NEPN/NSBA Code: GBEA

EMPLOYEE CODE OF ETHICS

As employees of the Lewiston Public Schools (LPS), we support its mission of ensuring student academic and civic success. Our Code of Ethics is intended to help us achieve success toward this mission by setting common expectations and increasing trust, commitment and teamwork within the District, and between the District and thecommunity.

Core Ethical Principles

To help us achieve the mission and vision for future learning in Lewiston, we are

committed to three core ethical principles:

Commitment to Excellence

Responsibility

Integrity

Purpose

Our Code of Ethics helps develop trust by describing what the public can expect from us, and what we can expect from each other and our District. It plays a central role in our commitment to Lewiston Public Schools employees achieve the highest ethical standards in our professional activities and relationships. Our goal is to create a culture that fosterstrust, commitment to excellence and responsibility, personal and institutional integrity, and avoids conflicts of interest and appearances of impropriety.

Application and Enforceability

This Code of Ethics applies to all Lewiston Public Schools employees. Provisions of this Employee Code of Ethics are supported by the policies contained in the Lewiston Public Schools Employee Handbook. Violations of this Code of Ethics may result in administrative or disciplinary action under those policies. 

Making Ethical Decisions 

While the Code of Ethics provides general guidance, it does not provide a complete listing or a definitive answer to every possible ethical situation. When making decisions, we should use good judgment to fulfill the spirit as well as the letter of the Code. When making decisions:

• Evaluate the situation and identify the ethical issues.

• Follow the rules. Consult the Code of Ethics, state and federal law, and District rules, regulations, policies and procedures, and apply them to the situation.

• Ask for guidance from your supervisor. If your supervisor is involved in the problem, contact his or her supervisor, or the Superintendent’s Office for help. Ask for help early—before you act.

• Make and carry out a decision that is consistent with the rules and develops excellence, integrity and responsibility.

Commitments and Expectations

To achieve our mission, we strive to support a culture that fosters trust and focuses on excellence through ethical decision-making. To succeed, we must have the same expectations about how we will practice our commitment to excellence, integrity and responsibility in our everyday work

A. Commitment to Excellence. We are committed to being the best Lewiston Public  Schools employees we can be, recognizing that everything we do ultimately has an impact on the classroom.

1. Set the example. We are committed to providing the best example we can, striving to demonstrate excellence, integrity and responsibility in our work.

2. Create an environment of trust, respect and non-discrimination. We are committed to creating an environment of trust, care and respect. We will not tolerate discriminatory or harassing behavior of students, colleagues, or members of the public who interact with the District personnel.

3. Provide honest, accurate and timely information. We are committed to candor in our work relationships, providing other District personnel with accurate, reliable and timely information. We will not tolerate falsification or cheating.

4. Identify problems and help create solutions. We are committed to identifying areas for improvement within our operating areas, and suggest and implement feasible solutions that make us more successful.

5. Keep policies, procedures and rules. Our District rules, policies and procedures are the foundation of trust and how Lewiston Public Schools conduct everyday business. They define our expectations and evaluation criteria. We are committed to following our Code of Ethics, federal and state laws, and District rules, regulations, policies and procedures, recommending changes required to make them better, and will not tolerate improper conduct.

6. Report improper conduct. When someone does well, it reflects well on all of us. When we make a mistake, we strive to correct it and learn from it. We are committed to reporting gross mismanagement, significant waste of funds, abuse of authority, threats to safety, violations of our Code of Ethics, laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures, or other conduct that damages our integrity or reputation, to our supervisor or the Office of the Superintendent.

7. Keep colleagues safe from retaliation. We are committed to creating a work environment where problems can be reported and solved. We are prohibited from threatening, harassing, punishing or retaliating against employees who make good faith complaints.

B. Personal Integrity. To maintain our integrity, we are committed to making decisions in the best interests of the District. We will avoid conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety.

1. Avoid conflicts of interest and improper outside income. A conflict of interest can exist anytime our position or decisions provide us a financial benefit or improper advantage. We are permitted to receive outside income as long as it does not create a conflict with our District work. We are committed to declining outside income that might be perceived as inconsistent, incompatible or in conflict with our official duties. We will not make decisions or use our position for personal benefit or to gain an improper advantage.

2. Decline gifts. A gift is a benefit we receive for which we did not pay. Gifts can include merchandise, food, tickets, use of facilities, investments, rebates or discounts not offered to the public, or forgiveness of debt from vendors, lobbyists, parents, students or others. We will not accept gifts or gratuities in excess of $25 from a single source in a single year (aggregate retail value) or that give the appearance that the gift improperly influenced our decisions regardless of the amount. We will not solicit vendors, lobbyists, parents or others for anything that provides us a personal benefit different from the public.

3. Improper influence of family members and associates. We are committed to abstaining from decisions that could result in a direct benefit to a close relative or co-habitant including, but not limited to, hiring, promotion, discipline, evaluation or direct supervision.

4. Maintain appropriate relationships with students. We are committed to ensuring that employee-student relationships are positive, professional and non-exploitative. We will not tolerate improper employee-student relationships.

5. Future employment. In order to prevent conflicts of interest, Lewiston Public Schools employees are not permitted to discuss the possibility of future employment with a person or organization that might benefit from their official decisions. The Lewiston Public Schools will not use the products or services of a contractor or a vendor who compensates a former District employee to influence an action on a matter pending with the District if that employee, within the last twelve (12) months, held a District position in which the employee personally and substantially participated in that matter. No former District employee is permitted to lobby the Lewiston Public Schools for one year after leaving the District. We are committed to avoiding discussions about future employment with people or organizations who can benefit from our decisions and will not take or influence official actions that might benefit that person or organization.

6. Uphold District interests in hiring and promotion. We are committed to hiring and promoting Lewiston Public Schools employees based on their qualifications and the job-criteria of the position and will not tolerate improper practices.

C. Responsibility. We are committed to holding each other responsible for our performance as individuals while in the course of our work within the Lewiston Public Schools.

1. Proper use of public position. We are committed to ensuring that our authority and influence are used in an appropriate, positive manner that enhances the public interest and trust. We will not use our authority to improperly influence people or obtain preferential treatment

2. Proper use of public resources. Except for occasional and limited personal use that does not interfere with performance of duties or create an appearance of impropriety, we are committed to ensuring that District facilities, equipment, supplies, mailing lists or other District resources are used for District purposes only. Except for occasional and limited personal use, we will not tolerate improper use of public resources, and will report and reimburse the District for significant costs of any limited personal use.

3. Leadership of Lewiston Public Schools and use of District time. We are committed to ensuring that Lewiston Public Schools employees are tasked to perform only District work on District working-time. We will not direct or permit District personnel to perform personal services on paid District time and will report such incidents to our supervisor or the Office of the Superintendent.

4. Uphold confidentiality. To achieve excellence, our employees must be able to discuss issues frankly, and when appropriate, in confidence. We are committed to abiding by all laws and District policies concerning confidential information, including student records, personnel files, agreements, and District records and policies. We will not reveal confidential information, including meeting content and the sources of comments, from staff and executive sessions of the School Committee.

References

These references can also provide additional information for the federal and state laws, District rules, regulations, policies and procedures indicated in the sections above.

Lewiston Public Schools Policy Manual:

http://www.lewistonpublicschools.org/~Lewiston_School_Dept./policies.shtml

Maine Department of Education:

http://www.maine.gov/doe/index.html

Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Services:

http://www.maine.gov/education/sfs/index.html

Maine Revised Statutes Title 20-A: Education

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Ach0sec0.html

Maine Dept. of Labor

http://www.maine.gov/labor/

City of Lewiston, ME City Charter

http://www.ci.lewiston.me.us/index.aspx?NID=151

Adopted: July 21, 2014

Revised: September 11, 2017