2300.1 Code of Professional Responsibility for School Administrators

Book                      Policy Manual

Section                   2000 - Administration

Title                     Code of Professional Responsibility for School Administrators

Code                      2300.1

Status                    Active

Adopted                   October 10, 2002




               CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

Preamble

This code of professional responsibility for school administrators reaffirms and codifies the principles and
standards that have guided the school administrator profession over the years. The principles set forth in this
code are intended to guide the conduct and assist in the appraisal if conduct for the members of the profession
and the public they serve. The code cannot and does not address every situation in which choices and decisions
must be made. The code recognizes the ability of the members of the profession to make administrative
decisions that are in the best interest of the students and all individuals associated with the school district in
which the members serve.

The code adheres to the fundamental belief that the student is the foremost reason for the existence of the
profession. Administrators must focus the energies of schools on student learning above all else. In addition, the
code recognizes the administrator’s responsibility to the public, their colleagues and all staff members to foster
high standards for professional educators, provide leadership, encourage diversity in curriculum and staff and
promote a quality education program. By setting forth a code of professional responsibility for school
administrators separate from the code applicable to teachers, there is recognition of the similar but different
responsibilities that the two groups have to the students they serve. Both codes seek to codify standards for the
education profession to promote a quality system of education for the students in our state. The additional
responsibility an administrator accepts in the performance of his or her duties is reflected in this code.

Responsibility to the student:

The professional school administrator in full recognition of obligations to the student shall:

    1. Make the well-being of students the fundamental value on all decision-making and actions;

    2. Recognize, respect and uphold the dignity and worth of students as individuals and deal justly and
       considerately with students;

    3. Promote in students pursuit of truth, knowledge and wisdom, and provide access to all points of view
       without deliberate distortion of subject matter;

    4. Nurture in students lifelong respect and compassion for themselves and other human beings regardless of
       race, ethnic origin, gender social class, disability, religion or sexual orientation;

    5. Foster in students the full understanding, application and preservation of democratic principles and
       processes;
    6. Guide students to acquire the required skills and understandings for participatory citizenship and to realize
       their obligation to be worthy and contributing members of society;

    7. Assist students in the formulation of positive goals;

    8. Promote the right and freedom of students to learn, explore ideas, develop learning skills and acquire the
       necessary knowledge to achieve their full potential;

    9. Develop within students fundamental critical thinking skills and problem-solving techniques;

  10. Ensure quality education for all students;

  11. Maintain confidentiality of all information concerning students obtained in the proper course of the
      educational process and dispense the information when prescribed or directed by law, governing Board
      policy or professional practice;

  12. Ensure that all students are provided educational opportunities in environments safe from sexual, physical,
      and emotional abuse; and

  13. Promote ongoing development and evaluation of curriculum.

Responsibility to the profession and staff:

The professional school administrator, in full recognition of obligations to the profession shall:

    1. Maintain the highest standards of professional conduct, realizing that one’s behavior reflects directly upon
       the status and substance of the profession;

    2. Engage in administrative, supervisory and evaluative practices with staff members and provide leadership
       to ensure the highest standards of services for students;

    3. Encourage student learning through the effective support of all staff engaged in the learning process;

    4. Encourage the participation of administrators and teachers in the process of curriculum development and
       educational decision-making;

    5. Maintain the standards and seek to improve the effectiveness of the profession through research and
       continuing professional development for self and staff;

    6. Promote the employment of only qualified, certified educators, and qualified non-certified staff;

    7. Encourage promising, qualified and competent individuals to enter the education profession; and

    8. Maintain the confidentiality of all information contained in the proper course of ones’ administrative duties
       and dispense the information when prescribed or directed by law, governing Board policy or professional
       practice.

Responsibility to the community:

The professional school administrator, in full recognition of the public trust vested in the education professional,
shall:

    1. Be cognizant of the influence of school administrators upon the community at large, and therefore, not
       knowingly misrepresent facts or make false statements;

    2. Obey local, state and national laws;

    3. Implement the governing Board policies and administrative rules and regulations;

    4. Encourage the community to exercise its responsibility to be involved in the formulation of educational
       policy;

    5. Pursue appropriate measures to address those laws, policies and regulations the are inconsistent with
       sound educational goals;
   6. Avoid misusing administrative position for personal gain;

   7. Honor professional contracts until fulfillment, release or dissolution mutually agreed upon by all parties to
      contracts;

   8. Promote the principles and ideals of democratic citizenship; and

   9. Endeavor to secure equal educational opportunities for all children.

Responsibility to the student’s family:

   1. Respect the dignity of each family, its culture, customs and beliefs;

   2. Promote and maintain appropriate, ongoing and timely written and oral communications with the family;

   3. Respond in a timely fashion to families concerns;

   4. Consider the family’s perspective on issues involving its children;

   5. Encourage participation of the family in the educational process; and

   6. Foster open communication among the family, staff and administrators.




 Policy committee recommends removal of this policy because it is redundant with applicable law
 and unnecessary given that there are administrative job descriptions approved by The Board.
 Administrators must adhere to the CT code of professional responsibility for school administrators.
 Refer to elimination of 2100 which has like reasoning.