Dear Taconic Hills Families:
On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State will require all school districts to implement restrictions on smartphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day.
Research indicates that access to cell phones during the academic school day is connected with lower GPA’s, anxiety, loneliness, depression and poor sleep quantity. Securing cell phones during the instructional day will assist in alleviating the above, as well as, create distraction-free classrooms to enrich student engagement.
A “bell-to-bell” ban will be enforced, meaning students will not have access to their phones or personal internet-enabled devices (earbuds, headphones, Applewatch, fitbit watch et al) from the start of the school day until dismissal. This includes lunch and study halls. Accommodations will be provided for devices required for a student’s IEP or to manage a medical condition, such as diabetes regulation.
While this mandate will go into effect statewide for the 2025-26 school year, our district has already taken steps to limit phone use in school. This year, we introduced Yondr pouches for students in grades 7–12 to support a focused learning environment. Although enforcement has been lenient, this initial rollout served as a valuable introduction to help students and staff adjust to a phone-free learning environment. It provided an opportunity to “warm up” to the practice, begin setting expectations, and build awareness ahead of next year’s stricter enforcement.
In September all students were assigned a numbered Yondr pouch. We are currently in the process of collecting this year’s Yondr pouches. We encourage you to remind your child to return their Yondr pouch to the Jr/Sr High office. Please note that there is a $10 fee for any lost or damaged pouch.
Starting in the 2025-26 school year, the Yondr pouch policy will be strictly enforced for our 7-12th grade students. Students will be required to secure their phones and other electrical devices in their pouch at the beginning of each school day and will not have access to their phones until dismissal.
Any necessary communication between students and families during the school day will go through the main office. Families will be able to call the school. Students will be able to use the phone in the main office should they need to contact a parent or guardian during school hours. A reminder will be included in updates to families at the end of summer, prior to students returning to school on Thursday September 4, 2025. In addition, the district will continue to be transparent with our communication by sending emails and texts as necessary to keep our school community accurately informed.
At this time, elementary students will not be required to use a Yondr pouch. Cell phones and any other personal devices will be expected to remain at home or secured in their locker. We’re pleased to share that our younger students have already shown excellent cooperation with this procedure, setting a positive example that helps reinforce the expectation for older students as they move through the grades.
We appreciate your support as we transition to align with this new statewide initiative. This is no longer a district choice but a New York State directive that must be followed. Thank you for partnering with us to create a safe and focused learning environment.
Respectfully,
Lynnette Brunger
Superintendent of Schools