Gettysburg School district superintendent addresses decision to move to a device-free policy [Video]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The Gettysburg School district is cracking down on cell phone use going in to the 2024-25 school year.

The district announced in a press release last Monday that all students K-12 will be in a device-free enviornment. Grades 6-12 will lock smartphones, smartwatches, and bluetooth earbuds in a YONDR pouch.

The pouches can only be unlocked with a specially designed magnet, students may be able to get a velcro sealed pouch if they have medical concerns. Even students who don’t have a phone will get a pouch to use to their liking so that nobody feels left out as these pouches will be open for custom designing by the students.

Gettysburg superintendent Amber Mikkelsen admitted that she was kind of surprised at how much attention the announcement got.

“We’re not trailblazers with this, we’re not one of the first school districts in the …