Students at Chattooga Mountain Education will enter a new phone-free learning environment beginning Monday, August 10, as the school implements the Yondr phone pouch system.

According to information provided to parents, each student will place their phone inside an assigned, numbered Yondr pouch when arriving on campus each school night. Students will continue to physically possess their phones, but the pouches will remain secured until they are opened at the end of the night.

The school says the change is intended to improve teaching and learning by reducing cellphone distractions and encouraging students to remain engaged with teachers and classmates.

Administrators will provide training on the new system Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, August 10-12, with implementation beginning Monday.

Under the procedure, students will place their phones in their assigned pouches when entering school and secure the pouch for the night. When leaving, students will tap the pouch on an unlocking base to retrieve their phones.

School officials say students will remain responsible for their assigned pouch. A damaged pouch carries a $30 replacement fee, and a student will not be permitted to have a phone at school until that fee is paid.

The school has also established escalating consequences for students caught using a phone. A first offense will result in the phone being confiscated and returned at the end of the night. Following a second offense, the phone will be confiscated and the student will not be allowed to bring a phone to school for one school week. A third offense could result in the student being prohibited from bringing a cellphone to school for the remainder of the school year.

In the event of a school emergency, administrators say students will be directed to follow the school’s emergency preparedness procedures. Parents who need to contact their child because of an emergency can call the school at 706-230-8937.

The Chattooga campus of Mountain Education is located at 302 Maple Drive in Summerville and operates as an evening public high school. Its regular campus hours are Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. The school’s website lists Mike Martin and Mark Pickle as campus principals.

According to the information sent to parents, school administrators believe limiting phone use will improve student engagement, behavior and academic performance.

The new Yondr system takes effect Monday, August 10.