It probably didn’t work well on the past because it wasn’t a schoolwide policy that was the exact same in every class with enforced consequences. Until now teachers have been told to “devise our own plans” and usually after spring break even the best plans fall apart cause kids just don’t care and they know nothing will happen. If it’s consistent across the school , upheld, and done in every class the same way, it could work. This sort of haphazard “do what you think is best” plan with no teeth is what’s not working.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the HS version of this with “storage units located in the classroom” is supposed to work. So kids are wasting time at the beginning and end of class to deal with the phones? Who stops a kid from taking someone else’s phone either by mistake or on purpose? A kid who has to be dismissed early for any reason needs to potentially disrupt the entire class to retrieve their phone?

Maybe it’s a great program. But typical of FCPS it’s being implemented in a way that leaves more questions than answers.

You walk in and stick your phone in the slot before you take your seat. Every kid should be in their seat before the bell. It is not some elaborate process nor will it take an inordinate amount of time-unless your kid is the one who sits down, gets on their phone, thinks the rules don’t apply to them, and is the reason it has come to this. Kids will grab their phones on the way out. It will take seconds, just like grabbing a handout on your way out the door.

My now college aged kid had to do this as a HS freshman. It was enough of a mess that most teachers abandoned the practice pretty quickly. If the pilot program schools can make it work smoothly that’s great, but the lack of specific information is not inspiring confidence than anyone actually has a workable plan beyond putting a storage unit in each room and telling teachers and students to figure it out. That hasn’t worked out well in the past.

^! We use something like this, but homemade

https://www.lockers.com/cell-phone-locker-with-front-access-panel-5-door-high-unit-8-inch-deep-compartments-24-usable-a-doors-bronze-recessed-mounted-master-keyed-locks/?msclkid=9feadc006c411980069ababb354ee9ad

My class put the phone in their slot (each has its own key) on their way into class. If they want to use it during class they take it to corner. Like a book corner but with quiet phone use allowed. They each get 1 cell phone pass a week and 1 emergency pass for the semester. They put their pass in the slot, start the 6 minute timer, take their phone to corner, return their phone and turn off the timer before it beeps. If the timer beeps they don’t get a pass next week. If I hear them talking they don’t get a pass next week. So they basically get 5 minutes a week to “waste”. If they don’t have a phone they still get a pass. They can’t use the passes during instructional time, only independent work time unless it’s an emergency. At the end of class I pass out the phones so everyone has about 1-2 minutes to check their messages. So easy and all are happy. This year I’m adding a charging station.

Anonymous wrote:Lot of folks in here saying “my kid will just keep it in their bag because they use it correctly” and they gonna be in for a world of shock when they’re called into to get their kids phone in week 2 because it was out during the day.


Go ahead and resist, you’ll see soon enough your kid, who is not like the others, is indeed like the others.


Just setting yourselves up for frustrating trips to the school during the day to meet with admin, fruitless arguments, and the “shocking” realization that teenagers lie.



PS. Teachers need their phones because every aspect of the counties online infrastructure is now tethered to two factor authentication. I can’t even go to another room without my phone because very platforms randomly require authentication via phone authenticator.

I truly believe my kid has kept her phone in her backpack all day except at the end of the year when no one is teaching anyway.

I am also a teacher and understand most kids don’t do this.

If my kid ISN”T doing that but tell me she is, I want every consequence the school has to rain down upon her. There will also be some at home.

Last year, at our away for the day school, we signed a contract that the phone would be confiscated if out and we would have to go get it. I don’t have a problem with that at all, BUT since I was never called to the office last year, I would assume the teachers think my kid did actually keep the phone in her backpack.

Should I not trust the staff at the school?

Yeah all these parents who say the “other” kids should have their phone taken and /or receive a disciplinary consequence … would be absolutely furious when it came down on their kid who they think doesn’t touch their phone all day

Lot of folks in here saying “my kid will just keep it in their bag because they use it correctly” and they gonna be in for a world of shock when they’re called into to get their kids phone in week 2 because it was out during the day.


Go ahead and resist, you’ll see soon enough your kid, who is not like the others, is indeed like the others.


Just setting yourselves up for frustrating trips to the school during the day to meet with admin, fruitless arguments, and the “shocking” realization that teenagers lie.



PS. Teachers need their phones because every aspect of the counties online infrastructure is now tethered to two factor authentication. I can’t even go to another room without my phone because very platforms randomly require authentication via phone authenticator.

Anonymous wrote:Read the Students' Rights and Responsibilities

The school is completely covered and able to confiscate the phone and have parents pick it up after school.

WHY DON’T THEY DO THAT NOW?! Why do they need punishment for the whole school?

Anyone know those hanging plastic bags used to hold books? Why not have those with Velcro tops… each kid can put their own phone in it and hang it up in the beginning of class. Teacher can stick it on a high shelf and pass out at the end.

Something like this. You could even string a locking wire through it if you really needed to. Like they do at Home Depot for the outdoor grills.

https://www.discountschoolsupply.com/school-supplies/teacher-supplies/desktop-organizers/really-good-stuff-store-more-sturdy-hang-up-totes-rack----1-rack/p/s819631

Would cost less than $100 and you could add a charging station to it for not much more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is getting a dumb phone to put in the pouch or will just say his phone is at home. He’s not going to be using the pouch.

If he takes it out and is caught with his phone too many times, you will have to pick it up at the school.

Oh the horror!

BFD

+1 exactly!!! My kid won’t be taking it out so no worries. But he’s definitely not locking it up in a pouch and then having to scramble among hordes of kids to unlock it at dismissal.

It is so funny to me that EVERY parent in this thread believes THEIR kid manages perfect phone use and won’t take it out in class no matter what. It may be true for a couple but speaking from my viewpoint at the front of these high school classes every day, most of you are kidding yourselves about how responsible your kids are with their phones being away.

Or, teachers can communicate with parents on the issue. I got an email once and my kid lost his phone and other electronics for a week. Its called parenting, try it.

Cool… you know these phones allow you to monitor the utilization and usage of it day to day. They literally provide you times apps were opened, how long, etc.


Might I wager a guess that you have never used this feature? Perhaps instead of dropping to onus on the teachers to report a problem in a room where they’re doing 50 other jobs and managing 30 kids, we take a small bit of initiative.


All I see in this thread is parents talking out of both sides of their mouth and passing the buck.


“My kid is responsible… but if he’s not it’s on the teacher to let us know.”


“My kid needs their phone for safety… but other also need to have a smart phone for socializing.”


“My child would never use it improperly during the day… but we also can’t expect them to never check their phone.”


It’s really easy to stand tall and talk the talk about “it’s called parenting”. It takes actual work to do it though and given how half baked the logic is in this thread I doubt very much so that it’s happening to the degree a lot of posters pound their chests about. I don’t know how anyone can convince themselves their doing a great job “parenting” while passively admitting and tossing their hands up in defeat if something happens outside of their immediate field of vision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the HS version of this with “storage units located in the classroom” is supposed to work. So kids are wasting time at the beginning and end of class to deal with the phones? Who stops a kid from taking someone else’s phone either by mistake or on purpose? A kid who has to be dismissed early for any reason needs to potentially disrupt the entire class to retrieve their phone?

Maybe it’s a great program. But typical of FCPS it’s being implemented in a way that leaves more questions than answers.

A. We already lose TONS of time to them being on their phones. 1-2 minutes at the beginning and end of class to lock and unlock the pouches is nothing compared to what we lose right now.

B. You can’t take someone’s phone because it’s locked. Also kids do not want each other’s phones. They all HAVE an iPhone, they do not have desire to take your kid’s phone. But regardless, the pouches are locked.

C. If a kid needs early dismissal, the office calls us to send them to the office. They get their things and unlock their pouch and get their phone on the way out. Again, CONSTANT PHONE USE is already way more disruptive than this.

Some of you are way over complicating this and I can’t tell if you’re being intentionally obtuse because you are that desperate to not have your kids be off their phones or if you really lack logical thinking skills.

They don’t all have phones and yes there is theft now and will be theft

Oh well then leave them at home, problem solved .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the HS version of this with “storage units located in the classroom” is supposed to work. So kids are wasting time at the beginning and end of class to deal with the phones? Who stops a kid from taking someone else’s phone either by mistake or on purpose? A kid who has to be dismissed early for any reason needs to potentially disrupt the entire class to retrieve their phone?

Maybe it’s a great program. But typical of FCPS it’s being implemented in a way that leaves more questions than answers.

You walk in and stick your phone in the slot before you take your seat. Every kid should be in their seat before the bell. It is not some elaborate process nor will it take an inordinate amount of time-unless your kid is the one who sits down, gets on their phone, thinks the rules don’t apply to them, and is the reason it has come to this. Kids will grab their phones on the way out. It will take seconds, just like grabbing a handout on your way out the door.

+1

This is what our high school is doing. Fwiw, I would prefer the yondr pouches from first bell to last bell but that's not an option (this year). Maybe Richmond will recommend that starting in January? I can hope.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the HS version of this with “storage units located in the classroom” is supposed to work. So kids are wasting time at the beginning and end of class to deal with the phones? Who stops a kid from taking someone else’s phone either by mistake or on purpose? A kid who has to be dismissed early for any reason needs to potentially disrupt the entire class to retrieve their phone?

Maybe it’s a great program. But typical of FCPS it’s being implemented in a way that leaves more questions than answers.

A. We already lose TONS of time to them being on their phones. 1-2 minutes at the beginning and end of class to lock and unlock the pouches is nothing compared to what we lose right now.

B. You can’t take someone’s phone because it’s locked. Also kids do not want each other’s phones. They all HAVE an iPhone, they do not have desire to take your kid’s phone. But regardless, the pouches are locked.

C. If a kid needs early dismissal, the office calls us to send them to the office. They get their things and unlock their pouch and get their phone on the way out. Again, CONSTANT PHONE USE is already way more disruptive than this.

Some of you are way over complicating this and I can’t tell if you’re being intentionally obtuse because you are that desperate to not have your kids be off their phones or if you really lack logical thinking skills.

They don’t all have phones and yes there is theft now and will be theft

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the HS version of this with “storage units located in the classroom” is supposed to work. So kids are wasting time at the beginning and end of class to deal with the phones? Who stops a kid from taking someone else’s phone either by mistake or on purpose? A kid who has to be dismissed early for any reason needs to potentially disrupt the entire class to retrieve their phone?

Maybe it’s a great program. But typical of FCPS it’s being implemented in a way that leaves more questions than answers.

You walk in and stick your phone in the slot before you take your seat. Every kid should be in their seat before the bell. It is not some elaborate process nor will it take an inordinate amount of time-unless your kid is the one who sits down, gets on their phone, thinks the rules don’t apply to them, and is the reason it has come to this. Kids will grab their phones on the way out. It will take seconds, just like grabbing a handout on your way out the door.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know how the HS version of this with “storage units located in the classroom” is supposed to work. So kids are wasting time at the beginning and end of class to deal with the phones? Who stops a kid from taking someone else’s phone either by mistake or on purpose? A kid who has to be dismissed early for any reason needs to potentially disrupt the entire class to retrieve their phone?

Maybe it’s a great program. But typical of FCPS it’s being implemented in a way that leaves more questions than answers.

I don't see what's so complicated about it. A box or cubbies, whatever. They aren't going to take each other's phones.

You are so naive. That’s my first question as a teacher. How am I covered if they make me do this in my room and one of my students steals another’s phone? I don’t have anywhere to lock them up in my room.