YONDR BAGS, CLIMBING STAIRS & MS SCHEDULE: CHANGES FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR

By Matt Bailey

mbailey@kas.tw

Students at KAS returned to campus last week to a new landscape of rules and routines, including a campus-wide phone ban, a mandate for high school students to use the stairs, and a restructured schedule for middle schoolers.

High School Principal Kim Clark said the phone-free campus has been a success so far. "It's honestly been so refreshing to see students talking more at break and lunch time," she said. "I’ve personally found it beneficial to be less glued to my own phone and laptop and be more present. So many kiddos are making good decisions around being phone free, and we haven't collected many devices since the start of school." 

The new phone ban, which aligns with an upcoming Taiwan-wide law, will also require KAS secondary students to purchase a Yondr bag for 1,000 NTD. These magnetic-locking pouches will secure phones throughout the school day, with unlocking stations located in the lobby at dismissal. The program is set to begin on August 25.

In an email to parents and staff, Head of School Jim Laney explained the rationale behind the new policy. "We believe the Yondr program will allow our students to: Be more mindful and less distracted, be more engaged in classroom activities, improve their verbal communication and interpersonal skills in English, and improve their academic performance in multiple subject areas," he wrote. "In addition, we expect there will be a decrease in bullying and harassment through social media."

The cost of the bags has become a point of contention for some students. "It’s 1000 twd 💔💔💔. Our wallet going broke," said 11th-grade student Alexandra Chuang in a chat message.

Middle School Principal Chelsea Armstrong echoed the sentiment behind the new policy, acknowledging a widespread issue. "I believe we have a phone addiction problem—myself included," she said. "Studies show that simply having access to a phone can cause anxiety. I believe that by keeping phones away during the school day, we will see less anxious, more engaged students."

Students will be allowed to use their phones for specific, class-related projects, with teachers able to unlock the bags and provide a special lanyard to indicate permission.

In another change, high school students are now required to use the stairs, with the elevator reserved for those with injuries. According to Ms. Clark, the new policy was implemented to reduce tardiness. "Unfortunately the elevator is quite slow, so just waiting on it delayed students getting to class, particularly at the start of school and after break/lunch," she said.

The new elevator rule prompted the senior class to start a petition on the second day of school, with every student in the grade signing it. The petition, led by senior Worthing Bailey, asks for an exemption as a senior privilege. "To better advocate for ourselves we’ve decided to stand up for our senior privileges," Bailey said.

The petition was presented to Ms. Clark on August 15, and she has not yet announced a timeline for a decision. "I'm glad the seniors are exercising their voice!" she said. "In past years it's primarily the senior class who have had issues with attendance."

Regarding the petition, she added, "I'd have to look into the data specifically related to senior tardies. I am happy to get input from the HS team to see if there's any consensus on elevators being a senior privilege."

Meanwhile, the middle school, which already had a no-phone and no-elevator policy, is also seeing changes. Their class periods have been shortened to 70 minutes, with an additional break added in the afternoon. Advisory time has also been moved to the afternoon to increase its effectiveness.

"Middle Schoolers have a shorter attention span and need time for active play," said Ms. Armstrong, explaining the reasoning behind the schedule alterations.