The following message was emailed to HS families on Wednesday, August 6.
Dear High School Families,
As Dr. Norman stated in his communication several weeks ago, the Distraction-Free Schools New York State law was passed as part of the 2026 state budget. This “bell-to-bell” policy, effective at the start of the school year, aims to promote student mental health and student success by prohibiting student use of personal electronic devices from the time they arrive at school until dismissal.
The law applies to students in grades UPK-12 and bans the use of smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, earbuds, wireless headphones, and other internet-enabled devices. School-issued devices are exempt and will continue to be an important instructional tool in the classroom.
At the Board of Education meeting on July 23, the Board approved the Students and Personal Electronic Devices Policy. Starting in September, each MWHS student will be issued a personal, magnetically-locking Yondr Pouch in which they will be required to secure any internet-enabled devices upon arrival to school. Devices will remain sealed in the pouch for the duration of the school day.
According to Yondr’s annual survey of more than 1,200 school partners:
84% observed increased student engagement in the classroom
72% reported improved student behavior
68% saw improved academic performance
Schools saw a 25% reduction in fights related to online bullying or social media conflicts
More information can be found here: https://www.mw.k12.ny.us/page/distraction-free-schools
*Students will receive their Yondr pouch on September 3, 2025, during homeroom. Students who do not receive a pouch during period 3 can pick it up in their House Office later that day.
**Our new morning arrival procedure, including the Yondr pouch process, will begin on Thursday, September 4, 2025.
Upon entry, students will be expected to:*
Turn off and place their devices (i.e., phones, smartwatches, Airpods/earbuds/headphones) into their Yondr pouch.
Secure/lock pouch before heading to class.
*This process remains the same for our Late Arrival students.
Important to Note:
The Yondr Pouch is school property but becomes the student’s responsibility—each student is expected to bring their pouch to school daily and keep it in working condition.
Students will maintain possession of their devices at all times, but will not have access to them during the instructional day.
Families may request an exemption under specific circumstances, such as for documented medical or disability reasons. If you believe your child qualifies for an exemption, please complete the online Exemption Request form. All requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the district's Exemption Review Committee. Submission of this form does not guarantee approval, but it is the first step in the review process.
**If you are requesting an exemption for more than one child, please complete a separate exemption form for each student.
Cell phone access is permitted after the school day. In emergencies, our House Offices can be utilized to connect via phone. Students will have access to a phone in each office and will be able to call out. House Offices can be reached by calling 845-460-7000 and following the prompt for your child’s house.
I encourage families to take some time over the summer to talk together about communication plans and make any arrangements that will help set everyone up for a smooth and successful school year.
More information on Yondr and our MWHS process can be found here.
District leaders recorded a Crusader Chat, during which they answered questions received from students and families. View the Crusader Chat. Be sure to join our virtual Crusader Chat on Monday, August 25 from 12:30–1:30 PM or 6:00–7:00 PM. (High School topics will be discussed during the first 30 minutes of each session.) Please share your contact information via the online form and we will send you a Google Meet link closer to the Chat date.
Thank you for your continued support. Together, as a community, we’ll stay focused on creating the most productive learning environment for our students.
Respectfully,
Jason McElroy
Principal