Cell phone restrictions put in place for SD57’s 2024-25 school year.

School District 57’s Board of Trustees has updated the district’s cell phone and personal internet-connected device policy ahead of next school year.

This policy mainly targets phones but also includes personal tablets, portable video game systems, and smartwatches.

Starting in September, Elementary School students will not be allowed access to their devices throughout the entire school day.

Secondary School students will be allowed access during lunch, but “this privilege may be restricted if it’s use disrupts instructional time learning in any way.”

There are some exceptions to the lunchtime rule, including “at the teacher’s discretion, when the use of such devices supports a specific curricular objective and is part of instructional planning.”

Students with specialized learning plans or health monitoring concerns that require a phone or watch will also be exempt.

You can find the official policy changes on page 42 of this PDF.

These changes come after a provincial mandate to restrict phone use in schools in the name of improving students’ online safety.

“The idea is it will get some time for education to get everyone up to speed on this, digital devices are not easy for people to just put down,” board chair Craig Brennan told My PG Now after the meeting. “That is not just for the students, that is for families too. A lot of families, phones are a really important part of how the communicate.”

He said the board’s goal is to have the policy’s guidelines understood and properly implemented in the first few months of next school year.

“This is about student engagement with their learning. If you can keep their eye on that the rest makes sense,” he said. “I don’t think anyone thinks this is going to be easy.”