Portland — Student representatives at Portland High School told the Portland Board of Public Education on Sept. 30 that the school’s new phone‑pouch policy has been "somewhat boring but smooth" overall, while flagging several early implementation issues that affect instruction in certain classes.

Student representative Mina (student rep Fitzgerald) reported that freshmen adapted best to the Yondr pouches, seniors followed, and juniors were least compliant. She said hallways are most congested at lunch and that the biggest operational challenge has been verifying whether students are actually using pouches at all points in the day.

Students and the board discussed classroom exceptions. Mina cited AP art, where students need to take progress photos for portfolios, and said she had been told teachers and administrators were working to accommodate those needs. Student council and National Honor Society initiatives — including English learning conversation groups — were also described as active and student‑led ways to strengthen community and language support.

Board members asked how the school determined rankings for classes' compliance; Fitzgerald said compliance tracking came from office records and incident reports (phones turned into the office). Several board members praised student leadership and asked administration to monitor unintended instructional impacts.

No policy vote or board action occurred; the report was informational and meant to surface early implementation problems and student feedback. Student representatives asked the board to remain open to small adjustments and to ensure teachers have what they need when classroom instruction requires phone access.

Superintendent and school staff said they are monitoring the rollout and will follow up on specific operational details such as exceptions for art and classroom access needs.