Confidentiality

Boards of education (board) must take care to only collect or create information about students that is needed in order for the board to:

• provide appropriate educational programming for students and
• ensure that students are safe while in the care of the board.

This will include, but is not limited to, information about:

• identification of the student such as name, age, etc.;
• contact information for parents/guardians;
• previous educational experiences;
• disciplinary matters; and
• medical and psychological information relating to or affecting educational matters.

In order to release information to an outside agency legal guardians and principals must sign the Authorization for Release of Information form, specifying specifically what information will be shared and to whom.

The student services referral form includes consent for sharing information between interdisciplinary team members. This document also must be signed by the principal and the legal guardians when information will be shared as part of a team meetings.

Consistent with legislation, student services staff are to disclose information where necessary, consistent with the limits of confidentiality, which include:

• Child Protection – The staff member who has reason to believe that a child is or might be in need of protection shall forthwith report the information to the appropriate authorities, in consultation with the principal, in accordance with legal obligations pursuant to child protection legislation.
• Potential Harm – If the behaviour of the student threatens potential harm of self or others, the student services staff shall take appropriate action to protect the student and/or others.
• Consultation & Collaboration – The student services staff may consult and collaborate with other professionals for purposes of more effectively helping the student. The student services staff shall only share such information that will serve the best interests of the student.

Written Confidentiality:

• A student support file shall be established for all students who receive intensive supports in the school. This file shall remain in a secure location in the school and is the property of the school/Division.
• The maintenance and disposal of and access to student services records shall be in accordance with Administrative Procedure 320 Student Records.
• The student services staff may chose to document team meeting notes and intervention data electronically provided he or she saves the information to the “H drive”; this ensures that the files will be backed up. Student Services files files shall not be saved to the computer’s hard drive or to personal devices.
• Information is to be recorded when the event occurs or as soon as possible thereafter.
• The existence of the student support file  shall be documented in the student’s cumulative file.