Administrative Procedure 421

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Background

The Superintendent recognizes the professionalism of teachers and the need for staff to work together for the common interest of the children. As such, the Superintendent believes that the rights of professional staff are accompanied by essential responsibilities, both of which define the code of professional relationships in the School.

Procedures

The professionals employed by the School, on behalf of its students, acknowledge the following responsibilities and relationships:
1. The obligation to orient services towards the continuous intellectual development, career development, physical development, and human and social development of students in accordance with the mandate for schools and the vision and values of the Charter Board.
2. The requirement to fulfill the obligations of the Education Act, statutory regulations, Charter Board policy and contracts with the School.
3. The need to make decisions based on student welfare and to cooperate with other professionals to this end.
4. The maintenance, individually and collectively, of a high standard of professional ethics, conduct and practice.
5. The duty to speak and act toward students with respect and dignity, and deal judiciously with them, mindful of their individual rights and sensibilities.
6. The obligation to cooperate with agencies that provide social services that contribute to the welfare of students.
7. The necessity to respect the confidential nature of information concerning students and share it only with authorized persons or agencies directly concerned with their welfare.
8. The obligation to work towards the highest possible current educational standards and practices through professional development, personal growth plans and in-service opportunities.
9. The duty to direct any criticism or concern to a fellow professional before sharing information with appropriate officials or a professional organization, except where legal provisions or Inter-Ministry protocols require otherwise.
10. The need for teachers to exercise their professional mandates, obligations and rights when fulfilling the primary responsibilities of:
Table of Contents
10.1 Managing the teaching/learning environment.
10.2 Providing instruction, including the determination of needed outcomes, methods of instruction and
assessment.
10.3 Communicating and interpreting evaluation data and progress information on students.
10.4 Executing provincial and local curriculum mandates.
10.5 Employing cooperative, consultative or collaborative decision-making processes as applicable when
addressing issues.
10.6 Enhancing expertise through personal growth plans.

References: Section 18, 25, 26, 33, 52, 53, 196, 197, 214, 215, 216, 222, 225 Education Act
Teaching Profession Act