February 16,2007

An Important message for Parents/Guardians and Students regarding Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) on school property

As part of our efforts to promote and maintain a positive Catholic climate in our schools, the board recently approved a new policy regarding Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) on school property. We encourage you to read this important message as it may impact on your child.

The board acknowledges that the dignity of the human person, as promoted by the Catholic Church, may be compromised by the potential for invasion of personal privacy made possible by inappropriate use of PEDs on school premises. The board also recognizes that unregulated use of PEDs may pose a risk to the individual safety of students, staff and visitors in our schools. In some cases, unregulated use of PEDs may facilitate illegal activities in the school environment or during school-sanctioned activities. Further, the board realizes that the promotion of academic excellence and the preservation of academic integrity may be compromised by the unregulated use of PEDs during the instructional day, at assessment times and on formal exam days.

In this regard, effective immediately, all PEDs must be kept out of sight, turned off and not used within school premises (including portables) or during school-sanctioned activities such as retreats, field trips, sports events, etc. To prevent the loss or damage of PEDs, we encourage students to leave their PEDs at home or in their lockers.

There may be exceptional circumstances under which a PED and/or disciplinary action as outlined in the Catholic Code of Conduct.

There may be exceptional circumstances under which a PED may be used on school premises or during school-sanctioned activities. For further information on this and any other aspects of the PED policy, contact your school principal.

GENERAL DEFINITION OF A PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE PED

Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) are WIRELESS and/or PORTABLE ELECTRONIC HANDHELD EQUIPMENT that include, but are not limited to, existing and emerging MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS and SMART TECHNOLOGIES (cell phones, smartphones, walkie-takies, pagers, etc.), PORTABLE INTERNET DEVICES (mobile managers, mobile messengers, BlackBerry handsets, etc.), PDAs (Palm organizers, pocket PCs, etc.) HANDHELD ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS (video games, CD players, compact DVD players, MP3 players, iPods, Walkmen, etc.), digital or film Cameras, digital or analogue Audio Recorders or Video Recorders (tape recorders, camcorders, etc.), Spy Gadgets (spy cameras, covert listening devices, etc.), and any other Convergent Communication Technologies that do any numbers of the previously mentioned functions.

PEDs also include any current or emerging Wireless Handheld Technologies or Portable IT Systems that can be used for the purpose of communication, entertainment, data management, word processing, wireless internet access, image capture/recording, sound recording and information transmitting/receiving/storing, etc.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board PED Notice Feb2007

As is our practice at Our Lady of Providence School, personal electronic devices will be confiscated, with a letter outlining the policy going home with students. When the letter is signed by parents and returned to the school office, devices will be returned to students. Such letters are recorded for future reference.