Did you know?
- A 2023 UNESCO report found a negative link between excessive cellphone use and student academic performance and that students can take up to 20 minutes to refocus on what they were learning after focusing on a distraction.
- A Centre for Addiction and Mental Health study on youth, smartphones and social media use showed that over a third (35%) of Ontario’s secondary school students spend five hours or more daily on electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, gaming consoles) in their free time.
Cellphones and other mobile devices can cause major distractions in the classroom and disrupt student learning.
In the spring of 2024, the Ontario government put in place new restrictions on personal mobile devices in schools.
Starting September 3, 2024, the following restrictions will be in place in all OCDSB schools:
- Grade 6 and under: Personal mobile devices are not allowed to be used during the school instructional day. This includes during recess and nutrition breaks.
- Grades 7 to 12: Personal mobile devices are not allowed to be used during class instructional time. They can be used during breaks, spares or lunch.
Note: Principals may choose to extend the Grade 6 restrictions to students in Grade 8. More information will be shared from your school.
According to the Ontario government, the restrictions include cellphones, personal laptops, tablets, and smartwatches.
Yes. Exceptions exist for education, health, special education or accommodation needs. This includes if a student needs a mobile device for a medical issue or a teacher has permitted phone use for a learning activity. Talk to your teacher, principal and/or guidance counselor for more information.
Students who don’t comply may be asked to give their devices to the teacher or the office, to be returned later in the day. Further progressive disciplinary action will be taken if students repeatedly disobey the restrictions in place.
Parents/caregivers can call the main office of their school. If it is an urgent or emergency situation, we will immediately notify your child.
Students can use a phone in the main office to call their parents/caregivers.
Yes. Students may keep their cellphone, tablet or smartwatch with them, but they must turn it off or set it to silent mode and store it out of view (for example, in a bag or pocket).
These restrictions will be in place for the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
Further restrictions on social media
To further reduce potential distractions during the school day, all social media networks will be blocked on school networks.
We appreciate these restrictions may be difficult for some to adjust to at first, but we are confident that limiting mobile device usage will improve student focus during class.
To learn more about the provincial regulations regarding mobile devices in schools, visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/cellphones-and-other-mobile-devices-schools
Resources
Parents/caregivers are encouraged to talk about these changes with students and model positive actions to limit their own device usage.
The organization MediaSmarts has helpful information for parents/caregivers, including Four tips for managing your kids’ screen time and Responding to Excessive Use.
You can also explore the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH’s) services and resources if you have concerns about your child’s use of technology