Cambridge school to suspend students using cellphones

Last week, parents in Cambridge received a letter from their child’s school detailing some new guidelines to curb distractions in classrooms.

The new guidelines are in line with the Ministry of Education’s approach to keep smartphones out of the hands of students in Waterloo Region. At St. Andrew’s Public School in Cambridge, students caught using a cellphone at school will be suspended for one day under new guidelines.

“At St. Andrew’s Public School in Cambridge, they have spent the past four months working with students to help them understand the positive impact that avoiding the use of smartphones during the school day can have on their learning and mental health,” Vida Collis, Student Achievement and Well-Being, said in a statement to 570 NewsRadio.

“The latest update is an evolution of an existing school guideline in an effort to help better support the academic achievement and well-being of the students at the school, in alignment with Ministry of Education guidance.”

St. Andrew’s is a senior public school with around 300 students from grades 7 and 8.

A recent Centre for Addiction and Mental Health study shows that one-third of Ontario secondary school students spend at least five hours on electronic devices every day.

Under the ministry’s guidelines for this school year, students in kindergarten to Grade 6 have to keep their phones silent and away all day, while students in Grade 7 and above are only allowed to use their phones when permitted by a teacher.

Collis added that the guidelines will be enforced on a case-by-case basis.

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