Taylor High, Middle School locks down pupils' phones ________._ _______ _ ________________ ________ ___
Taylor High School will start locking up students’ phones in secure pouches this academic year to avoid distractions in the classroom, Principal Matt Wamble told trustees Monday.
This follows last year’s implementation of the pouches at Taylor Middle School, a practice that will be enforced again this year.
Wamble unveiled the initiative at the Taylor Independent School District board meeting.
“I applaud you guys for doing this, and I think something like this could really be differential for us and for our kids so that there’s more learning time in the classroom,” school board Secretary Jim Buzan told Wamble and middle school Principal Steven Vigil.
The pouches are made with durable military-grade material and use RFI/EMI shielding to block signals to and from the device inside. They are locked with a retractable pin that is unlocked with a specialized magnet, similar to magnetic security tags on clothes.
Students will be issued pouches to lock their phones in as they arrive using magnet stations around campus. The pouches are unlocked at the stations before students leave campus at the end of the day.
“I think it’s a good tool. I think students do need to be focused,” Wamble said.
Parents’ main concerns are how to stay in touch with their children, educators said.
The principals recommend calling the school’s front office and then someone can go notify the pupil when needed. In cases of emergencies, Vigil said parents can send a message to their student’s school email for the learner to receive on personal school devices, but he also discouraged the practice.
Other than these logistical questions, the principals reported no pushback from parents.
“I literally had probably 15 to 20 parents, who reached out to me personally, say, ‘What can we do to help continue this? … Is there anything we can do to support you?’” Vigil said. “It was surprising, it was exciting to have that kind of support from the community.”
The schools will be using CellockED pouches, a product launched by anti-bullying campaign New School Hero in July.
Vigil did not specify at the meeting what brand the middle school used last year.
“They’re actually slightly different, slightly upgraded, but still the same system,” he said. “Moving into year two, … students came in kind of used to it.”
Other school districts across Texas have also started using phone pouches, including Killeen, Dallas, Woodville and more.
“The only thing I hear on the radio is … certain ISDs starting to implement this, and for us to be one of those is great,” school board President Marco Ortiz said.
As more school districts adopt pouches, District 19 state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, RLakeway, is looking to ensure all Texas schools are phone free, according to CBS News.
While the measure is based on good intentions, at least one trustee thinks legislative mandates in Austin are a cause for concern if lawmakers chip away at local school control.
“The government, at that point, starts trying to take over and dictating what we want to do,”Ortiz said.
“I think students do need to be focused.” “
— Principal Matt Wamble, Taylor High School
