Starting September 3, Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) students will be turning their devices off or setting them to silent, and putting them away to limit distractions and promote healthy relationships and meaningful engagement in the classroom. This will be a new approach for many, but a practice some students are already accustomed to.
“The research tells us that excessive personal mobile device use limits attention, learning, relationships, and belonging in schools,” said associate superintendent of learning responsible for Mental Health Services and Safe Schools, Tanya Fraser. “Restrictions on personal mobile devices will help students to fully participate and embrace the opportunities in their classroom. We believe that upholding ‘off and away’ is necessary for a healthy and engaged school year.”
The “off and away” rule applies to the entire school community and includes cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches. There are exceptions, which include when devices are required for health and medical purposes as documented in medical plans of care, to support special education needs in individual education plans, or if directed by an educator.
In April, the Ministry of Education released a revised edition of Policy/Program Memorandum 128: The Provincial Code of Conduct and School Board Codes of Conduct, with an implementation date of September 2024. The Board has aligned the TLDSB Code of Conduct and shared the updates, along with the 2024-2025 TLDSB Handbook for Parents/Guardians and Students, to ensure all students and their families were aware of the changes before the first day of school (September 3).
TLDSB believes strongly that the updates to the Code of Conduct will have a positive impact on student learning and mental health. When devices are off and away, the school day will consist of more meaningful interactions with peers and staff.
More information, see the information video below, or view the frequently asked questions section within the Personal Mobile Devices tab in the 2024-2025 TLDSB Handbook for Parents/Guardians and Students.
