"This document contains important school information. Please have someone help you with translation."
"هذا المذكرة تحتوي على معلومات مدرسية مهمة. يرجى أن يساعدك أحد في ترجمتها أن لم تستطع فهمها."
"Dukumintigan waxaa ku jira macluumaad muhiim ah oo ku saabsan dugsiga. Fadlan qof ha kaa caawiyo turjumidda."
"यस पत्रमा स्कुलकोबारेमा महत्वपूर्ण जानकारी लेखिएको छ । यदि तपाईंले अङ्रेजी भाषा राम्रोसँग बुझ्नुहुन्न भने, अरु कसैलाई यो पत्र तपाईंको भाषामा अनुवाद गरिदिन अनुरोध गर्नुहोस् ।"
Dear General Vanier Parents/Caregivers,
Cellphones and other mobile devices can cause major distractions in the classroom and disrupt student learning. Last spring, the Ontario government put in place new restrictions on personal mobile devices in schools. I wanted to share more information with you about these changes
at our school. Starting September 3rd, the following restrictions will be in place at General Vanier PS:
● Grade 3 and under: Personal mobile devices are not allowed to be used during the
school instructional day. This includes during recess and nutrition breaks.
What is a personal mobile device?
According to the Ontario government, the restrictions include cell phones, personal laptops,
tablets, and smartwatches.
Are there any exceptions?
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 child’s teacher or contact me for
more information.
What if students use their phones during class time without permission?
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.
What if I need to contact my child?
Parents/caregivers can call the main office of their school. If it is an urgent or emergency
situation, we will immediately notify your child.
What if my child needs to call me?
Students can use a phone in the main office to call their parents/caregivers.
Can students still bring a phone to school?
Yes. Students may keep their cell phone, 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). Please understand that the school cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to these devices and I encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns regarding this.
Parents/caregivers are encouraged to talk about these changes with students ahead of school
and model positive actions to limit your own device usage. The organization MediaSmarts has
helpful information on managing screen time on their website.
More resources and information about these changes can be found on our website:
ocdsb.ca/mobiledevices
Thank you,
Christina Rather
Principal