Students returning to school on Monday will be met with a new, but softened, cellphone policy across the board.

Prior to the new rules, which were finalized in late December, individual schools had a hodge-podge of approaches and policies in place.

Now a uniform policy will apply to all schools as of Monday, Jan. 6.

Students in grades 7 through 12 will be able to bring their phones to school, but they must be turned off and tucked away during class time. Students will be allowed to use them during recess and lunch break.

K-6 students are being encouraged not to bring phones or other devices to school at all.

Education Minister Krista Lynn Howell says exceptions will be applied on an individual basis.

“There are exemptions to that policy for anybody who has medical reasons, or as part of their learning plan,” she said.

The original plan was far stricter, barring cellphones in all grades 7-12 schools, but the minister says they loosened the restrictions based on feedback from students themselves.

“Forty per cent of that was from students, who gave us some very articulate reasons, and very well thought-out arguments as to why they should be able to have access to their devices during recess and lunch,” says Howell.