AP 520
Background
The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidelines with respect to video surveillance of district facilities and school buses. The primary purpose of video surveillance is to maintain the safety of students, employees, as well as of district facilities and equipment.
Procedures
1. Video surveillance, must be carried out in a way that respects an individual’s right to privacy. Recordings are recognized to be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
1.1 Video surveillance camera locations must be authorized by the Superintendent (or designate) of the School District.
1.2 Before video surveillance is introduced, changed, or expanded, a report must be provided to the Superintendent of Schools describing the circumstances that indicate the necessity of having surveillance at each location, including consideration of less invasive alternatives.
1.3 The periods of surveillance of public areas will be limited to the time period that meets the specific purpose.
1.4 Public notification signs, clearly written and prominently displayed, must be in place in areas that are subject to video surveillance. Notice must include generic contact information of the building administrator or designated staff person who is responsible for answering questions about the surveillance system.
1.5 Video surveillance is not to be ordinarily used in locations where appropriate confidential or private activities/ functions are routinely carried out. (e.g., bathrooms, change rooms, private conference/meeting rooms).
1.6 Any exceptions to 1.5 and 1.6 must be authorized by the Superintendent on the grounds that no other supervision option is feasible, and the need outweighs the privacy interest of the person likely to be observed. Surveillance of such locations may not be authorized on an ongoing basis.
2. Security/Privacy
2.1 Only a designated employee or agent of the School District will install video cameras.
2.2 Videotapes or digital video files shall be stored in a secure manner in an area to which only authorized persons have access.
2.3 Recordings may never be sold, publicly viewed, or distributed in any other fashion except as provided for by this policy and appropriate legislation.
3. The number of individuals with access to the system, monitoring, and recordings will be limited. Recordings will only be viewed to investigate a significant security or safety incident and will be viewed by the Superintendent or designate.
3.1 In accordance with provisions outlined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, parents or guardians may request to review a segment of a recording that includes their child/children. Students may view segments of a recording relating to them if they are capable of exercising their own access to information rights under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Viewings will only take place if an appointment with an appropriate official has been made.
4. Retention of Recordings
4.1 Recordings shall be erased within one month unless they are being retained for documentation related to a specific incident or are being transferred to the Board’s insurers. Videotapes/digital images shall not be edited or selectively erased. Videotapes/digital images are to be kept intact until totally erased or destroyed.
4.2 Where an incident raises a prospect of a legal action, the recording, or a copy of it, shall be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer’s office.
4.3 Recordings retained for documentation related to a specific incident shall be erased as soon as the incident in question has been resolved, except that if the recording has been used in the making of a decision about an individual, the recording must be kept for a minimum of one year, as required by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
5. Review
5.1 Each building administrator is responsible for ensuring that video monitoring is to be carried out in accordance with this policy and these procedures.
5.2 The Information Technology department is responsible for the proper implementation and control of the video surveillance system.
Reference
(Last Revised: March 2023)