Mobile Phone Policy
While St. Mary’s Secondary School accepts that it is a student’s right to have a mobile phone, the following policy aims to maintain a safe, nurturing environment where the personal dignity and rights of all the members of the school community are preserved.
To assist the school in implementing this policy, parents/guardians are asked not to contact their daughters by mobile phone at any time during the school day. Contact with the school should be made through the office at 8325591 and students should use the office phone in emergencies.
Where a student brings a mobile phone to school, the phone must be switched off during the school day (8.45 am -1.30(Wed)/15.30 pm) and may not be used for any purpose on the school premises or grounds.
Students found in contravention of the above will have their phones confiscated. However the student removes and retains the SIM card. The phone may be collected from the Secretary’s Office after 3.30 pm upon payment of €5.
Failure to hand over a mobile phone when requested will result in an automatic detention.
Failure to hand over the mobile phone to the Deputy Principal or Principal will result in a suspension.
No photographs or recordings either video or audio, can be made on the school premises with mobile phones. Using phones in such a way can seriously infringe on people’s rights and appropriate sanctions will be imposed.
The school reserves the right to view the contents of the phone, in the presence of the student, to ensure it contains no images or information which could compromise a member of the school community. Any such information or images will be deleted.
Incidents where students use mobile phones to bully other students or send offensive messages or calls will be investigated under the 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, the school may consider it appropriate to involve the Gardaí in such incidents.
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 students / parents.
It is strongly advised that students mark their mobile phones with their names and use passwords to ensure that unauthorised phone calls cannot be made on their phones.
To assist the school in implementing this policy, parents/guardians are asked not to contact their daughters by mobile phone at any time during the school day. Contact with the school should be made through the office at 8325591 and students should use the office phone in emergencies.
Where a student brings a mobile phone to school, the phone must be switched off during the school day (8.45 am -1.30(Wed)/15.30 pm) and may not be used for any purpose on the school premises or grounds.
Students found in contravention of the above will have their phones confiscated. However the student removes and retains the SIM card. The phone may be collected from the Secretary’s Office after 3.30 pm upon payment of €5.
Failure to hand over a mobile phone when requested will result in an automatic detention.
Failure to hand over the mobile phone to the Deputy Principal or Principal will result in a suspension.
No photographs or recordings either video or audio, can be made on the school premises with mobile phones. Using phones in such a way can seriously infringe on people’s rights and appropriate sanctions will be imposed.
The school reserves the right to view the contents of the phone, in the presence of the student, to ensure it contains no images or information which could compromise a member of the school community. Any such information or images will be deleted.
Incidents where students use mobile phones to bully other students or send offensive messages or calls will be investigated under the 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, the school may consider it appropriate to involve the Gardaí in such incidents.
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 students / parents.
It is strongly advised that students mark their mobile phones with their names and use passwords to ensure that unauthorised phone calls cannot be made on their phones.