Students in Gold Trail School District (SD74) will see some changes when school starts up for the year on Sept. 5: no more digital devices in classrooms unless they are being used for instructional purposes.
“If teachers have lessons involving the use of computers or smartphones, students can use them,” says SD74 superintendent Vessy Mochikas. “They’re welcome to use devices during breaks between classes, at recess and lunch, before and after school, but during school, digital devices have to be turned off so students can focus on learning.”
On Aug. 27, Premier David Eby — along with Education Minister Rachna Singh and Attorney-General Niki Sharma — announced a “bell-to-bell” ban of cellphones in B.C. classrooms, with exceptions for children with diverse needs or those with disabilities. Teachers have the discretion to allow the use of devices for instructional purposes.
The province announced plans for the ban in January 2024, and Mochikas says that the SD74 team did some work this past spring, updating the district’s Code of Conduct. She adds that she had some experience with cellphone restrictions in School District No. 73, where she worked prior to coming to SD74 in May.
“A school [in SD73] piloted this plan — phones away in instructional time — and it received praise from students, staff, and caregivers," she notes. “Students welcomed the break. They knew they spent too much on their phones, and since it applied to everyone they didn’t have the fear of missing out on something, especially at the high school level. They had positive feedback and thought it was a good plan.”
There was nothing but positive feedback from teachers, she adds.
“They obviously loved it. There were no distractions to learning, and students engaged with each other when they weren’t on devices or worried about what happens on their devices. It gave them more chances to interact with their peers and teachers and support workers.”
Parents and caregivers were also on board with the cellphone ban. Mochikas says that the school consulted with caregivers and First Nations, and the ban was generally well-received. “Many people can relate to the fact that children — and we adults — spend a lot of time on our phones.”
One concern was caregivers asking what would happen if they had to get a message to their child. “We still have phone lines and secretaries," says Mochikas, "so information can be given via the old-school method of calling the school.”
She adds that SD74 will soon be rolling out a new communication tool district-wide, after it was piloted at Lillooet Secondary School last year. APPAZUR can be used by the district, or individual schools, to send quick messages to students and/or caregivers as needed.
Similar to the Voyent Alert! emergency alert system used by many local governments, APPAZUR allows recipients to receive messages about road closures, upcoming parent/teacher conferences, and more via text, email, or phone call. Mochikas says it shows that there are positive uses for technology.
“This is an example where technology can be a positive communication tool. If parents want us to know that a student will be absent, they can use it to text or contact the school. It allows principals to send out information quickly, and it’s an effective tool where schools can send messages home and caregivers can interact with schools.”
The hope is to roll out APPAZUR district-wide soon after the start of the school year. Details will be provided to students, parents, and caregivers when the program is ready to be launched.
