Services

CELL PHONE-FREE CAMPUS

Our phone-free policy creates a more positive and productive learning environment for our students —

one that promotes human connection, communication, and community.

Service Name

Cell-Phone Free Community Policy

Gifft Hill School is a “phone-free” learning community. We partner with a company called Yondr to help students securely stow their cell phones and accessories (earbuds and smartwatches) during the school day in order to help promote human connectedness and improve the health and wellness of our school community.

Every student receives a Yondr pouch, which is considered to be school property, but assigned to each individual student to keep in good condition and bring back and forth between home and school.

Daily Process
Arrival
Students will:

Turn their phone off.
Place their phone inside their pouch and secure it in front of school staff.
Store their pouch in their backpack, locker, or other safe place for the duration of the school day.

Dismissal
Students will:

Tap their pouch on one of the Yondr bases to unlock it.
Remove their phone from the pouch and put the pouch in their backpack.
Students must bring their pouch to school with them each day. Students arriving late or leaving early will pouch/unpouch their phones in the Main Office.

Pouch Damage / Lost Pouch / Using Phone During School

If a student loses or damages their pouch s/he will be responsible for the replacement cost of $30. The student’s phone and accessories will be turned in to the office daily for the duration of the school day until a new pouch is issued.
If students are found using their phones or accessories, a faculty member will collect the phone and turn it into the office. A parent will be required to come retrieve the phone. Repeat offenses will be treated as honor code violations and result in escalating consequences.

Forgotten Pouch
If a student forgets their pouch, their phone will be collected and stored in the main office for the duration of the school day. An administrator will call home to remind the parent of the policy. The phone will be returned to the student at dismissal. If a student consistently forgets their pouch, it is considered lost.
Time-sensitive communication between students and parents throughout the school day will be facilitated through the main offices on each campus.