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Danville High principal proposes Yondr phone pouches, requests $42,742 from Title IV; board to vote in June
Summary
Danville High School Principal Jacob Bretz asked the school board to consider buying Yondr magnetic phone pouches for the high school, presenting a vendor quote of $42,742.50 and proposing Title IV federal funds for payment.
Danville High School Principal Jacob Bretz presented an informational request to purchase Yondr magnetic phone pouches for Danville High School and asked the board to consider funding the program, with official consideration scheduled for the board’s June meeting.
Bretz said the company quote for the high school is $42,742.50, which would buy about 1,200 pouches (including a 15% buffer), unlocking stations and implementation support; he told trustees the district could pay for the pouches from federal Title IV grant funds and that the unit cost averages approximately $30–$35 per student over an estimated 6–8 year lifespan.
Bretz framed the proposal in the context of pending state legislation that he said would require districts to adopt a wireless communication device policy by the 2026–27 school year and described Yondr as a vendor that provides physical pouches plus implementation, logistics and policy support. He told the board he removed earlier proposed exceptions for teacher‑authorized classroom use after the bill language was tightened and said the company supplies non‑locking cases for students with medical or IEP needs.
Why it matters: Bretz and high school teachers described cell phones as a significant classroom disruption. Bretz cited a teacher survey in which high school teachers rated the phone problem about 8.2 on a 1–10 scale of difficulty for classroom instruction. He said other schools that adopted Yondr reported cultural shifts by Labor Day and that parents who attended meetings asked for consistency of policy enforcement.
Trustees asked about recurring costs, unlocking procedures for emergencies and exceptions for IEP/medical needs. Bretz said he was following up with the vendor about subscription or annual fees and described the company demonstration as producing rapid unlocking at exit stations. Bretz proposed school hours during which devices would be inaccessible (approximately 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.) and said unlocked stations would be available at evacuation rendezvous points for emergencies.
No board vote was taken; Bretz said he will return with a formal request for a June board vote and additional details on subscription costs, exception procedures and an implementation plan.
