by Maya McFadden The New Haven independent
Lester and Brandon connect with Alder Rodriguez. Without phones.
Metropolitan Business Academy junior Lester McClease lll has been making more friends than ever before now that he and his classmates can’t look at their phones at school, leading them to talk to one another instead.
Lester offered on Monday morning that positive assessment of the city school district’s rollout of Yondr pouches to all public high schools — as part of a broader effort to reduce distractions and promote learning in class.
He shared that personal anecdote amidst a press conference at the Water Street high school.
The presser offered an opportunity for city and school leaders, parents, and students to give updates on the use of magnetically sealed phone storage devices in all high schools starting this year.
New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) implemented the use of Yondr pouches at all 10 of its high schools at the start of the current academic year a week and a half ago. That followed the rollout of Yondr pouches for 5th-8th graders in all middle schools last spring. New Haven Academy was the first high school to pilot the use of Yondr pouches, in February. District and school leaders have hailed that pilot as a success.
Per the latest rollout, NHPS high schoolers are required to secure their cell phones in locked pouches upon arrival at school and are not allowed to access them until the end of the school day.
A lineup of speakers including Mayor Justin Elicker, Supt. Madeline Negrón, New Haven Federation of Teachers President Leslie Blatteau, and Metro Principal Ann Brillante thanked the alders for their approval of $375,000 in city funds to purchase Yondr pouches for NHPS.
Brillante noted Monday that the implementation of Yondr has cleared the way for better learning conditions for all students so far.
“I feel like this is a gift that I’m giving our children,” Negrón said, which is the chance to disconnect from personal devices and grow their social and communication skills for life.
Nearly every speaker Monday said that hallways and lunch rooms are louder, and classroom discussions are deeper, now that students’ phones are stored away in Yondr pouches during the school day. Negrón also said that the use of Yondr pouches means that, in the case of an emergency, students have to reach out through a designated safety channel instead of all calling 911 at once.
Negrón said that she plans to gather feedback from staff, students, and parents throughout the year to inform her about how the use of Yondr is going, and about what has worked and what hasn’t.
Elicker said that, when phones are allowed in school, they can facilitate fights when students post photos and videos on social media, triggering angry reactions. He added that teachers had to be “cell phone police officers” and students weren’t getting the most out of school when not engaging in meaningful conversations with their peers.
Hill Alder Carmen Rodriguez said at Monday’s presser that, while change is hard, she supports the implementation of Yondr so parents can return to communicating directly with the school system and for teachers to be able to teach. She emphasized that everyone needs to build social skills. “We are humans. We have to connect,” she said. “Let’s challenge each other to connect.”
Rodriguez then challenged the community to join her in working to get students off their phones at home, too. She said she now keeps a basket in her kitchen for her family to store their phones away when eating at the dinner table. She told parents, “Let’s all do the same” because the youth “need to hear from you verbally.”
Blatteau said with the increase in screen dependency, Yondr is not a solution to all problems. She said the solution is a cultural shift toward prioritizing meaningful communication, engagement, and less unregulated access to social media and the internet. The city and school system have continued work to do to re-engage students with hands on learning, Blatteau said, because “we can’t lock away the phone then have them spend all day on [a] laptop.
“Fully staffed, welcoming, and engaging classrooms and schools, that’s the solution. That’s what our students need to thrive,” Blatteau concluded.
Simmone Lall, the mother of a Metro junior, said Monday that she’s noticed that her daughter has made more friends this year because of the new phone-free policy at school.
“I hear more stories about school from her about her friends, homework, teachers, which she never told me about last year,” Lall said. “I know that she’s OK because I trust the school system and Ms. Brillante, because even though I can’t text my daughter, I have access to the principal.”
Metro senior Genesis Guillen Samaniego said while students don’t love using the Yondr pouches, most understand why its important to. Having a distraction-free space in the classroom has allowed for her and her peers to focus more and helps teachers to no longer have to compete with notifications. She concluded that classroom discussions are now more engaging and “conversations that might not have happened before are happening now.”
Metro social studies teacher Maxwell Comando said the use of Yondr has been “transformative” for his classroom. “Within the first week of school, it’s felt like some of the best teaching and learning that’s happened,” he said. He said in his ninth grade modern world history class his students are now building on each others’ ideas during discussions.
Educator Steve Staysniak noted that the school has intentionally rolled out a stronger literacy initiative this year alongside the use of Yondr pouches in order to encourage students to read more books.
After Monday’s press conference, Elicker sat with a dozen Metro students in the school’s cafeteria bean bag chairs to hear their thoughts directly about Yondr. The only phone in sight was that of the mayor’s communications staffer, Ali Oshinskie, who video-recorded students’ thoughts.
Metro juniors Brandon Daley and Lester also took the opportunity Monday to connect with Alder Rodriguez, who invited the duo to present about students’ perspectives and happenings before the Board of Alders Youth Committee.
“We don’t hear from you guys and we need to, so please come,” Rodriguez told them. Brandon took note of the alders’ meeting dates and contacts to present sometime this school year.
Brandon concluded that while it is difficult to detach from phones, the shift is “well needed” and refreshing.
Lester added that during the first few days of the school year he’s been able to better understand how his peers are feeling and now feels more comfortable turning to his classmates to ask for help.
“Now that we don’t have access, it’s less of a drama space and more of a family space,” Lester said.
Metro senior Genesis Guillen Samaniego tells the mayor that “it’s been so much louder” in school without phones
Lester (left) reconnects with former pre-k teacher Jenny Graves, while Brandon Daley connects with Leslie Blatteau to plan future student/teachers union collabs.
Metro social studies teacher Maxwell Comando: This has been “transformative.”
Staysniak: “The pouches have provided us a tremendous opportunity to address one of the most limited resources in the 21st century, which is time and attention.”
Metro parent Simmone Lall: In full support of Yondr.