At Muirfield High School, all student mobile phones are required to be placed in the locked pouch for the full school day, including recess and lunch, from the start of period 1 until 2.35pm. This will mean that students will have a responsibility to place their phone in the locked pouch and store it safely in their school bag for the course of the school day. This is an approved NSW Department of Education option.
What if I need to contact my child?
A call can be placed directly to the school in an emergency.
Who is responsible for the mobile phone?
As your child retains their mobile phone throughout the day, they remain responsible.
What happens if my child’s phone is lost or damaged at school?
As with all digital devices, students bring their phone at their own risk. Students should report a missing, lost or damaged phone but Muirfield High School will not be responsible for any loss, theft or damage. Parents and students should consider whether their phone requires insurance and whether specific accidental loss and breakage insurance is appropriate for any digital device.
Are there any exemptions?
Exemptions will be made for mobile phones that are required for medical or learning requirements. Ask your child to speak with their Deputy Principal.
What will happen if my child does not comply?
The school's existing Student Behaviour policy and procedures will be applied to your child, including confiscation, requiring parents to collect the phone, detention, caution, suspension.
Are teachers allowed to confiscate my child’s phone or view images on my child’s phone, or digital device?
Yes. If a student is using a phone in a manner that the teacher believes is inappropriate such as disturbing the lesson, and the student refuses to put the phone away, a Head Teacher or Deputy may confiscate the phone for the remainder of the school day or until a parent picks it up.
If school staff have reasonable grounds to suspect that a student has inappropriate material on his or her phone, or digital device, they may confiscate the phone for the purpose of confirming the existence of the material. Any viewing of the material is generally undertaken in the presence of the student and is limited to establishing that inappropriate material is on the phone. Staff will be sensitive to other personal information of the student that may also be present on the phone.
How will my child pay at the canteen?
•Cash
•Debit card
•Order on Qkr! before roll call.
What if my child forgets their pouch?
They should hand in their mobile phone to the front office for the day.
What happens if my child loses their pouch?
All students will get the first pouch free. Replacement pouches will cost families $20.
What if I do not agree with this policy?
The implementation of this strategy is a requirement by the NSW Department of Education. Schools have to comply.