Date Approved: April 15 2025
Date Reviewed/Amended:
High standards are expected from Trustees and the behaviour in accordance with those standards is paramount in developing and maintaining the public’s trust and confidence in the Board and the School District.
The Board recognizes that every Trustee is legally and ethically bound to comply with conflict-of-interest requirements of the School Act. Furthermore, they are expected to comply with the standards and expectations expressed within the District Conflict of Interest Policy and exhibit these qualities and values within their activities as they relate to district business.
1. Trustees have a duty of loyalty to the district as set out in the School Act. This duty of loyalty requires Trustees to provide services to the best of their ability regardless of their own personal perspectives of Board direction or policy. The honesty and integrity of Trustees must be above reproach and coupled with impartiality in the conduct of their duties to ensure that their actions avoid public doubt. The actions and conduct of Trustees must be such as to instill confidence in the district and public education.
2. It is essential that Trustees recognize their responsibility to ensure that confidential information received because of their position with the district remains confidential. Such information is not to be divulged to anyone other than individuals authorized to receive such information. This included confidential information received verbally, or in written or electronic form. Disclosure of confidential information may put Trustees in a position of conflict of interest, and great care must be taken when communicating with individuals inside and outside the district.
3. A conflict of interest may also occur when a Trustee’s private affairs of financial interests are in conflict or could result in a perception of conflict, with the Trustee’s duties or responsibilities in such a way that:
a. The Trustee’s ability to act in the public interest could be impaired; or
b. The Trustee’s actions or conduct could undermine or compromise the public’s confidence in the Trustee’s ability to discharge their responsibilities, or
c. It diminishes the trust that the public places in the district.
4. While Trustees have the right to be involved in activities as citizens of the community, conflict must not exist between Trustees’ private interests and the discharge of their district-related duties. Upon accepting a position in the district, Trustees must arrange their private affairs in a manner that will prevent conflicts of interest, or the perception of conflicts of interest, from arising.
5. Trustees are to disqualify themselves as participants in personnel decisions when their objectivity would be compromised for any reason, or if any benefit or perceived benefit, or harm could accrue to them or a family member.
6. Trustees may:
a. Engage in remunerative employment with another Trustee;
b. Carry on a business;
c. Receive remuneration from public funds for activities outside their position, or
d. Engage in volunteer activities.
Provided it does not:
a. Interfere with the performance of their duties as a Trustee of the district;
b. Bring the district into disrepute;
c. Represent a conflict of interest or create the reasonable perception of a conflict of interest;
d. Appear to be an official act or to represent district direction or policy;
e. Involve the unauthorized use of work time or district premises, services, equipment or supplies to which they have access by virtue of their position with the district.
f. Gain an advantage that is derived from their position with the district.
1. If a Trustee has a personal interest in any matter and is present at a meeting of the Board at which the matter is considered, the Trustee
a. Must at the meeting disclose to the board the personal interest and the general nature of that personal interest;
b. Must take no part in the discussion of or vote on any question in respect of the matter;
c. If the meeting is not open to the public, must immediately leave the meeting or the part of the meeting during which the matter is under consideration; and
d. Must not attempt in any way, whether before, during or after the meeting, to influence voting on any question in respect of the matter.
2. If a Trustee identifies the potential for another Trustee to have a conflict of interest, the Trustee who identified the conflict may contact the subject Trustee directly regarding the matter or notify the Board Chair so that the matter can be promptly addressed with the subject Trustee.
3. Trustees may seek advice from the Secretary Treasurer and/or the Superintendent regarding the potential for a conflict of interest.
4. Where a personal interest of a Trustee has been identified that is different from the interest of the public at large, and the Trustee does not consider the interest a conflict, the subject Trustee will provide a statement as to why the interest should not be consider a conflict.
5. The Board may, by resolution, seek legal advice as to whether the Trustee is in conflict of interest.
This policy will be reviewed annually be the Board of Trustees
REFERENCES
1410 - - Student Code of Conduct Policy
1420 - - District Code of Conduct Policy
6260-10 - - Conflict of Interest Regulation
6270 - - Whistleblower Protection Policy