South Cook News

The Flossmoor School District Board of Education discussed how to address students' cell phone usage during its March 13 meeting.

Superintendent Dana Smith explained that many of the district's behavioral issues are caused by and made worse by students having cell phones. He said the phones cause texting in class, distractions from work, messaging other students during class time, and fights.

The administration offered a solution that could be implemented as early as the first week of April or could wait until the start of the Fall 2023 semester. Students would receive Yondr pouches for their locker, where they would lock their phones at the beginning of the day and retrieve them at the end. The product has been used by multiple other local schools that have reported positive results. 

Smith said that the Yondr pouches would only be used for Parker Junior High students because the elementary schools in the district haven't reported many cell phone issues. The district would purchase 75 units, equivalent to just under $16,000 for the first year, and is planning on seeking grant funding for the initiative.

"I think the point is we have to be very clear about what our policies are, what the expectations are, and that we spend time getting staff comfortable with enforcing and knowing what those policies are," board member Michael Rouse said. "Because if that’s not enforced with consistency, it creates problems."

Some board members had reservations about the plan, such as it requiring district employees to ensure that phones are locked away each morning and potentially causing slow foot traffic at the end of each day as students unlock their bags. Questions were also raised about security and parents being able to contact students. The board was told students could still access their phones through tablet devices and smart watches.

The board was ultimately in favor of the program but decided to discuss it further at a later date to plan the rollout and gain a better chance of success.