The Music Man Jr. comes to Weston, CT

Yondr pouches are specially designed, lockable, neoprene pouches used to secure mobile phones during events or in places where phone use is restricted. In schools, Yondr pouches minimize distractions, promote focus, and encourage face-to-face learning and interaction among students.  Yondr pouches are being used in schools, concerts, theaters, comedy shows, and corporate events to promote phone-free environments.

At Weston Middle School, students slide their phones into their individually assigned Yondr pouches as they come in the front door in the morning and push a button to lock the pouch. Then they put their pouches with their phones in their backpack or their locker for the day, where they aren’t tempted to access them. As students leave at the end of the day, they swipe their pouches against a specially designed magnet inside any of several school doors to unlock them and retrieve their phones.

Yondr Pouch’s maker claims that Yondr pouches are transforming the way students experience school by helping them stay focused and engaged without the distractions of their phones. These special bags are designed to securely lock up students' devices as they enter a classroom or event. This means that during lessons, students won't be tempted to check messages, scroll through social media, or play games, which can often pull their attention away from important learning. 

The company says that students, teachers, and school communities benefit from Yondr pouches by fostering a more focused, engaging, and distraction-free environment. Schools may fully adopt Yondr pouches over time as trials prove effective in reducing distractions and fostering focus.

“We have learned a lot more about cell phones and the impact they have,” said  WMS Principal Dan Doak.

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At WMS, a group of students is working very hard to protect the environment and make their community more eco-friendly. These students are part of the Green Team, a club dedicated to helping the community, and the planet, one project at a time.

This year the Green Team is taking on some major challenges. One of their main projects is to create school-wide recycling systems for paper and cardboard. Right now, a lot of paper that could be recycled is just being thrown away. Green Team students have added new cardboard boxes in every classroom to recycle these items. Now only plastic bottles and other plastic or aluminum recyclables should be thrown into the old, blue recycling bins. This way, recyclable paper and cardboard is separated from plastic and aluminum drink containers to ensure that it all actually gets recycled when it gets to the waste treatment facility. 

The WMS Green Team isn’t only about recycling, though. The club meets every Tuesday to brainstorm ideas, work on their projects, and figure out

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