At Ancaster Meadow, we recognize that the use of cell phones and other technology is part of everyday life. We are focused on promoting, modelling, and educating students about the responsible use of devices, and on maintaining a high level of digital citizenship for all.
Students who wish to bring a cell phone/personal device to school will be required to safely store their phone/device in a locker at the beginning of the school day. Phones/devices will remain in lockers for the duration of the day. Please remember that if a student wishes to bring a personal device to school, they should also have a lock on their locker. The school is not responsible for lost or damaged personal devices.
Students may be permitted to use their cell phones/personal devices at the direction of their teacher, and for a specified period and learning target, then returned to their lockers. Cell phone/device use by students will be followed as outlined in the HWDSB’s Responsible Use of Digital Technology Procedure,.
Please have discussions with your child(ren) about the Code of Conduct and that appropriate behaviour is the expectation both in the physical world and the virtual world. The main issues that students might be reminded about are:
- taking pictures/videos of others without their consent
- sharing pictures/videos of others without their consent
- sharing pictures with added captions/voice overs/implications that cause harm (with or without intent)
- using any language or image/video that impacts the dignity, rights, and privacy of others
- using any language or image/video that discriminates against others or is oppressive of others
- Understanding there is no such thing as privacy when it comes to texting, posting, photo sharing, or other uses students have with phones/devices
- absolutely no use of digital devices in washrooms or changerooms
- any other actions that are inappropriate or cause harm to self/others
It’s important for students to know what to do if they are experiencing trouble. The three key points we encourage are:
- Ignore (do not respond or contribute digitally)
- Block (remove access or leave a group chat)
- Report (tell a caring adult)
We know that students may carry devices for safety/medical reasons. These exceptions will be honoured. Please contact the office if you need to reach your child throughout the instructional day. Your child will not be able to communicate with you via cell phone, as they will not have access throughout the day. If your child needs to contact you, they can come to the office at any point to make the phone call.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in keeping our children safe.
Sincerely,
K. Dunford
Updated on Thursday, August 24, 2023.