There will be a change to the way cell phones are used by students at Golden Plains Middle/High School during the 2018-2019 school year. You can read this policy in the student handbook on the school web site.
Student Handbook
Below is a letter to families describing this policy as well.
Cell Phone Policy Letter
Please call the school or the district office if you have questions regarding this change.
Dear Families:
I hope this finds you well!
I’m writing today to share the exciting news that Golden Plains MS/HS will be using a system called “Yondr” this year to improve teaching and learning by making our school a phone-free zone.
We understand that cell phones have great utility, but cellphone use has increasingly become a source of distraction, anti-social behavior and conflict both at home and at school.
"According to a survey and report from Common Sense Media that involved 1,240 interviews with parents and their 12- to 18-year-old children, 50 percent of teens feel addicted to their mobile devices, and 59 percent of their parents agree that their kids have a problem putting their devices down." - US News & World Report, 2016
Additionally, more and more studies are showing the ways cell phones interfere with a student’s academic success. Just this year (2017), the University of Texas at Austin concluded that “the mere presence of cellphones reduces available cognitive capacity.”
The Golden Plains USD 316 cell phone policy currently was punitive in nature. However, at our school, inappropriate cell phone has become a major issue. It takes away student learning time and damages both peer relationships and student/staff relationships.
The way Yondr works is simple. When students arrive at school, they will place their phones in an assigned Yondr cell phone pouch. The pouch locks and the student keeps their pouch with them. Students maintain possession of their cell phones throughout the day, but they will not be able to use them until they are unlocked at the end of the day. (This process is pictured on the next page.)
In an effort to best serve your child, we are asking for your support in the adoption of Yondr to teach our students responsible cellphone use while at school. Yondr is already used by hundreds of middle and high schools, corporations and artists across the world to improve focus, production and the overall human experience of its users.
We know that this will be a big change for students and their families, and some students may need help adjusting. If your family needs help adjusting to this policy, please contact us and we will work together to come up with solutions.
We want to assure families that you can reach your student as you have in the past, by calling the attendance office at 785-687-3265. We recommend adding this number to your contact list for easy access.
Thank you for supporting our school and our students as we go forward with this change. We will hold information meetings for parents on 8/6 and 8/7/2018 at Golden Plains MS/HS registration.
Sincerely,
Charles Keller
Superintendent K-12 Principal
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: If at all possible, resist the urge to contact your student during the day. It is important for students to be able to focus on school while they are here. Even if a student doesn’t answer the text in class, there is research that shows cognitive processing is disrupted by notifications and even just the presence of the cellphone on a desk. Learning to schedule activities and plan ahead are skills that our students need to develop. Of course, sometimes, it can’t be helped. In most cases, you can contact the attendance office [Phone Number] to relay messages to your student when action needs to be taken during the school day.
Answer: There are many instances when parents need to communicate information to students. Most of the time, students are unable to act on these issues until after school. In these cases, students can just read messages at the end of the day. If it is crucial that a student respond immediately, students can unlock pouches in the attendance office. In the case of an emergency, such as an earthquake, administrators have devices that can unlock the Yondr pouches quickly.
Answer: It will be as safe as before the change, as students are still in possession of phones all day.