Mobile Phone Policy 2024
1. Purpose
1.1 The widespread ownership of mobile phones among young people requires that parents, students, schools and teachers take steps to ensure that they are used responsibly at school, excursions, camps and extra-curricular activities. This Mobile Phone Policy is designed to ensure that potential issues involving mobile phones can be clearly identified and addressed, allowing the benefits that mobile phones may provide and can be utilised by students for educational use.
1.2. Irrawang High School has established a Mobile Phone Policy that provides teachers, students and parents with guidelines and instructions for the appropriate use of mobile phones at school.
1.3. Students and their parents or guardians are asked to read, understand and agree to abide by the IHS Mobile Phone Policy so students are clear on the permitted use and possible consequences of misuse of mobile phones in school.
2. Rationale
1.1 Irrawang High School accepts that parents give their children mobile phones to protect them from everyday risks involving personal safety and security. It is acknowledged that providing a student with the mobile phone gives parents reassurance they can contact their child if they need to speak with them urgently outside of school hours.
1.2 The implementation of the YONDR system will aim to increase the learning time of our students, reduce mobile phone related distractions and increase the safety and wellbeing of our students.
3. Responsibilities and Delegations
3.1. It is the responsibility of students who bring mobile phones to school to abide by the guidelines outlined in this document. Students are not allowed to use mobile phones at school, including during recess and lunch.
3.2. Every student will be assigned a personal IHS YONDR Pouch with an ID Number. While the IHS YONDR Pouch is considered school property, it is each student’s responsibility to bring their pouch with them to school every day.
3.3. Be safe, responsible and respectful users of mobile phones and online services, and support their peers to be the same.
3.4. Respect and follow school rules and procedures and the decisions made by staff, knowing that other schools may have different arrangements.
3.5. Due to the implementation of the IHS YONDR Pouch, parents are reminded that in cases of emergency during the school day, the school office remains the preferred point of contact and school staff will ensure students are contacted quickly and assisted in the appropriate way.
3.6. Head phones and smart watches fall under the same guidelines as mobile phones in that students are asked to have them “off and away all day”.
4. Procedures
AS STUDENTS ENTER THE SCHOOL
4.1. For students who bring their mobile phones to school, the expectation is that their phone is turned off before they enter the school grounds.
4.2. Unlock their empty IHS YONDR Pouch using an Unlocking Base at the School’s pedestrian gates at the front of the school.
4.3. Place their phone inside the pouch, securely close it and store in their school bag.
4.4. Each student will maintain possession of their mobile phone inside their IHS YONDR Pouch for the duration of the school day. Late students will do this process at the Front Office as they sign in.
4.5. Students’ locked YONDR pouches will be checked by roll call teachers during roll call in the quad.
4.6. The school owns and will loan to students laptops to complete class activities throughout the day. It is the expectation of the school that students will use laptops as opposed to their personal phones.
4.7 Opening stations will be kept under the supervision of the Deputy Principals.
4.8 Students found to have a mobile phone during the school day: see the flowchart on the following page.
AS STUDENTS EXIT THE SCHOOL
5.1. At the end of the academic day, students will be able to unlock the IHS YONDR Pouch using the Unlocking Bases at the school gate.
5.2. Students will then be able to remove their mobile phones from their IHS YONDR Pouches for personal use.
5.3. Securely close their empty pouch and place it in their schoolbag for use the next day.
5.4. For students who need to leave early, an Unlocking Base will be placed in the Front Office with the deputy principal.
5.5. During Sport phones will remain in Yondr pouches. If a student has special permission to leave the venue and not return to school, an arrangement will need to be made with the deputy principal.
If the YONDR pouch is damaged.
1. If your pouch is damaged, please see your DP for a replacement.
Exemptions
1. Students may be issued with a Yondr pouch which allows easy access if indicated in a Health Care Plan that there is a medical circumstance which requires quick access to a device for health and safety purposes.
2. Local employers have been informed that students will be able to check their phones to check their roster outside of school hours. In the event that a student did need to check their phone for employment purposes, students may see their deputy principal or Mr Clewett in the library.
For more information please visit https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/pd-2023-0480