The Lunchroom: Making Phone-Free Schools Work

Phone-free school policies are multiplying. But between announcing a ban and making it work in real classrooms, there’s a significant gap. School leaders, educators, and families are all asking the same question: what does this actually look like on the ground?

Across provinces—and internationally—approaches vary. Some jurisdictions mandate restrictions, while others leave room for local decision-making. In this shifting landscape, the real challenge is no longer drafting policy. It’s building shared, sustainable practices that work in everyday school life.

A Space for Honest, Practice-Based Dialogue

That’s the goal of The Lunchroom: Making Phone-Free Schools Work, a webinar series led by The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, a public policy and social innovation lab.

In partnership with EdCan Network and the Phone-Free Schools Movement, the series brings together education leaders who are actively implementing phone-free approaches in their schools and districts.

Each session features candid reflections: what’s working, what’s proving difficult, and what they would do differently. The focus is practical and grounded in lived experience—not theory.

Beyond the Rule: Building a School-Wide Culture

Removing phones from classrooms is not just about enforcing a rule. It affects classroom management, school climate, family communication, and instructional design.

Key themes explored in the series include:

• Gaining staff and student buy-in
• Communicating effectively with families
• Establishing clear, consistent routines (storage systems, expectations, graduated responses)
• Observed impacts on attention, social interaction, and student well-being

Speakers also address unexpected challenges, from uneven implementation to social pressure and community pushback. A recurring message: success depends less on strictness and more on clarity, consistency, and shared purpose.

A Whole-Community Conversation

The series is designed for everyone involved in making policy work in real schools:

• School board and district leaders
• Principals and vice-principals
• Educators
• Parents
• Civil society partners

This broad audience reflects a simple truth: a phone-free environment can only succeed when the entire school community understands both the rationale and the practical implications.

Practical, Accessible Sessions

Four virtual sessions are scheduled from 1–2 p.m. ET:

• February 25
• March 25
• April 29
• May 27 (in French)

Participants can attend all sessions or join selectively. The format is intentionally informal—bring your lunch, your questions, and leave with concrete ideas you can adapt to your own context.

Register:  https://dais.ca/headsup/events/