Administrative Procedures

Administrative Procedure 180

Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

Preamble

1. As a public entity the Lloydminster Public School Division will encourage
   access to information that can be made public and will ensure the privacy of information that
   should not be disclosed.
2. The Lloydminster Public School Division and employees shall encourage and facilitate the
   appropriate collection, use, access, and retention of information in accordance with privacy
   and freedom of information laws and regulations.
   1. The Lloydminster Public School Division shall collect only that personal information
      which is required for the purposes of the school division and shall use information
      collected only for the purposes for which it was collected.
   2. The Lloydminster Public School Division shall ensure that appropriate security
      measures are in place to protect personal information.
   3. The Lloydminster Public School Division shall facilitate access to records by the
      individual who are entitled to access.
   4. The Lloydminster Public School Division shall retain and dispose of records in
      accordance with legal requirements.

Appointment of Head under Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (LAFOIP)

1. The Director of Education or designate shall act as the Head within the requirements of
   Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy and shall be
   known as the Privacy Officer.
2. The Head may from time to time delegate, in writing, specific duties related to
   this Administrative Procedure to other Lloydminster Public School Division personnel. 
   Through this Administrative Procedure, the Director of Education has delegated the
   duties of the Privacy Officer to the Chief Financial Officer.

Education

1. The Head shall from time to time facilitate educational programs to provide instruction to
   Principals and other staff members concerning the principles and application of Local
   Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy.

Freedom of Information

1. The Head shall facilitate the disclosure of public records and other records required to be
   disclosed pursuant to the provisions of Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy.

Collection of Personal Information

1. Only personal information which is required to provide educational services to students under
   The Education Act, 1995, shall be collected by the Lloydminster Public School Division or its
   employees.
2. All forms used for the collection of personal information from parents/caregivers, students,
   employees, volunteers, or members of the public shall:
   1. Be approved by the Privacy Officer before being used; and
   2. Include a disclosure statement indicating the purpose for which the
      information is being collected.

Storage of Personal Information

1. All personal information collected by the Lloydminster Public School Division or its
   employees shall be stored in a secure environment with adequate security precautions to
   prevent unauthorized access to the personal information.
2. The Privacy Officer shall periodically review arrangements made for storage of information.
3. Employees who collect or use personal information in the course of employment shall follow
   all procedures established for the storage of such personal information and shall take
   reasonable precautions to ensure the security of such personal information.

Use of Personal information

1. Only those persons requiring access to personal information in order to perform the duties of
   their employment shall be allowed access to that personal information.
2. Any employee accessing personal information without authority to do so may be subject to
   disciplinary measures.
   

Access to and Disclosure of Personal information

1. No member of staff or administration, other than the Privacy Officer shall give access to or
   disclose any document, record, or personal information to any person unless such access or
   disclosure is specifically authorised by this Administrative Procedure or by the Privacy Officer.
   1. All applications for the access to or disclosure of personal information pursuant to
      Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy shall
      be made to the Privacy Officer and all enquiries about such
      applications shall be directed to the Privacy Officer.
   2. The Privacy Officer shall ensure that each request made pursuant to Local Authority
      Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy is dealt with in the
      appropriate manner in accordance with the provisions of Local Authority Freedom of
      Information and Protection of Privacy.
   3. All staff shall cooperate fully with the Privacy Officer and provide to the
      Privacy Officer in a timely manner all documents, records, and personal information
      requested by the Privacy Officer.
   4. The Privacy Officer may from time to time provide direction to Principals
      concerning the access to personal information from student files to
      parents/caregivers that shall include:
      1. A description of the types of personal information that may be accessed without formal application under Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy; and
      2. The procedures to be followed when providing access to such personal information.
   5. The Privacy Officer may from time to time provide direction to supervisors and
      Principals concerning the access to personal information from
      employee files to employees that shall include:
      1. A description of the types of personal information that may be accessed without formal application under Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy; and
      2. The procedures to be followed when providing access to such personal information.
   6. The Privacy Officer may from time to time provide direction to supervisors and
        Principals or other employee concerning the disclosure of information
        relating to contracts that shall include:
      1. A description of the types of contractual information that may be disclosed without formal application under Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy; and
      2. The procedures to be followed when disclosing such contractual information.

Disposal of Information

1. Personal information shall be retained only for such period of time as it is required for the
   purposes for which it was collected or for a purpose consistent with that original purpose.
2. Records shall be retained for the periods set out in the Records Retention and Disposal Guide
   for Boards of Education together with any additions, deletions, or changes that may be directed
   from time to time by Board of Education policy, Administrative Procedures, or the Privacy
   Officer.
3. Disposal of records shall be carried out in only accordance with the procedures designated by
   the Privacy Officer which shall consider:
   1. The nature of the records to be destroyed;
   2. The need to create a disposal record setting out what records have been destroyed or transferred to the Archives and the date of that destruction or transfer; and
   3. Requirements to protect the security of personal information that is to be destroyed, including protecting its security and confidentiality during its storage, transportation, handling, and destruction.
4. Only those persons authorized by policy or procedure may destroy or otherwise dispose of records.

Definitions

Personal information - means personal information within the meaning of The Local Authority
                                 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (LAFOIP).

Record - mean records within the meaning of The Local Authority Freedom of Information and
             Protection of Privacy Act (LAFOIP).

Reference
Section 85, 87 Education Act, 1995
Section 38, The School Division Administration Regulations
Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Revised
December 2017
September 2019
August 2023