F-160-AR: Use of Personal Mobile Devices and Social Media in Schools
References:
- Ministerial Order #014/2024
- A-110 Welcoming, Caring, Respectful, Inclusive and Safe Working and Learning Environments
- F-110 Student Conduct
- F-140 Health and Wellness of Staff and Students
Purpose
The purpose of this AR is to:
- Comply with the provincial direction to provide clear guidelines regarding the use of student personal mobile devices (PMD) in schools.
- Improve learning outcomes by supporting a welcoming, caring, respectful, inclusive and safe learning environment that promotes well-being.
1. Each principal, in collaboration with staff, will develop and implement school policy governing the acceptable use of PMD while individuals are on school property and/or in attendance at school sponsored activities.
1.1 School principals are encouraged to collaborate with one another to ensure consistency of policy amongst schools at the division level.
2. School policy will take into consideration:
2. 1 student demographic (e.g. students age, language proficiency, and developmental stages);
2.2 instructional and non-instructional time;
2.3 instructional and/or medical accommodations;
2.4 parental collaboration;
2.5 all applicable school and board policies; and
2. 6 staff usage expectations
3. Clear and concise expectations and consequences regarding appropriate and inappropriate use of digital devices.
3.1 Consequences may include:
3.1.1 asked to put the device away;
3.1.2 conversation with the student, staff, and/or parent;
3.1.3 temporary confiscation, where student, staff or parent may pick up the device later; and/or
3.1.4 prohibition of devices at school.
4. Expectations regarding storage of personal digital devices
4.1 School policy must clearly articulate that the security and storage of PMD is the sole responsibility of the owner/user.
4.2 the division assumes no responsibility for the safety, security, loss, repair or replacement of any personal items, including confiscated PMD.
4.3 The school will take all reasonable efforts, should a PMD be confiscated, to securely store the device.