REVISED 2/2009
Conflict of Interest Protocol
Policy for all School
Employees
All school employees must avoid situations involving actual
or potential conflict of interest. IEM Schools consider certain activities and
situations to be a conflict of interest and therefore will not allocate school
funding towards these nor allow these potential conflict of interest situations
to occur. A brief description of each is listed below. This is not an
exhaustive list of all possible situations which would constitute conflicts of
interest. The school administration reserves the right to add to or amend this
list as it deems appropriate. Any relationship or action which creates an
expectation of benefit or profit beyond an employee’s normal employment
relationship with the School can impair an employee's ability to exercise good
judgment on behalf of the School, and therefore creates an actual or potential
conflict of interest. It is the School s policy that all School employees must
scrupulously avoid all such situations. We expect that the ESs
authorizing expenditures from the school Instructional Funds will be
responsible to see that none of these activities under their control are
allowed.
Examples of conflict
of interest could be (but are not limited to):
1. An ES may not solicit students for their class list who
are already enrolled with another ES. (This in no way limits a parent’s choice
to request a new ES, or ESs to work together on
transfers for the good of the students).
2. An ES who serves as ES for their own children or other
children who reside in their household may not complete an AESS contract for
them.
3. An ES or anyone in their immediate family may not become
a business vendor for the school or otherwise receive payment for product sold
to the school. An exception to this would be when the school bid process is
used to secure the vendor. If selected, the employee must sign a Conflict of
Interest Disclosure statement and submit it to the school Parent Council.
4. An ES may not order product for a student from a business
vendor who is a relative of that student.
5. An ES who is also a school CP instructor may not be paid
from the Instructional Funding account they control for their own children
or other children who reside in their household.
6. A Classified CP Instructor (who is not also working in
the capacity of a school ES) with relatives enrolled in their CP classes must
have an equal number of enrolled school students as the number of relatives in
order for the class to be approved and for the instructor to be paid for
serving the relatives.
7. A Service
8. An ES may not require any of the students on their class
list to become AESS students, to enroll in an individual CP (non HQT) course they instruct, or
to participate in the service activities for which an ES receives payment.
If an ES feels that a student would benefit from one of the above activities,
and the parent disagrees, the ES can only require it of them if approved in
writing by the ES's Advisor. (This does not limit
a parent’s ability to choose to participate in any of these situations).
If an ES is enrolling students on their class list in a CP course that they
instruct, they must first email their advisor for approval.
9. An ES may neither be nor be employed by nor have any
financial or family interest in an approved business vendor at any time the ES
is employed by an IEM school. However, an ES may teach courses or offer
tutoring as a school employee through contract programs in addition to serving
as an ES.
Policy for the Parent Council
The School Parent Council places great importance on making
clear any existing or potential conflicts of interest. All such conflicts
of interest shall be declared by the member to the School Parent Council for
consideration. A School Parent Council member who believes another School
Parent Council member has an undeclared conflict of interest should specify in
writing the basis of this potential conflict.
Parent Council Procedures
1. Members shall declare any conflicts of interest
either at the start of the School Parent Council meeting concerned or when a
relevant issue arises. The nature of this conflict of interest should be
entered into the meeting minutes.
2. Where a conflict of interest or potential conflict
of interest is identified and/or registered, the School Parent Council member
concerned shall leave the room as soon as that item comes up for discussion.
The concerned School Parent Council member shall not vote on that issue, nor
initiate or take part in any School Parent Council discussion on that topic
(either in the meeting or with other School Parent Council members before or
after the School Parent Council meetings), unless expressly invited to do so by
unanimous agreement by all other members present.
3. If a person declares themselves to have existing or
potential conflict of interest confidentiality will be respected. If a person
alleges that another person has a conflict of interest, whether existing or
potential, and if the School Parent Council cannot resolve this allegation to
the satisfaction of both parties they will consult with Innovative Education
Management as a mediator and legal advisor.
Examples of Parent Council conflict of interest could be
(but are not limited to):
No ES, school employee, or any school employee's spouse or
dependent may serve as a School Parent Council member.
2. When a School Parent Council member or his/her
immediate family or business interests stands to gain financially from any
business dealings, programs or services of the organization.
3. When a School Parent Council member him or herself
offers a professional service to the organization.
4. When a School Parent Council member stands to gain
personally or professionally from any insider knowledge if that knowledge is
used to personal advantage.
5. Where a School Parent Council member or the
ex/officio member of the School Parent Council has a role on the governing body
of another organization and the activities of that other body may be in direct
conflict or competition with the activities of SSCS.