Background:
To align with the Provincial Standards for Codes of Conduct Order, the District restricts the use of personal digital devices at school to promote online safety and focused learning environments. The District recognizes that unregulated use of personal digital devices may pose a risk to personal safety; may impact physical and mental health and healthy relationships, may disrupt instruction and learning; may invade personal privacy, and may compromise academic integrity.
The District recognizes that when used thoughtfully, technology can create opportunities for constructive and positive applications that can support the learning journey. Students can use these technologies to create content, to communicate, to collaborate and to share.
In West Vancouver Schools we use technology to support learning. As a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) district, laptops and tablets are the preferred technology due to their versatility, compatibility with educational purposes, and ability to facilitate various learning activities.
Definitions:
Personal Digital Devices means any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or to access the internet, such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, and any other portable technology device.
The use of cell phones and connected accessories, like smartwatches, will be limited in their use as they can impact the education and well-being of students. Smartwatches and other similar connected accessories may not be used like a cell phone in terms of communication and connection.
Security & Storage:
The security and storage of personal digital devices is the sole responsibility of the owner/user. The district assumes no responsibility for the safety, security, loss, repair or replacement of these devices.
Personal Digital Devices Procedures:
At secondary schools personal digital device expectations are for instructional time.
At elementary schools, personal digital device expectations are for the full school day including use before school, after school and break times.
Personal digital devices are not to be used without the direct permission of the teacher and/or administrator.
If a personal digital device is required for instructional purposes, or to support a student’s medical and health or accessibility and accommodation needs, teachers/staff will provide clear guidelines and expectations around their use for these purposes and ensure that use is adequately supervised. Considerations for personal digital device use will also be made to ensure equity to support learning outcomes for any student who may be disproportionately impacted by the lack of access.
Additional guidelines and expectations include but are not limited to:
- Students who bring personal digital devices to the school are expected to comply with all parts of their school’s code of conduct.
- The use of personal digital devices should not interfere with others. This includes sound, light, and other distractions.
- Personal digital devices are not to be used in private settings such as change rooms, washrooms, or counseling rooms that have the potential to violate a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy.
- In an emergency such as a lockdown or evacuation, personal digital devices should not be used until told otherwise.