New Mobile Device Policy – Important Update

Effective May 5th, 2024, ISD students will no longer be allowed to bring mobile phones or mobile data connected devices to school. 

Mobile phones may be left at home, in a student’s personal car, or checked in and out at the security gate each day.

Students needing to contact a parent, or parents needing to contact their child, may do so through the Secondary Office using the following phone numbers: 01817291475 or 01847198393

At ISD, we recognise that mobile phones, including smart phones and watches, are an important part of everyday life for students, parents, staff and the wider school community. While these devices are a significant part of everyday life, the school recognises the need to ensure responsible use of these devices. Recent trends in the misuse of smartphones cite a range of concerns which include but are not limited to the following:

• Low concentration levels and distraction due to easy access and screen exposure
• Tired and exhausted students who have disrupted sleep patterns and are unable to focus in class and on learning. 
• Bullying, humiliation and the spread of rumors and hate using social media
• The use of mobile devices to take inappropriate videos/images, including images of a violent or sexual nature  
• Students taking pictures/videos of staff/students without consent and creating memes and other distorted images which are then disseminated for wider reach
• Students communicating and sharing personal information with external and unknown parties via text/ social media 

In line with National and International Education trends that are evaluating the impact of mobile/smartphone use and its impact on student learning, 

Students who intentionally or unintentionally do not hand in their phone and are discovered to have it on their person on campus will lose access to the phone. The following steps will be taken:

• The  phones will be confiscated by the teacher/staff member 
• The teacher/staff member will hand over the phone to the secondary office and tag it with student name and day of confiscation 
• Parents will be contacted to collect the phone in person. 
• No special requests from the student or parents will be entertained to release the phone 

The school may also search a student’s phone if staff have reason to believe the phone contains pornographic images, or if it is being/has been used to commit an offense, cause personal injury or is in breach of the school’s Acceptable Use of Information and Communication Technology policy (see Secondary Parent-Student Handbook). 

Certain types of conduct, bullying or harassment can be classified as extreme forms of misconduct. The school takes such conduct extremely seriously. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to: 

• Sexting 
• Threats of violence or assault 
• Abusive calls, emails, social media posts or texts directed at someone, including on the basis of someone’s ethnicity, religious beliefs or sexual orientation 

This change in policy requires a strong partnership between home and school and we require parents’ support in keeping student phones off campus and utilizing the communication channel through the Secondary Office or through email when needing to communicate with their child.