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Students say "Yonder pouch" phone policy reduced visible phone use but increased off‑campus exits and logistical issues
Summary
Student speakers at the Niskayuna board meeting largely praised the new bell‑to‑bell phone policy for reducing in‑school phone use, while raising issues about students leaving campus to use phones, athletic exit procedures and classroom disruptions from pouch checks; district officials said Van Antwerp expansion and enforcement will be adjusted.
Students told the Niskayuna Central School District board that the new bell-to-bell phone policy and Yonder pouch system has reduced visible phone use in hallways, cafeterias and libraries but created other problems such as students leaving campus to use phones and checkpoint disruptions during class.
One student said the policy achieved its goal: "It's almost virtually nonexistent now" to see phones in common spaces and observed more face-to-face interaction. Students and board members noted a rise in students going off campus at lunch to use…
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