Horizon School Board Briefs
Policy IGB – Personal Digital Devices – Second and Third Reading
Wilco Tymensen, Superintendent of Horizon School Division, spoke about how this initially began after a request was submitted to the province regarding a cell-phone policy and the province started exploring the idea by sending out a province-wide survey to all school staff and parents through Alberta regarding their thoughts on such a policy. If the province chooses to move forward with such a policy regarding digital devices, Tymensen said, it may come out by September. Tymensen pointed out that Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan are all looking at putting in some sort of provincewide directive for school divisions to develop a policy that restricts devices within while also providing some level of exception for certain areas.
That said, Tymensen established that a fair bit of feedback has been received regarding specific pieces of the policy and changes were made accordingly.
The policy name itself Tymensen says, was altered to personal digital devices because really some of the feedback was that it’s not just about cell phones; it’s other devices that connect, utilize for, connect to the internet as well as network.
The policy, Tymensen emphasized is also taking a positive focus in terms of just about enhancing focused learning environments and now includes clarified definitions about instructional time, noninstructional time and personal individual devices. Clause 1.1 in the policy, Tymensen explained is new, and talks about how at school, at minimum, schools should put in place restrictions that require students keep their phone on silent and out of sight for the entire day for those in kindergarten to grade six classrooms, meaning that it is not a directive, but it’s a guideline that schools should consider that particularly because there was lots of feedback around the fact that the little kids didn’t necessarily need as much access in terms of those devices. Ultimately, the board elected to adjust the policy language from kindergarten to grade eight.
Another item that was added to the policy, Tymensen explained, was information about the sharing and recording of videos or photos of individuals without their inclusive consent is prohibited.
Often, Tymensen stated, there might be an altercation between two kids in a classroom and before you know it, there got somebody recording that and sharing it online and schools are private property.
Following the discussion, a motion was made to give Policy IGB – Personal Communication Devices second reading and the motion was carried. A motion was then made to give Policy IGB – Personal Communication Devices third and final reading and the motion was carried with the board saying the policy had to be adjusted to read ‘Personal Digital Devices.’
Central School Caretaking Tender
Bruce Francis of Horizon School Division discussed that Facilities had tenders presented to them for the Central School Caretaking and out of what had been received, there was a motion made that the division award a two-year custodial contract to Parhar Custodial Services and the motion was carried
Heather Cameron, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Taber Times
