Wenatchee High School Going Cell Phone-less

Wenatchee High School will go cell-phone free this school year - and it's not just students prohibitted from using phones.

Wenatchee School District says the high school will lock cell phones and unauthorized electronic devices in Yondr pouches, which are often seen at concerts and comedy shows.

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Communications Specialist Diana Haglund said this is in an effort to create a more effective learning enviornment for students.

"Our goal in changing our policy and making it more restrictive is really a student-focused decision," Haglund said. "The data gathered really pointed to the need to implement a more distraction-free environment, so our district has recommended to the board an update of our policy and the implementation of a phone-free environemnt in all Wenatchee schools."

All students will be required to purchase a pouch at the start of the year. They will be able to keep this pouch throughout their high school career as long as they do not lose or damage it. At the start of each school day, students place their phone in the pouch, which locks the device and all electronics in place. At the end of the day, students can use a special magnet to unlock the device and go home.

The district says they are requiring students to replace all electronic devices, including AirPods and smart watches, in these pouches. The high school will only allow school-issued Chrome Books.

If students don't cooperate, the school will operate on a three-strike rule system. The first infraction results in confiscation and a teacher or administrator talking to the student about why this rule is in place. The second time, the school will notify parents about the repeated disobediance. The third strike results in complete removal of the device from school grounds and the student would not be allowed to bring it back into the building.

"The whole shift in the policy isn't meant to be punitive - it's about helping students maintain their focus and not disciplinary actions," Haglund said. "[It's] so they can immerse themselves more deeply in their learning."

The district took parent feedback prior to making this decision, and reached out again after the district made the decision.

"The other thing that we did is we had focus groups, so we had a 10-person focus groups that we met with three different times," Haglund said. "There were definitely some questions that were raised. Two things they wanted to know... How do I get ahold of my student during the school day if I can't reach them on their cell phone... The other concern parents expressed was how do I get ahold of them in the event of an emergency?"

Haglund said if parents must contact their child during the school day for a non-emergency, they can contact the school office. As for emergencies, shears can cut through the pouches, but studies show it's best for the phones to stay in the pouches until the emergency finishes because electronic devices can distract students from receiving important instructions from their teacher.

The district has a complete FAQ guide you can view when you click here.