St. Patrick’s N.S.
Ballylinan
Mobile Phone Policy (Draft)
Children should not have mobile phones turned on while on school grounds or while engaged in school activities. The only exception to this is in an emergency or with the approval of a teacher. If a pupil has a mobile phone in their possession it should be handed to the class teacher on arrival at school and collected at the end of the day. Children are discouraged from bringing mobile phones to school.
Pupils who ignore this policy and use a mobile on school premises without permission will be required to hand over their phone to a member of staff and parents may be asked to collect it from the school office.
If a teacher has any suspicion that a mobile phone has unsuitable material stored on it, pupils will be required to hand over the phone to a teacher and parents will be asked to collect it from the school. Where there is a suspicion that the material on the mobile may provide evidence relating to a criminal offence the phone will be handed over to the Gardai for further investigation. Parents will be informed in such circumstances.
The school will incorporate this policy in the school’s discipline policy and will treat breaches as they would treat any other breach of school discipline.
The school accepts no responsibility for replacing lost, stolen or damaged mobile phones. The safety and security of mobile phones is wholly a matter for pupils/parents.
The school accepts no responsibility for pupils who lose or have their mobile phones stolen while travelling to and from school.
Mobile phones which are found in the school and whose owner cannot be located should be handed to a member of staff.
It is strongly advised that pupils use passwords/pin numbers to ensure that un-authorised phone calls cannot be made on their phones (e.g. by other pupils, or if stolen). Pupils must keep their password/pin numbers confidential. Mobile phone and/or passwords should not be shared.
Pupils using mobile phones to bully other pupils or send offensive messages/calls will face disciplinary actions as per the School Code of Behaviour/Anti-Bullying Policy.
It should be noted that it is a criminal offence to use a mobile phone to menace, harass or offend another person. As such, if action as sanctioned by the School in this regard is deemed ineffective, as with all such incidents, the school may consider it appropriate to involve the gardaí.
Ratified by Board of Management on Date__________________
Signed _________________________________________
Chairperson, Board of Management
2. MOBILE PHONE POLICY
Pupils should not bring mobile phones to school or to school related off site activities. The only exception to this is in an emergency or with the prior approval of the Principal.
Pupils who ignore this policy and bring a mobile to school, whether they use it or not, will be required to hand over their phone to a member of staff and parents will be asked to collect it from the school office.
Ratified by Board of Management on
Date __________________
Signed __________________________________________
Chairperson, Board of Management