Hillsboro City Schools to implement Yondr pouches for new cell phone policy

One month after the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education authorized an updated policy requiring students to have their phones off at all times, the board voted Monday, July 15 to approve the 2024-25 high school/middle school handbook that includes a provision to keep smartphones in locked pouches during the day.

As explained by superintendent Tim Davis at the board’s June meeting, under the new policy, “The personal communication devices need to be off during the school day. Students, once they come in the building — once the school day starts, 7:30 to 2:30 at the high school, and the elementary — phones are to be off, not to be used. Anything during that school day is going to be off.” (Davis added that there are “medical exceptions,” such as for students with diabetes.)

In April, Davis demonstrated the Yondr pouch as a potential option for students, and they were officially added to the handbook with the board’s approval July 15. According to the Yondr website, these pouches are being used in schools as well at event spaces, such as at arenas, among other areas.

“Upon entering the phone-free space, your phone will be placed inside a Yondr pouch,” the Yondr website says. “Once inside the phone-free area, the pouch is locked. You will maintain possession of your phone at all times. To use your phone at any time, step outside the phone-free zone and tap your pouch on an unlocking base.”

Davis explained the policies for the pouches to the board Monday.

“The students’ phones are going to go into the pouches in the beginning of the day, and then they will be unlocked at the end,” Davis said. “If the student loses those, they will be responsible for reimbursing and paying for a new one. Basically, if you bring your phone to school, you need to bring your pouch so that it is in the pouch.

“Students will be given those, and then they will be responsible for keeping care of them and bringing them back.”

Violations of not bringing the pouches back to school each day will lead to “disciplinary infractions,” Davis said, from either students having their “phone confiscated” for the day or “in-school suspensions and all the way up to suspensions” for multiple violations.

As discussed by Davis in April, students will not be able to access their phones until they reach a designated “unlocking” area for the pouches. Board president Bill Myers asked Monday how many of those areas will be set up.

“They gave you so many magnets per pouches, so we probably have about 20 of these that are going to be stationed on the wall,” Davis said. “They’ll be in between the two gyms as they go out to buses, they're going to be by the front doors, they will be at the offices and then they will be scattered about with different teachers throughout the school day.

“Basically, they will not be there through the day. They’ll be put on the wall, it’ll be screwed in, and they’ll put them there for kids to be able to unlock their pouch on the way out of the building.”

As previously reported, Davis told the board in April that the district was “looking at our cell phone policy” following comments made by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in his 2024 State of the State address presented April 10. The governor has since signed House Bill 250, which “calls for every school district in the state to establish an official policy governing cell phone usage and emphasizes limiting cell phones to the greatest extent possible,” according to the governor’s office.

The state also issued a “model policy designed to minimize student use of cell phones during school hours,” drafted by the Department of Education and Workforce and released May 29.

“The model policy prohibits students from using cell phones or similar electronic communications devices on school property during school hours,” according to the Ohio Governor’s Office. “It also requires that students keep their cell phones in a secure place – such as their locker, a closed backpack or a storage device provided by the district – at all times when cell phone use is prohibited. Exceptions are included for students using a cell phone for a documented purpose as part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or for monitoring a health concern.”

In other discussion:

• The board approved a Satellite Program Standards and Maintenance Agreement with Great Oaks Career Campuses “to implement a well-coordinated career technical education program at Hillsboro City Schools,” affecting both the welding and FFA programs.

“We are partnering with Great Oaks for the use of kind of splitting our FFA and our welding program at Hillsboro City Schools, as far as career tech,” Davis said. “This is something that other districts have done as well, as far as enhancing their programs and different things, so we are excited about the new venture between us.

“It is a contract, I believe for three years, between us and them, dealing with staff and resources. We're excited to see this agreement go through for both us and them and our students.”

In response to a question from board member Larry Lyons, Davis confirmed that the staff and classrooms will remain at Hillsboro.

“That's all on our campus,” Davis said. “The only thing that will change is basically the name and then who is employing the employees.”

• In his report, Davis reminded the community that “believe it or not, summer's over,” as the first day of school for students is coming up Aug. 14; first day of school for staff is Aug. 7; and the work day/district day, including open houses, set for Aug. 8.

Davis also expressed condolences to the families of two former Hillsboro teachers, as Vicki Butler and Ralph “Buddy” Pence both passed away recently.

“They both dedicated their careers to Hillsboro City Schools,” Davis said. “We just want to thank them and their families for all the great years they gave us.”

• Board member Beverly Rhoads shared updates on recent Great Oaks Career Campuses news, including their July meeting. She said they welcomed a new member — Spencer Bradley, who replaces Greg Barr as the Greenfield Exempted Village Schools’ representative — while they also lost a member from Clinton County, Mark Garen, who passed away.

The Great Oaks board approved the following new programs for 2024-25: Aviation Exploration at Live Oaks, Business Management at Finneytown Secondary – Goshen High School and Mariemont High School, JROTC at Laurel Oaks, Law Enforcement at Laurel Oaks, Welding at Hillsboro High School, Fiber Optic Cabling Technician in AWD/OTC, Powerline Technician in AWD/OTC and Practical Nursing in AWD/OTC.

Also approved were two grants for fiscal year 2024 (Aspire Education Grant for $1,279,779 and  Career & Technical Education Planning District #044 Carl D. Perkins Adult and Secondary Allocations for $171,477.11 and $1,833,850.74, respectively); the Laurel Oaks Expansion Project-Phase 1 bid of $1,502,715.69 from FX Facility Group and the construction design for the Laurel Oaks Expansion – Phase 2.

It was also noted that the Great Oaks Education Foundation golf outing raised over $44,000 before expenses, while demolition of the Northeast wing in Scarlet Oaks has begun for the rebuild of classrooms & lab space for Fire, Exercise Science, Early Childhood Education and Adult State Tested Nurse Assistant (STNA) & License Practical Nurse (LPN).

• Prior to the regular meeting, the district’s Director of State and Federal Programs, Diane Michael, hosted a public hearing on their federal grant budget. The board voted to approve the grants in June.

The

proposed federal funds for include:    

— 516 Special Education Part B IDEA, $644,841.31 (up from $639,108.42 in 2023-24). This is used for instruction (special education teachers, aides, purchased services/online programs and instructional supplies); administrative services; and speech services/special education for Hillsboro Christian Academy.

— 572 Title I (for grades K-3), $849,851.68 (down from $859,661.88 for fiscal year 2024). This is used for salaries and family/community supplies for the HCS district and purchased services for Hillsboro Christian Academy.

— 590 Improving Teacher Quality Title IIA, $108,392.16 (up from $99,952.11 last year), which is used for professional development.

— 584 (599) Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment, $66,447.16 (down from $69,795.98 last year), which is used for safety/school resource officers and supplies.

— 587 Early Childhood Special Education IDEA, $19,363.56 (up from $19,024.05 last year), used for itinerant services (Hopewell).

Also discussed were the following other grants:

— ECE Preschool Grant, $211,000 (up from $170,000 last year), which will go toward a new administrative preschool position and one preschool teacher.

— Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA), $622,584.68 (no previous total given), which covers a nurse and two LPNs; the online learning program and staff for the alternative school; school psychologists; and a social worker.

— Student Wellness, $463,846.64 (no previous total given), which covers five counselors.  

For the DPIA and Student Wellness grants, Michael said the district has received these “in the past, but we’ve just never really put people to them.

“It's requiring us now to say exactly how we spend those funds, as opposed to just using it as general funds,” she said. “We've been doing it all along, we just have never brought it out like our other federal funds.”

• For a second straight month, a parent expressed concerns about a recent decision by the district to remove certain services for special needs students.

In June, a parent spoke out against removing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy from the classroom. During the public participation portion of the meeting Monday, another parent asked why RBTs, or Registered Behavior Technicians, were being removed from the classrooms.

The parent who spoke Monday said that her child is autistic and that the RBTs “have been extremely successful in helping” him “progress by leaps and bounds.

“Why would you take away the extra support for these children and the classroom staff?” she asked. “What is your plan to support these children and the classroom staff when the behavioral and learning challenges arise? My son deserves to be in school with as much support as he can get.”

Myers thanked the parent for her feedback and said they would issue a written response.

According to a copy of the letter from Myers to the mother who spoke in June, Davis “is working on options for our families that are receiving ABA therapy and RBT services outside of the school day; however, Hillsboro City Schools doesn’t have any influence on the third-party service provider or the number of hours that they must provide.”

The board also made the following approvals:

• The board approved the financial reports as presented. According to district treasurer Ben Teeters, June 2024 saw the district conclude their fiscal year with a cash balance of $11,366,790, up from $8,986,493 a year ago; expenses of $2,782,208, up from $2,495,192 last year; and revenues of $1,706,491, down from $1,923,917 last year.

“We had a very good school year,” Teeters said. "Our finances are running the same, pretty much, as they've been for last few years.”

• The board approved the 2024-25 bus routes. According to Davis, there will be “no changes as far as the routes go,” but “bus numbers will change with bringing in different buses.”

• The board accepted the superintendent’s recommendation to enter a contract to purchase two used 2023 school buses from Ohio Valley School District, not to exceed $65,000.

Davis told the board that the Ohio Valley district is “getting rid of” these buses due to needing larger models.

“We were looking at purchasing buses, and then this came about,” Davis said. “At this price, with under 20,000 miles, they’re basically brand new. We're going to take advantage of purchasing those to increase our fleet.

“The buses are in great shape. It allows us for some of our routes that go out to Carmel and different longer routes that don't haul as many kids, to get a little shorter bus out there instead of taking an 80-passenger all the way out there for 40 kids or 50 kids. These are 66-passenger buses.”

Lyons added, “We essentially get two for the price of one.”

• The board approved the following individuals for the contracts and positions indicated:
— Summer Food Service Program, Katelyn Carey (retroactive to June 16);
— Classified, custodian Jamie Gelter (retroactive July 1) and secretary Brandi Miller;
— Sub classified: Jennifer Alsip (clerical); Alora Coburn, James Florence, Phil Loudin, Bret Malone, Bryan McComas (bus drivers); Samantha Crawford, Brandi Fleming, Brittany Holsinger, Shelly Johnson, Kelley “Teal” Sexton, Cindy Smith, Sherry Stark and Tara Swift (aide, clerical); Brian Cummings, Jennifer Howland, Joe Jacky, Donald Marsch, Bruce Messer, Ben Miller, Amber Roades, Jaden Skeens and Tracey Staggs (van drivers); Brandon Haines and Nancy Stewart (custodians); Atlanta Harris, Sherri Holland and Linda Roush (aide, clerical, cook); Jessica Mast (aide); Randi McCoy (cook, custodian); Emmalynn McGuire, Jessica Messer, Dorothy Porter, Surina Potts-Deeter and Josephine Taylor (cooks); Ann Morrow (clerical); and Nicole Shawhan (aide, clerical, cook, custodian).
— Sub certificated: Sara Allen, Ronna Achor, Robert Armentrout, Kaylynn Bell, Jeri Brown, Lindsey Burkhart, James M. Burton, Maggie Chaney, Jessica Chase, Rachel Cline, Dorothy Countryman, Shelbie Cowman, Lisa Creditt, Kyle Cutter, Donita Everetts, Brenda Fishback, Rhonda Hassman, Paula Homan, Jana Huff-Daye, Alexis Lennert, Tara Malloy, Brian McCord, Randy McFarland, Allyson McKeehan, Kimberly Miller, Trista Mount, Sandra Nartker, Kimberly O’Brien, Kelly Pavey, Emily Pohlman, Katie Purdin, Brian Robinson, Dee Robinson, Rebecca Shawhan, Lindsay Snavely, S. Veronica Stewart, Trista Strong, Gage Summers, Ethel “Jean” Tedrick, Rebecca Waits, Shane Walterhouse, Regina Webb, Katrina Williams, Lindsay Wilson and Stephani Young.
— Certificated: Payton Bell (psychologist, intern, one-year contract, teacher scales, MA step 0); Katie Greer (school nurse, three-year contract); Brian Hughes (intervention specialist, one-year contract); Susan Rhoads (teacher on special assignment, one-year contract); and Lola Royalty (psychologist, part-time, one-year contract, paid per time sheet).
— Supplemental: Amy Captain (HS varsity cheerleading coach - football); Brandie Fenner (MS cheerleading coach - football); Sheldon Griffin and Jaden Skeens (MS football coaches); and Taylor Reed (HS assistant cheerleading coach - football).

In a separate motion, with Lyons abstaining, the board approved Jeremy Haines and Darci Miles as van drivers.

• The board accepted the resignations of paraprofessional Brandi Miller and special education supervisor Chelsey Seeling, both effective at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

• The board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Hillsboro Police Department for the placement of one school resource officer during the 2024-25 school year. Davis said the same officer, Zach Burnett, will continue to serve the district.

• Changes of status for the 2024-25 school year were approved for the following staff members: Kayla DeAtley, from BA to BA150; Rebecca Johnson and Candice Wireman, from MA+15 to MA+30; and Teresa Marion, from BA step 0 to MA+15 step 10.

• The board approved a $50,000 transfer for each month of fiscal year 2025, from 001-7200-910-0000 to 002-5100-000-9000.

• The board accepted donations toward the Athletic Department (Ford Excavation LLC, $100 and in memory of Ryan Chapman, $200) and toward the Art Club (Highland County Honor Guard/VFW Post 9094, $500).

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