Background:

For the safety of students and others on its property as well as the deterrence of potentially destructive acts, the District authorizes the use of video surveillance equipment on District property or school buses, where circumstances have shown that it is necessary for these purposes and the benefit outweighs the impact on the privacy of those observed.

The District has the responsibility to provide a safe environment and protect District property from theft &/or vandalism.

Procedure:

The District recognizes both its legal obligation to provide appropriate levels of supervision in the interests of student safety and the fact that students have privacy rights that are reduced but not eliminated while under the supervision of the school. A video recording is recognized to be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

1. Use

1.1 Video cameras may be used to monitor and/or

1.2 Video surveillance camera locations must be authorized by the Principal or Associate Superintendent in consultation with the Superintendent

1.3 Before video surveillance is introduced at a site, a report must be provided to the Superintendent or designate describing the circumstances that indicate the necessity of having surveillance at that site, including consideration of less invasive alternatives.

1.4 The periods of surveillance of public areas are to be minimized.

1.5 Surveillance may occur on school buses specifically assigned to transport students to and from events or locations as determined by the school or district. This may include transportation for specialty academy students.

1.6 The Principal must consult with the School Parent Advisory Council and obtain their approval prior to installing new video surveillance cameras.

1.7 Public notification signs must be prominently displayed indicating that there are some public areas of the building or school buses that are subject to video surveillance.

1.8 Any exception to this, such as a time-limited specific investigation into criminal conduct, must be authorized by the Superintendent or designate on the grounds that covert surveillance is essential to the success of the investigation and the need outweighs the privacy interest of the persons likely to be observed. Covert surveillance may not be authorized on an ongoing basis.

1.9 Video surveillance is not to be used in locations where appropriate confidential or private activities/ functions are routinely carried out (e.g. bathrooms, private conference/meeting rooms). Any exception to this must be authorized by the Superintendent on the grounds that no other supervision option is feasible and that the need is pressing and outweighs the privacy interest of the student or other person likely to be Surveillance of such locations may not be authorized on an ongoing basis.

2. Security

2.1 Video cameras will be installed only by a designated employee or agent of the District. Only designated employees or agents and the building administrator shall have access to the cameras. Only these employees shall handle the cameras and/or the video content as appropriate.

2.2 Video recordings shall be stored securely with restricted access.

2.3 Video recordings may never be publicly viewed or distributed in any other fashion except as provided by this administrative procedure and appropriate legislation.

3. Viewing Video Recordings

3.1 Video monitors used to view video recordings should not be located in a position that enables public viewing. Recordings may only be viewed by the building administrator or individual authorizing camera installation, by parents and students (3.2 below}, or by District staff with a direct involvement with the specific recording, or employees or agents responsible for the technical operations of the system (for technical purposes only). If an employee or student is facing any disciplinary action, he may authorize his union representative or other advocate to also view the recording.

3.2 Parents or guardians requesting to view a segment of a recording that includes their child/children may do so. Students may view segments of a recording relating to themselves if they are capable of exercising their own access to information rights under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Student/ parent/ guardian has the right to request an advocate to be present. Viewing may be refused or limited where viewing would be an unreasonable invasion of a third party’s personal privacy, would give rise to a concern for a third party’s safety, or on any other ground recognized in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

4. Retention of Video Recordings

4.1 Where an incident raises a prospect of a legal claim against the District, the recording, or a copy of it, shall be sent to the District’s insurers.

4.2 Video recordings shall be deleted within one (1) month unless they are being retained at the request of the Principal, Superintendent or designate, employee, parent or student for documentation related to a specific incident, or are being transferred to the District’s insurers

4.3 Video recordings retained under4.2 shall be deleted as soon as the incident in question has been resolved, except in circumstance where the recording has been used in the making of a decision about an individual, wherein the recording must be kept for a minimum of one (1) year as required by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act unless earlier deletion is authorized by or on behalf of the individual.

5. Review

5.1 Each Principal is responsible for the proper implementation and control of the video surveillance

5.2 An annual review is required of each installation.

Legal Reference: Sections 20, 22, 65, 85 School Act

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Bill 20 Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 3) 2010 Sections 42-44

May 2021