Policy Manual

C-620-AR: Division Records: Access, Retention and Disposal

References:

• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
• Appendix 1, St. Albert Public Schools Records Retention Schedule
• Appendix 2, St. Albert Public Schools Citation Information List
• Appendix 3, St. Albert Public Schools Request for Records Destruction and/or Facilities Filing
  
  

1. DEFINITIONS
   1. The following definitions apply with regard to this regulation:
      1. Record-A record is recorded information in any form, including books, documents, `maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers, handwritten notes, e-mail, voicemail, computer data files, student records and any other information that is written, photographed, recorded or stored in any manner that are under the custody and control of the division.
      2. Student records are specifically subject to the Student Record Regulation under the Education Act.
      3. Personal Information-Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable individual, including but not limited to:
         1. the individual's name, home or business address, or home or business telephone number;
         2. the individual's race, national or ethnic origin, colour or religious or political beliefs or associations;
         3. the individual's age, sex, marital status or family status;
         4. an identifying number, symbol or other particular assigned to the individual;
         5. the individual's fingerprints, blood type or inheritable characteristics;
         6. information about the individual's health and health care history, information about a physical or mental disability;
         7. information about the individual's educational, financial, employment or criminal history, including criminal records where a pardon has been given;
         8. anyone else's opinions about the individual; and
         9. the individual's personal views or opinions, except if they are about someone else.
      4. Custody-Custody is possession of a record by the division, including situations where the records of a third party are stored on division premises.
      5. Control-A record is under the control of the division when the division has the authority to manage the record, including restricting, regulating and administering its use, disclosure and disposition.
      6. FOIP-Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
      7. Transitory Records are records that are not required to meet statutory obligations or to sustain administrative or operational functions.  These records are still to be handled as “Confidential Information”.
      8. Transitory Records are records in any media that:
         1. Have only temporary usefulness;
         2. Are not part of an administrative or operational records series;
         3. Are not regularly filed in a records information system; and
         4. Are required only for a limited period of time for the completion of a routine action or the preparation of a record.
2. APPLICABILITY
   1. These administration regulations apply to all records under the custody and control of the division.
3. ACCESS TO DIVISION RECORDS
   1. Each school and division service is responsible for controlling the physical access to its own files.
   2. Non-FOIP requests or routine inquiries for information may be responded to by individuals who have authority to access the records sought. Principals and central office administrators are to ensure that staff are informed of what information can be disclosed and by whom. If there is any question as to whether a request for information needs to be dealt with under the access provisions of the FOIP Act, the division's FOIP Coordinator is to be contacted.
   3. All formal FOIP requests are to be directed to the FOIP Coordinator. The FOIP Coordinator is to respond to requests in accordance with the provisions set out in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
   4. With regard to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, Principals and central office administrators are responsible for ensuring that:
      1. the only personal information collected is that needed for purposes of division operation;
      2. personal information is used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was collected, for a consistent purpose, or for another purpose to which the individual has given express consent;
      3. employees do not have access to personal information about students or staff that they do not need to see or handle in the course of their employment;
      4. volunteers do not have access to personal information beyond that needed to perform the task they have been assigned.
4. RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF DIVISION RECORDS
   1. All division records are to be retained and destroyed according to the retention schedule.
   2. A “request for records destruction” form must be completed prior to division records being destroyed.  The form is available from the FOIP coordinator’s office. 
   3. Disposal of records must be conducted in a manner that ensures no information from the records might inadvertently be released.
   4. Non Record/Transitory Records are considered confidential waste.  The same security arrangements are to be taken for their disposal.