Cellphone ban, high class sizes among new challenges for Calgary students

Thousands of Calgary students are headed back to school on Thursday for the first day of lessons, which could look a little different this year.

Thousands of Calgary students are headed back to school on Thursday for the first day of lessons, which could look a little different this year.

It's the first time students will be taught from a new curriculum that was released by the Alberta government last April.

Officials say 429 schools have signed up to pilot the new program, which aims to boost student engagement and make them into "active citizens."

Another new concept this year is a ban on cellphones in classrooms.

Several school boards, including the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and Rocky View Schools (RVS), have released documents laying out the rules for when students are allowed to use mobile devices and penalties for what happens when they break them.

While the CBE says it will stick to its regular disciplinary action plan with students, RVS published its own document on Wednesday.

In it, RVS says its students are expected to keep their personal mobile devices turned off or silent and stored during class time except when it is allowed by teachers.