Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

Union Public Schools
Our mission is to graduate 100 percent of our students, college and career ready.

4020 Professionalism in Conduct, Communications, and Staff/Student Interactions

CONDUCT

All employees of the Union Public School District are expected to adhere to this policy and to at all times maintain professionalism such that an employee’s behavior and action(s) are not harmful to the district or workplace and such that an employee’s behavior and action(s) are not harmful to working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, administrators, students, patrons, vendors or others.

In order to maintain and preserve the appropriate environment necessary to achieve the educational mission of the school, any unprofessional, unethical or immoral behavior or action(s) harmful to the district or workplace, or any such behavior or action(s) harmful to working relationships with coworkers, supervisors, administrators, students, patrons, vendors or others may lead to disciplinary action under applicable disciplinary policies, up to and including termination of employment.

 

COMMUNICATIONS/SOCIAL NETWORKING

All district employees shall conduct themselves in a professional manner regarding use of social networking websites, even when done in their personal time, using personal property. Employees may not submit or post confidential or protected information about the district, its students, alumni, or employees.

A.      Inappropriate contact with students or parents via email, phone, or other devices is prohibited;

B.      Employees may not post items on social networking websites with sexual content if they are identifying themselves as district employees;

C.      Employees may not post items exhibiting or advocating illegal activity if they are identifying themselves as district employees;

D.      Online social networking during work hours is restricted to work-related activity.

 

COMMUNICATIONS/TEXT AND INSTANT MESSAGING

District employees must maintain strictly professional communications with students and are discouraged from sending any text or instant message to a student individually. When possible, all text and instant messages to students should be sent to the entire school, class, team, club, or organization. Employees may text or instant message an individual student when educationally necessary. Employees shall not send messages to students (by text, instant message, email, or otherwise) that are personal in nature and unrelated to the business of the district or that contain confidential information to persons not authorized to receive that information.

For complete Social Media Guidelines and Requirements, refer to Board Policy #1610.

 

STAFF/STUDENT INTERACTIONS

Staff members who take a sincere professional interest in students are to be commended. The teacher and administrator who inspires, guides, and helps students can have a lasting influence on students throughout their lives. Students and staff members should interact with each other in a warm, open, and positive fashion. However, a certain distance must be maintained between students and staff in order to preserve the businesslike atmosphere necessary to achieve the educational mission of the school.

The Board of Education considers it obvious and universally accepted that teachers and administrators are role models. The district has a duty to take steps to prevent activities which adversely intrude into the educational process and which could lead to undesirable consequences.

District employees are strictly prohibited from dating students or otherwise indicating to students an interest in a romantic or sexual relationship or pursuing any such relationship with students by any means, and any suspected violation must be reported to the Executive Director of Human Resources. Under circumstances that violate

this prohibition regarding dating/sexual relationship/romantic interest involving a student, whenever there is an indication of child abuse, the Department of Human Services will be notified, and whenever there is an indication of criminal activity, the appropriate law enforcement official(s) will be notified. (See Policy #5016 regarding reports to the Department of Human Services.)

 

Revised 6/10/96

Revised 12/14/98

Revised 12/13/04

Revised 12/10/07

Revised 12/10/12

Revised 12/14/15

Revised 12/11/17