a trial between the pouch schools and the no pouch schools. If the students in the no pouch schools can keep their phones away just as well this year APS can go that route.

From what I’m hearing from teachers, the no pouch schools are doing great.

If by doing great you mean the teachers don’t enforce anything, then yes doing great.

No, that's not at all what I mean.

What middle school is your kid at where the phones are away all day no problem? Curious.

High school. There you go. A lot changes between 7th and 12th grade.

No one is talking about high school. I have a kid in high school and middle school. I’m aware of the changes between middle school and high school. In the middle schools it is not “going great”.

Then why is the pouch pilot at Wakefield a HIGH school? And plenty of parents are calling for all day bans in HIGH school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

They unlock their phone on their way out of the building. They lock it up again upon their return.
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? The phones are not locked up in a safe in the main office - they stay with the kids the entire time and are locked and unlocked upon entry and exit.

How do 2000 kids unlock their phone on the way out of the building without missing the bus? How many unlocking stations are there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

They unlock their phone on their way out of the building. They lock it up again upon their return.
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? The phones are not locked up in a safe in the main office - they stay with the kids the entire time and are locked and unlocked upon entry and exit.

Are you sure? Because the governor says bell to bell.

NP. My child’s school is in the pilot program. They explicitly said kids can unlock their phone on the way out of the building and lock it up again upon return. Heard it with my own ears at BTSN.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

They unlock their phone on their way out of the building. They lock it up again upon their return.
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? The phones are not locked up in a safe in the main office - they stay with the kids the entire time and are locked and unlocked upon entry and exit.

How do 2000 kids unlock their phone on the way out of the building without missing the bus? How many unlocking stations are there?

Enough. This is not rocket science. M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

Kids unlock phones when they leave campus, whether that’s for lunch, career center, or end of day.

so then it's not really bell to bell?

Read all about it here
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/Home/Components/News/News/411/227

Please point out the part where they account for off campus or things like the career center. i don't see it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid with ADHD too. I will 100% buy this if his school goes to the pouches and tell him to leave it in all of the time. I’m not worried about my kid using the phone during the day and like others, am more concerned with forgetting to unlock it. Right now there aren’t any teachers forcing collecting but if he has to do a shoe holder or similar we will buy a fake phone for the same reason. Those work kids without ADHD doesn’t understand. It’s not about being addicted or not addicted or a phone. My kid doesn’t care that much about the phone. It’s a safety and forgetful issue.

https://www.amazon.com/Without-Logo-Working-5-4inches-Blackscreen/dp/B09ST5KBBG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2O9CTI0PNAQSE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8JIOSVaFslCM0RQm-hgipemqzHgevJBTt4c57iPX38UsfUm6uN6qp7S0p3Zv5UKkgDuj972K8SNaY-098kJgT_r8ZddD-yLJSJO653FXR7A6a30nXM0eJ65oyybEi1ynVNQTb5hEqAnFYMrQ5Siz7gibIActkcLydTp11zdSlZpD30Bvt1iqBUYUmGzwlXM8GiJBB6LTIycRm_Os9urUXw.JKeAYKHJ66_dn3zXdk5yH6ihxqNXTIClg_QH_tBPdQU&dib_tag=se&keywords=dummy+phone&qid=1726780341&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sprefix=dummy+phone%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-2

have you told the school board about your concerns?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No parent that I've spoken to in person is in favor of this pouch nonsense. I sometimes wonder who is on the other side of the screen in here.

It’s a trial between the pouch schools and the no pouch schools. If the students in the no pouch schools can keep their phones away just as well this year APS can go that route.

From what I’m hearing from teachers, the no pouch schools are doing great.

If by doing great you mean the teachers don’t enforce anything, then yes doing great.

No, that's not at all what I mean.

What middle school is your kid at where the phones are away all day no problem? Curious.

High school. There you go. A lot changes between 7th and 12th grade.

No one is talking about high school. I have a kid in high school and middle school. I’m aware of the changes between middle school and high school. In the middle schools it is not “going great”.

Then why is the pouch pilot at Wakefield a HIGH school? And plenty of parents are calling for all day bans in HIGH school.

this thread started about a middle school kid and nearly all replies have been for that age group. I wish someone would chime in about how things are working at wakefield

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

Kids unlock phones when they leave campus, whether that’s for lunch, career center, or end of day.

so then it's not really bell to bell?

Read all about it here
https://www.doe.virginia.gov/Home/Components/News/News/411/227

Please point out the part where they account for off campus or things like the career center. i don't see it.

As implemented under the pilot program, kids can lock and unlock every time they enter / exit the building. Is your problem that APS isn’t being strict enough in following VDOE or do you think we’re misrepresenting what is happening? Our kids are coming home and explaining it all. I have a very phone addicted kid and he’s struggling with it a little, but he’s not as resistant to it as I had expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The shoe holder type holders don't work because kids steal phones out of them.

No phone for the weekend is a great way for your kid to learn to be more responsible.

Not in HS. The kids put their phones in the pouch at the beginning of the class and take it out when they leave. Next class, repeat. It's simple and it works.

No, it's bell to bell.

Yep. What high school is PP referring to? None in APS.

To clarify, the Yondr pouches will be bell to bell.

what about kids who leave campus for lunch or to the career center?

They unlock their phone on their way out of the building. They lock it up again upon their return.
Why is this so hard for so many people to understand? The phones are not locked up in a safe in the main office - they stay with the kids the entire time and are locked and unlocked upon entry and exit.

How do 2000 kids unlock their phone on the way out of the building without missing the bus? How many unlocking stations are there?

Wakefield says they’ll have 50 stations, but we don’t know where they’ll all be. We will find out next week how many kids miss the bus.