Colchester, Connecticut

3540-R

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policy FY 2023-24 BoardDocs (BOE meetings) 2023-09-06

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9/5/23, 7:08 PM                                                        BoardDocs® LT




Book                       Policy Manual

Section                    3000 - Business & Non-Instructional Operations

Title                      Surveillance on School Property

Code                       3540-R

Status                     First Reading

Adopted                    April 17, 2012

Last Revised               March 9, 2021

Prior Revised              07/14/2020;
Dates




                                            SURVEILLANCE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY


The following rules shall apply to video surveillance:

     1. The district shall notify its students, and their parents/guardians and its staff that video
         surveillance may occur on any school property. The district shall incorporate said notice in the
         student handbook and District’s Policy Handbook. Signs shall be posted at each building with video
         cameras that utilize surveillance equipment.

     2. The use of surveillance equipment on school property and on other district property shall be
         supervised and controlled by the building administrator/designee or district transportation
         coordinator, as applicable.

     3. The use of recordings from surveillance equipment shall be subject to the other policies of the
         district including policies concerning the confidentiality of student and personnel records.

     4. Surveillance shall be used only to promote the order, safety and security of students, staff and
         property and to assist school administrators in deciding upon appropriate disciplinary action.
     5. Access to surveillance cameras by non-school employee emergency response personnel is
         permitted on a 24 hour basis. The use of video surveillance cameras by emergency response
         personnel shall be limited to the following:
            a. Response to an emergency call or security breach on a school campus;
            b. Training in access and use of the video surveillance system; or
            c. Other requests by the Superintendent or designee.

Student Records

     1. The district will comply with laws regarding student records requirements including the Family
         Education and Privacy Act and the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 as applicable
         in the district’s use of recordings. Recordings considered for retention, as part of the student’s
         behavioral record will be maintained in accordance with established student record procedures
         governing their access, review and release.


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9/5/23, 7:08 PM                                                        BoardDocs® LT


Staff Records

     1. Video recordings considered for retention as part of the employee’s personnel record will be
        maintained in accordance with established Board personnel policies, administrative regulations
        and labor agreements governing access, review and release of employee personnel records.

Storage Security

     1. All recordings will be stored and secured in accordance with established Board record retention
        policies.

     2. Recording will be stored for not more than sixty days after initial recording, whereupon such
        recordings will be released for erasure.

     3. Recordings held for review of a student or staff incident will be maintained in their original form
        pending resolution. The tape will then be either released for erasure or retained as necessary as a
        part of the student’s discipline record and or employee’s personnel record in accordance with the
        established district procedures.

Viewing Requests of Sureveillance Recordings

     1. Actual viewing will only be permitted at school related sites, including schools, and district offices,
        or as otherwise required by law.

     2. Recordings remain the property of the district and may be reproduced only in accordance with
        law, including applicable district student records policy and procedures and applicable labor
        agreements.

     3. Requests for viewing video recordings will be limited to the appropriate vehicle driver,
        transportation coordinator, school administrator, parent/guardian or student 18 or older or others
        as deemed appropriate by the transportation coordinator or superintendent/designee. Requests
        for viewing will be limited to those parents/guardians, students and/or district officials with a
        direct interest in the proceedings deemed appropriate by the superintendent/designee. The
        district’s School Resource Officer may also review the video at the request of a school
        administrator who requests assistance for determination of school policy violation and/or criminal
        behavior.

              a. Requests for viewing may be made to the Director of Operations, school principal, or
                  superintendent designee.

              b. Only the portion of the video recording concerning a specific incident(s) will be made
                  available for viewing.

Viewing

     1. Actual viewing will only be permitted at school related sites, including the transportation office,
        schools, and district office or as otherwise required by law.

     2. All viewing will include the transportation coordinator and/or a school administrator.

     3. Recordings remain the property of the district and may be reproduced only in accordance with
        law, including applicable district student records policy and procedures and applicable labor
        agreements.




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