IMMEDIATE AMMENDMENTS TO THE SCHOOL CELL PHONE POLICY
At the first assembly of term 2, Mr Marwick advised the boys on the new cell phone policy being implemented at College.
Over the last few months, the school management has been carefully examining trends in cell phone usage at College, and has been gauging not only the hopes and expectations of your own parents, but also international trends. The backdrop to this is the growing concern throughout the digitised world about the dependence and at times addiction of especially young people to their devices, and the negative long-term effects they are having on productivity, stress levels and especially relationships.
Another concern that emerged at College last term is the spike in cheating by boys in common tests, arising from the attempted use by about 15 College boys of their cell phones in tests.
By the end of last term, it became clear that action was required. And so, with immediate effect, the College cell phone policy has been changed.
Cell phone Policy Amendments:
- These six points list the amendments to the School’s cell phone policy:
- The school appreciates that some devices may be needed for academic work. This use will be allowed.
- However, all boys are to from now onwards lock their phones in their own lockers from 07h50 until 14h00 or leave them at home or in the BE. Other than the one exception I have already referred to, there will be no exceptions.
- Cell phones will not be allowed to be used, or even visible. The school block and surrounds during the school day are NO CELLPHONE areas.
- If a teacher requires a cell phone for a particular lesson, the boys in that class are allowed to take their phones out of their lockers for that lesson only. The phones need to be returned to the lockers at the end of the lesson.
- The bringing by a boy of his cell phone to school is at his own risk. Boys are generally encouraged to leave their phones at home.
- The new policy is for a trial period of one term.
We ask for your co-operation.