As a school community we want to clearly articulate the expectations for students around personal mobile devices in our schools. As you may have heard, the Government of Alberta recently issued a Ministerial Order outlining new restrictions for personal mobile devices in schools. To comply with the Ministerial Order, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools has implemented Administrative Procedure 325 - Student Use of Personal Mobile Devices and Social Media, that outlines the expectations for students moving forward.
ESC believes that in order to prioritize teaching and learning, personal mobile devices require restrictions in schools. As such, our practices and procedures are not going to change drastically from what we have done in the past. This communication serves primarily as a reminder for our families as we begin a new school year. The following information can be found in our Student Handbook (LINK HERE).
Expectations for students around Personal Mobile Devices:
- Cell phones are not permitted to be used by students in the school and on school grounds for the duration of the school day during school hours.
- Students who choose to bring cellphones to school must keep the device in their backpack, locker, or other school-designated space at all times during the school day.
- Smartwatches are not to be used to connect to the internet or to communicate with others during class time and notifications should be turned off to eliminate distractions.
- Tablets, Chromebooks, and laptops will continue to be used as instructional tools under the direction of the teacher. Students will be welcome to bring them to class as they have in the past.
Consequences:
- Students found using their phones in class or during instructional periods will be asked to hand their phones over to a teacher or to the administration. Parents will be notified and students will be expected to keep their phones at home or turn them into the office each morning for the remainder of a week.
- Students found misusing their smartwatches will be asked to turn them off or leave them at home.
- In the event that students are in breach of these expectations, parents/guardians will be notified. Multiple breaches may result in further disciplinary action.
While phones are an excellent means of communication, please remember that if you try to connect with your child directly on their cell phone, they will not receive the message until the end of the school day. In the event of an urgent situation where you need to speak with your child during instructional time, please call the school office. We appreciate the support of parents and guardians as we endeavour to preserve our learning environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
