At the start of Term 3, all public schools are required to fully implement an “off and away” policy for student mobile phones and personal devices.
You would recall that we have done significant work with our students in Term 1 to prepare them for the implementation of this policy from the start of Term 2. Overall, we have been very pleased with how well the students responded to the policy. Feedback from student forums held in Term 2 indicated that students felt an improved sense of connection and social interaction, had better focus in class, had seen improvements in their grades, had less distractions during lessons and noticed more positive behaviours in the yard. Some students noted that they have found themselves using their phones less outside of school as well.
It is likely that students will have been using their phones and devices more during the school holidays, so as we move into Term 3, we will need to continue to work together to support students to adjust some of their behaviours. Some key reminders are below:
- Canteen payments must be by card, cash or the QKR app, as students should not be accessing their phones or smart watches.
- Students needing to sign out of school need to contact parents/carers through Student Services. We ask that parents/carers receiving messages or calls from their child during the school day direct responses to their child to Student Services, who can pass on urgent messages.
- All students have access to a locker, where they are expected to store their mobile phone (if they choose to bring it to school) along with their school bag. School bags should not be brought into the yard or classrooms during the school day, unless for PE or volleyball lessons.
You can read the full policy, and responses to non-compliance, here: www.brightonss.sa.edu.au/student-life/mobile-phone-policy
