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Wayland working group recommends phone-free learning spaces, Yondr pouches for middle school; high school policy to be tightened
Summary
The Wayland School Committee on May 14 received a working-group plan calling for elementary students to be barred from bringing smart devices to school, a middle-school pilot using lockable pouches, and tightened enforcement at the high school with an option for phone-free library space if funding allows.
The Wayland School Committee heard a presentation May 14 from a multi-stakeholder cell phone working group that recommended restricting student access to smartphones during the school day and outlined next steps for implementation across elementary, middle and high school levels.
The working group recommended that elementary students not bring smart devices to school; for middle school, the group recommended a lockable pouch system (commonly marketed as "Yondr" pouches) placed in homeroom at arrival and unlocked at dismissal; and for the high school the working group recommended tightening enforcement of existing "phones away" classroom practices by requiring phone holders in every learning space and exploring options to reduce phone use in the cafeteria and make the library a quieter, phone-free study space if resources allow.
Ben Buffel, identified in the transcript as the high school counseling department head who joined remotely, summarized the high school proposals: "phone free learning environments, phones…
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