Petersburg, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - Three Petersburg City Public Schools are set to require students to lock up their cell phones during instructional hours.
During a Wednesday night school board meeting, school leaders announced the decision to implement phone-free policies at Blandford and Pittman Academies, along with Vernon Johns Middle School.
Under the policy, students will be required to turn off their phones before they walk into school each day and place them in a “Yondr” pouch. Staff will then make sure the pouch is locked using a special locking mechanism.
The students’ phones will remain locked in the pouch for the school day. Before dismissal, a staff member will unlock the pouch and give the phone back to the student.
Blandford and Pittman Academies start the new policy on Monday, Feb. 19, and Vernon Johns Middle School on Monday, Feb. 26.
Six schools in Richmond have already adopted cellphone-free policies.
