Culpeper school board adopts tighter cell-phone rules, authorizes purchase and funding pursuit for Yonder pouches

The Culpeper County School Board on Oct. 14 approved a revised policy restricting student use of cell phones and personal electronic devices, and authorized the superintendent to purchase Yonder pouch storage units for the middle and high schools and to seek funding for that program.

Supporters including teachers and educators told the board the pouches will reduce classroom disruptions and restore instructional time. "We are essentially detoxing over a thousand students at one time," said Kristen Colucci, a high‑school English teacher and president of the CCEA, urging the board to back the program to help teachers regain classroom control. Danny Soderholm, an educator and Cedar Mountain District resident, said the policy will “be good for our students” and improve engagement and mental health.

Opponents and some parents questioned how the pouches would affect students who use phones as medical devices and raised privacy concerns. "The guidance for the cell phone free education pursuant with Executive Order 33 says on page 5 and 6 that considerations must be made for HIPAA and any implications that it would have impacted students; therefore, this is a direct violation of HIPAA rights," said parent Emily Rojas (Cedar Mountain District), who urged the board to ensure accommodations and avoid stigmatizing students who rely on phones for medical reasons. Board members responded that procedures exist for students with 504 plans, IEPs and health plans and that administrators have been working to incorporate those needs into implementation.

Board discussion acknowledged logistical challenges — pickups, schedule changes for after‑school activities and increased traffic to main offices — and emphasized the need for staff training and clear family communications. Board member Mrs. Hutchins warned the change will create additional work for main office staff and coaches and asked staff to prepare for that influx.

The board conducted a roll‑call vote on the revised policy; each named member voted yes and the measure passed 7–0. The board subsequently authorized the superintendent to proceed with purchasing Yonder pouches for middle and high schools by voice vote and also voted to authorize the superintendent to seek funding for the pouch program.

Implementation steps, per board comments, will include communication with families and accommodations for students with documented medical or educational plans. The board emphasized training and patience during rollout; trustees said they will monitor the operational impacts and adjust procedures as needed.

The policy change and the purchasing/funding authorizations were taken as part of the board’s response to Executive Order 33. The board did not provide a timetable in the meeting for districtwide rollout or the total procurement cost; those details were referred to the superintendent and administrative staff.