ATHOL – During its Sept. 17 meeting, the Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee reviewed the early results of its district-wide personal electronic device ban.
The cell phone ban, enacted at the start of the school year, prohibits all personal electronic devices during school hours, with the goal of creating a distraction-free learning environment.
Athol High School Principal David King explained how the policy has been put into practice. On the first day of school, students were assigned numbered Yondr pouches to store phones, earbuds and smart watches. Assemblies at the middle and high schools reviewed the policy and explained how students could use landlines if needed.
“This policy tremendously helps teachers teach the curriculum and maintain relationships with students,” he said.
King spoke of how quickly students adapted and noted the strong support from families. He explained that compliance is enforced through daily and random checks.
“I stand at the entrance to the door, checking every single Yondr pouch as students come into the school,” King said.
He stated that five high school students have been caught with phones since the policy began. Those students lose access to their Yondr pouches for 10 days and must turn in their devices to the front office. Athol Royalston Middle School Principal Jason Webster said they are mirroring this policy and reported minimal violations as well.
“I haven’t asked a student to put a phone away for the first three weeks of school. It has been the most transformative decision any school committee has ever made.”
Anthony Fishel
High school science teacher Anthony Fishel commended the cell phone ban.
“It has been 25 years since I went through a whole school day and didn’t need to tell the students to put a phone away,” he said. “I haven’t asked a student to put a phone away for the first three weeks of school. It has been the most transformative decision any school committee has ever made.”
Fishel said the impact was immediate.
“Within five minutes of the first day of school, during the assembly, it was already noticeable the difference in the attention that the students were giving not only to the people on the stage, but to each other,” he said. “And seeing them interact at lunch really brings joy to my heart.”
Later in the meeting, School Committee member Lee Chauvette announced that the district will fund a $1.3 million feasibility study to explore renovation and rebuilding options for Athol High School.
“We are able to do this 100% moving forward out of the school choice fund,” Chauvette said. “We will not go to the towns. We will not go to the taxpayers’ pockets.”
He explained that the Massachusetts School Building Authority will reimburse the district as the work progresses. The study, expected to take up to two years, will guide future decisions about viable options for the high school.
Chauvette emphasized the vote does not commit the district to a specific project.
“We will hold the designers and the OPMs to the fire,” he said. “We will not tolerate expenses outside of what the program allows that would put us in jeopardy of finances.”
The committee voted unanimously to approve funding for the feasibility study.
The meeting also honored longtime educator Cheryl Parker, retiring after 39 years, and appointed Emily Meuse to fill a vacant seat until the next election in April.