The following information will be released to an entity with whom an employee has applied for credit or has obtained credit:  title of position, income, and number of years employed.  This information will be released without prior written notice to the employee.  Confidential information about the employee will be released to an inquiring creditor with a written authorization from the employee.

It is the responsibility of the board secretary or superintendent to respond to inquiries from creditors.

 

 

Approved:   10-19-09                       
Reviewed:   8-16-04, 2-21-05                                                                      
Revised:  4-13-22         

 

In compliance with state law and to provide protection to victims of child abuse, the board believes incidents of alleged child abuse should be reported to the proper authorities.  Employees are encouraged and mandatory reporters are required to report alleged incidents of child abuse they become aware of within the scope of their professional duties.  The definition of child abuse is in the accompanying regulation. 

When a mandatory reporter suspects a student is the victim of child abuse, the mandatory reporter will orally or in writing notify the Iowa Department of Human Services.  If the mandatory reporter believes the child is in immediate danger, the local law enforcement agency will also be notified.  Within forty-eight hours of the oral report, the mandatory reporter will file a written report with the Iowa Department of Human Services.

Within six months of their initial employment, mandatory reporters will complete training involving the identification and reporting of child abuse and/or submit evidence their training is up to date.  Training is required to be re-taken as required by law.

 

 

Approved:    10-19-09                      
Reviewed:   8-16-04, 2-21-05, 12-18-23                                                                     
Revised:  4-13-22

 

ABUSE OF STUDENTS BY SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

 

Physical or sexual abuse of students, including but not limited to sexual or physical relationships, grooming behavior, and otherwise inappropriate relationships with students, by employees will not be tolerated.  The definition of employees for the purpose of this policy includes not only those who work for pay but also those who are volunteers of the school district under the direction and control of the school district.  Employees found in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

 

The school district will respond promptly to allegations of abuse of students by school district employees by investigating or arranging for the investigation of an allegation and timely reporting to all relevant agencies as required by law.  The processing of a complaint or allegation will be handled confidentially to the maximum extent possible.  Employees are required to assist in the investigation when requested to provide information and to maintain the confidentiality of the reporting and investigation process.

 

The school district has appointed a Level I investigator and alternate Level I investigator.  The school district has also arranged for a trained, experienced professional to serve as the Level II investigator.  The Level I investigator and alternate will be provided training in the conducting of an investigation at the expense of the school district.  The names of the investigators are listed in the student handbook, published annually in the local newspaper, and posted in all school facilities.

Approved:  10-19-09               Reviewed:  1-10-00, 8-16-04,2-21-05 Revised:  4-13-22, 8-19-24

 

Employees may receive a gift on behalf of the school district.  Employees will not, either directly or indirectly, solicit, accept or receive any gift, series of gifts or an honorarium unless the donor does not meet the definition of restricted donor stated below or the gift or honorarium does not meet the definition of gift or honorarium stated below.  However, employees may receive non-monetary gifts of a value of less than three dollars if the donor does not intend to influence the employee’s professional judgment.

A restricted donor is defined as a person or other entity which:

              Is seeking to be, or is a party to, any one or any combination of sales, purchases, leases or contracts to, from or with the school district;

              Is engaged in activities which are regulated or controlled by the school district;

              Will be directly and substantially affected financially by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's official duty in a way that is greater than the effect on the public generally or on a substantial class of persons to which the person belongs as a member of a profession, occupation, industry or region; or

              Is a lobbyist or a client of a lobbyist with respect to matters within the school district's jurisdiction.

 

A gift is the giving of anything of value in return for which something of equal or greater value is not given or received.  However, gift does not include any of the following:

              Contributions to a candidate or a candidate's committee;

              Information material relevant to an employee's official function, such as books, pamphlets, reports, documents, periodicals or other information that is recorded in a written, audio or visual format;

              Anything received from a person related within the fourth degree by kinship or marriage, unless the donor is acting as an agent or intermediary for another person not so related;

              An inheritance;

              Anything available or distributed to the general public free of charge without regard to the official status of the employee;

              Items received from a charitable, professional, educational or business organization to which the employee belongs as a dues paying member if the items are given to all members of the organization without regard to an individual member's status or positions held outside of the organization and if the dues paid are not inconsequential when compared to the items received;

              Actual expenses of an employee for food, beverages, travel, and lodging for a meeting, which is given in return for participation in a panel or speaking engagement at the meeting when the expenses relate directly to the day or days on which the employee has participation or presentation responsibilities;

              Plaques or items of negligible resale value given as recognition for public service of an employee;

              Food and beverages provided at a meal that is part of a bona fide event or program at which the recipient is being honored for public service;

              Nonmonetary items with a value of less than three dollars that are received from any one donor during one calendar day;

              Items or services solicited or given to a state, national or regional organization in which the state of Iowa or a political subdivision of the state is a member for purposes of a business or educational conference, seminar or other meeting or solicited by or given to state, national or regional government organizations whose memberships and officers are primarily composed of state or local government officials or employees for purposes of a business or educational conference, seminar or other meeting;

              Items or services received by members or representatives of members as part of a regularly scheduled event that is part of a business or educational conference, seminar or other meeting that is sponsored and directed by any state, national or regional government organization in which the state of Iowa or a political subdivision of the state of Iowa is a member or received at such an event by members or representatives of members of state, national or regional government organizations whose memberships and officers are primarily composed of state or local government officials or employees;

              Funeral flowers or memorials to a church or nonprofit organization;

              Gifts which are given to an employee for the employee's wedding or twenty-fifth or fiftieth wedding anniversary;

              Payment of salary or expenses by the school district for the cost of attending a meeting of a subunit of an agency when the employee whose expenses are being paid serves on a board, commission, committee, council or other subunit of the agency and the employee is not entitled to receive compensation or reimbursement of expenses from the state or political subdivision of the state for attending the meeting;

              Gifts of food, beverages, travel, or lodging received by a public official or public employee if all of the following apply: (1)  the public official or public employee is officially representing an agency in a delegation whose sole purpose is to attract a specific new business to locate in the state, encourage expansion or retention of an existing business already established in the state, or to develop markets for Iowa businesses or products; (2)  the donor of the gift is not the business or businesses being contacted; and (3)  the public official or public employee plays a significant role in the presentation to the business or businesses on behalf of the public official’s or public employee’s agency.

              Gifts other than food, beverages, travel, and lodging received by an employee which are received from a person who is a citizen of a country other than the United States and is given during a ceremonial presentation or as a result of a custom of the other country and is of personal value only to the employee.

              Actual registration costs for informational meetings or sessions which assist a public official or public employee in the performance of the person's official functions.  The costs of food, drink, lodging, and travel are not registration costs under this paragraph.  Meetings or sessions which a public official or public employee attends for personal or professional licensing purposes are not informational meetings or sessions which assist a public official or public employee in the performance of the person's official functions under this paragraph.

An honorarium is anything of value that is accepted by, or on behalf of, an employee as consideration for an appearance, speech or article.  An honorarium does not include any of the following:

              Actual expenses of an employee for registration, food, beverages, travel or lodging for a meeting, which is given in return for participation in a panel or speaking engagement at a meeting when the expenses relate directly to the day or days on which the employee has participation or presentation responsibilities;

              A nonmonetary gift or series of nonmonetary gifts donated within thirty days to a public body, an educational or charitable organization or the Iowa department of general services; or

              A payment made to an employee for services rendered as part of a private business, trade or profession in which the employee is engaged if the payment is commensurate with the actual services rendered and is not being made because of the person's status as an employee of the district, but, rather, because of some special expertise or other qualification.

It is the responsibility of each employee to know when it is appropriate to accept or reject gifts or an honorarium.  An employee who violates this policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

 

 

Approved:  10-19-09                       
Reviewed:   4-9-90                                                                      
Revised:  2-21-05, 4-13-22

 

The board recognizes situations may arise in the operation of the school district which are of concern to parents and other members of the school district community.  While constructive criticism is welcomed, the board desires to support its employees and their actions to free them from unnecessary, spiteful, or negative criticism and complaints that do not offer advice for improvement or change.

The board firmly believes concerns should be resolved at the lowest organizational level by those individuals closest to the concern.  Whenever a complaint or concern is brought to the attention of the board it will be referred to the administration to be resolved consistent with the following:

         (a)     Matters concerning an individual employee should first be addressed to the employee.

         (b)     Unsettled matters from (a) above or problems and questions about individual attendance centers should be addressed to the employee's building principal or immediate supervisor.

         (c)     Unsettled matters from (b) above or problems and questions concerning the school district should be directed to the superintendent.

         (d)     If a matter cannot be settled satisfactorily by the superintendent, it may then be brought to the board.  To ask that a concern regarding an employee be addressed by the board, the individual must notify the board president in writing, who may bring it to the attention of the entire board or the item may be placed on the board agenda of a regularly scheduled board meeting in accordance with board policy.

It is within the discretion of the board to address complaints from the members of the school district community and the board will only do so if they are in writing, signed, and the complainant has complied with this policy.

 

 

Approved:  10-19-09                       
Reviewed:  4-9-90                                                                       
Revised:  2-21-05, 4-13-22

 

The board believes the primary responsibility of employees is to the duties of their position within the school district as outlined in their job description.  The board considers an employee's duties as part of a regular, full-time position as full-time employment.  The board expects such employees to give the responsibilities of their positions in the school district precedence over any other employment.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to counsel employees, whether full-time or part-time, if, in the judgment of the superintendent and the employee's immediate supervisor, the employee's outside employment interferes with the performance of the employee's duties required in the employee's position within the school district.

The board may request the employee to cease the outside employment as a condition of continued employment with the school district.

 

 

Approved:  10-19-09                       
Reviewed:  8-16-04, 2-21-05                                                            
Revised:  4-13-22