CPS continuing policies limiting cell phone usage as Ohio law takes effect for first school year
SCHOOL COVERAGE WITH OUR AREA’S BIGGEST DISTRICT KICKING OFF THE NEW YEAR TODAY AND OUR CO-ANCHOR STEVEN ALBRITTON LIVE AT ETHEL TAYLOR MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO, STEPHEN, YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT REMINDER ABOUT THE RULES FOR CELL PHONE USE. YES, I KNOW THEY ARE ATTACHED TO US. I’M HOLDING ONE RIGHT NOW AND I HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN MY POCKET. THAT’S JUST THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. BUT WHEN YOU GO INSIDE A SCHOOL, THEY CAN BECOME A VERY BIG DISTRACTION. OHIO PASSED A LAW WHERE EVERY DISTRICT NEEDS TO HAVE A CELL PHONE POLICY, AND CPS RIGHT ALONG WITH THAT IS CHOOSING TO CONTINUE THEIR USE OF THOSE YONDR POUCHES. NOW, YOU MAY REMEMBER THEM. THEY’RE KIND OF AWKWARD LOOKING. I BELIEVE THEY’RE GREENE, BUT IT’S SOMETHING THAT KEEPS KIDS FOCUSED ON WHAT THEY’RE DOING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. THEY HAVE THE SPECIAL MAGNETIC LOCK ON THEM THAT KEEP THE PHONES SEALED UP ALL DAY UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY, AND YONDR HAS GROWN IN POPULARITY, WITH MANY OTHER DISTRICTS DOING THE EXACT SAME WAY TO KEEP THEM PUT AWAY AND KEEP THE STUDENTS ENGAGED IN CLASSWORK AND NOT ENGAGED ON THEIR PHONES. OHIO’S NEW LAW REQUIRING SCHOOLS TO BAN CELL PHONES IS IN EFFECT, BUT CPS GOT AHEAD OF IT WITH THEIR POLICY LAST YEAR. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THE POUCHES HAVE HELPED IMPROVE GRADES, ATTENDANCE AND IN CLASS BEHAVIOR. THREE VERY GOOD THINGS. NOW, SHE SAYS, WHILE THE KIDS OBVIOUSLY PROBABLY DON’T LIKE THE POLICY, THEY LIKE TO HAVE THEIR COMMUNICATION DEVICE RIGHT NEXT THERE TO THEM. THEY FOCUS MUST BE ON THE CURRICULUM FOR THE 20 2526 SCHOOL YEAR AND GETTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT. NOW, MEGAN, I BELIEVE YOU SAID IN MY LAST HIT THAT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS THE BEST DAY OF SCHOOL. LET’S GO WITH SECOND DAY. THE LAST DAY IS PRETTY GOOD TOO. LET’S BE HONEST THERE. REPORTING LIVE FROM ETHEL TAYLOR STEVEN ALBRITTON WLWT NEWS FIVE. HERE’S THE THING, STEPHEN. I’M A OOH. THINGS ARE SHINY AND BRIGHT, AND I LOVE NEW. AND THEN I GET BORED. SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, IT’S PREFERENCE. THE FIRST THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BY THE LAST DAY, SHE’S SHE’S ALREADY. SHE’S ALREADY HALFW
CPS continuing policies limiting cell phone usage as Ohio law takes effect for first school year
Updated: 7:12 AM EDT Aug 20, 2025
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Summer is over for Greater Cincinnati’s largest school district, with more than 35,000 students returning to the classroom Wednesday.With the start of a new school year comes an adjustment back to the normal routine. One thing that will hopefully be a bit more normal this year is placing phones in Yonder pouches.For a second year in a row, middle and high schoolers will have to put their phones in those pouches during class. They have special magnetic locks on them that keep phones sealed until the end of the day.Yondr has grown in popularity as districts try to find ways to keep students engaged in classwork and not their phones .Ohio’s new law requiring schools to ban cell phones is now in effect, but Cincinnati Public Schools got ahead of it with their policy.Superintendent Shauna Murphy says the pouches have helped improve grades, attendance and in-class behaviors.She adds while the kids may say they don’t like it, the focus must be on the curriculum in front of them to have a great school year.
Summer is over for Greater Cincinnati’s largest school district, with more than 35,000 students returning to the classroom Wednesday.
With the start of a new school year comes an adjustment back to the normal routine. One thing that will hopefully be a bit more normal this year is placing phones in Yonder pouches.
For a second year in a row, middle and high schoolers will have to put their phones in those pouches during class. They have special magnetic locks on them that keep phones sealed until the end of the day.
Yondr has grown in popularity as districts try to find ways to keep students engaged in classwork and not their phones .
Ohio’s new law requiring schools to ban cell phones is now in effect, but Cincinnati Public Schools got ahead of it with their policy.
Superintendent Shauna Murphy says the pouches have helped improve grades, attendance and in-class behaviors.
She adds while the kids may say they don’t like it, the focus must be on the curriculum in front of them to have a great school year.
