Chelsea High School has begun daily use of Yondr pouches after the school committee adopted a districtwide cell phone and electronics-free policy in December 2024, interim Principal Alan Boscley told the school committee on Oct. 8, 2025.

Boscley described the implementation steps, how the pouches work, and the discipline ladder for violations. Students place powered-off phones in magnet-locked pouches when they enter the building; staff unlock them at dismissal using magnets located at multiple stations. First violations result in a 2:45 p.m. pickup, a second violation requires a 3:30 p.m. pickup and a third requires a parent to retrieve the device.

"We ask students to turn off their phone... slide it in and then they lock it," Boscley said, demonstrating the pouch used at the school. He said the school has handheld magnets for emergencies and a process to allow students who need to contact a parent to use an office phone or have staff unlock a device.

Early effects: Boscley and several teachers reported improved classroom engagement and fewer hallway incidents since the start of the school year. He relayed teacher comments that average grades in one U.S. history class rose "from around a 60 to around an 80," and that teachers were spending less time redirecting students.

Student and parent concerns: Students told the committee they feel safer when they can contact parents instantly; school staff said the district has protocols for emergencies and that magnets can be used to unlock phones after students are moved to safety. Boscley and other committee members acknowledged the need for consistent enforcement through the full school year and said they would return with further data.

Costs and durability: The school purchased Yondr pouches and magnets; Boscley said the pouches cost enough that damaged pouches are replaced at $30 each. He also described students attempting to tamper with or bypass the locks, which the school is monitoring.

Follow-up requests: Committee members asked BOS and administration to return later in the year with quantitative measures — including attendance, grades and disciplinary incident comparisons with last year — and for an update on consistency and durability of the pouches.

Ending: Boscley said the school will keep the focus on safety and instruction and provide the committee with an update on outcomes later in the year.