Policies

Policy Statement:

Trustees are expected to be representatives of the Palliser School Division and responsive to the needs of the School Division. As such trustees may need to interact with students, parents, employees, constituents, and various communities, and become and stay informed. It is expected that all personal interactions and relationships will be characterized by mutual respect, which acknowledges the dignity and affirms the worth of each person. The following is to provide Trustees with guidance in the fulfillment of their duties.

Board Action:

1. Trustees shall carry out their responsibilities as detailed in Policy 3 – Role of the Trustee with reasonable diligence.
2. Trustees shall endeavour to work with fellow Board members in a spirit of harmony and cooperation in spite of differences of opinion that may arise during debate.
3. Trustees shall commit themselves to dignified, ethical, professional and lawful conduct.
4. Trustees shall reflect the Board’s policies and resolutions when communicating with the public.
5. Trustees shall keep confidential any personal, privileged or confidential information obtained in their capacity as a trustee and not disclose the information except when authorized by law or by the Board to do so.
6. While elected from specific wards, trustees shall represent the best interests of the entire Division. 
7. Trustees shall honor their fiduciary responsibility to the Board which supersedes any conflicting loyalty such as that to advocacy or interest groups and membership on other Boards or staffs, or acting as an individual consumer of the Division’s services.
8. Trustees shall disclose the nature of any conflict of interest, and abstain and absent themselves from discussion or voting on the matter in question.
9. Trustees shall not use their influence to advance personal, family or friends’ interests or the interests of any organization with which the trustee is associated.
10. Consequences for the failure of individual trustees to adhere to the Trustee Code of Conduct are specified in Policy 4 Appendix – Trustee Code of Conduct Sanctions.

In the instance where a concern is brought forward the following will guide the Trustees. The Trustee will first need to gain sufficient knowledge of the concern in order to deal with the situation, refer the individual and/or declare conflict of interest.

• Community Member – the Trustee should suggest that contact be made with the Superintendent, Principal or other Senior Administrator (if known). If the community member is not prepared to do the follow-up, it would be appropriate to suggest contact with the Office of the Superintendent. If the community member is not prepared to take further action, the Trustee should inform the Board Chair and the Superintendent about the concern, maintaining whatever discretion and confidentiality deemed appropriate. 

• Student/Parent - the Trustee, in the following order, should suggest that contact be made with the Teacher, Principal, Senior Administrator, Superintendent and Board Chair regarding the concern. If the student/parent is not prepared to take further action, the Trustee should inform the Board Chair and the Office of the Superintendent about the concern maintaining whatever discretion and confidentiality deemed appropriate. 

• Employee – The Trustee, in the following order, should suggest that contact be made with the Principal, Senior Administrator, Superintendent, Board Chair and/ or Board regarding the concern. If the employee is not prepared to take further action, the Trustee should inform the Board Chair and/ or Board and Superintendent about the concern, maintaining whatever discretion and confidentiality deemed appropriate.

The Trustee has the obligation to bring items to the attention of the appropriate official. The notifications should also be provided to the Superintendent.

By virtue of providing the notification, it must be understood that the Trustee is not providing direction to the employee. The Trustee shall ask the individual to contact him/her again if the matter has not been resolved within a reasonable time period.