Records Management Best Practices, Guidelines, FAQs
Core Principles of Records Management
Classify by Function, Not by Person or Location
Always organize and name records based on what they are (their business function), not who created them or where they’re stored. This ensures alignment with the Records Retention Schedule and reduces confusion when roles or departments change.
Why It Matters: Functional classification creates continuity even during staff turnover or reorganization.
Centralize and Separate Official Records from Working Copies
Keep one official version of each record in its designated location — either in Central Filing, Records Centre, or an approved digital repository (EdForms, Atrieve, SharePoint, or Google Workspace).
Why It Matters: Central storage prevents duplication, ensures version control, and simplifies retrieval and disposition.
Apply Retention Rules Consistently and Track Trigger Dates
Use the retention schedule to determine how long to keep records and note the trigger event that starts the retention clock (e.g., fiscal year end, graduation).
• Banking (FA-03) → Retain School Year + 7 Years
• Student Records (SI-10) → Date of Birth + 25 Years
Why It Matters: Consistent retention ensures compliance, audit readiness, and timely cleanup of obsolete records.
Prepare for Disposition Year-Round
- Don’t wait until year-end — maintain an ongoing records inventory.
- Mark records as active, inactive, or ready for destruction throughout the year.
- Use Form 185-1 and submit batches for approval when ready.
Why It Matters: Regular review prevents backlog, reduces storage costs, and ensures timely destruction authorization.
Protect Personal and Sensitive Information at All Stages
Follow the “minimum necessary access” principle under FOIP. Always store records securely, restrict access by role, and use approved destruction methods.
Why It Matters: Proper information handling protects privacy, demonstrates due diligence, and reduces legal risk.
Train, Communicate, and Refresh
- Regularly revisit retention procedures in staff meetings and PD sessions.
- Encourage staff to ask questions before destroying or transferring records.
Records Disposition: Frequently Asked Questions
What about P-Card invoices and receipts?
The same rule applies. Once uploaded into Atrieve, they become the official record. Keep only digital copies for the current year + 7 years.
Shred paper duplicates after one year.
Where do field trip and excursion documents belong in the retention schedule?
Field trip and excursion files fall under SI-04 Excursions – Signed Forms. Retain for 2 years after the school year.
Note: If an accident occurred during the trip, the related Accident Report (LE-01-02) and all supporting documentation must be kept permanently at Division Office.
What about Volunteer Forms?
Volunteer forms are retained under HR-24 Volunteers and Coaches. Retain for 3 years after the last volunteer activity or school year, whichever is later.
Do student lists from swimming lessons or field trips need to be kept?
These are considered administrative working documents unless directly tied to attendance, consent, or safety records. They may be deleted or shredded after the event if the master copy of the excursion file is retained in accordance with SI-04.
What about digital records or folders ready for disposition?
Digital records can also be included in your Records Disposition Authorization (Form 185-1). Clearly note the folder name or file path on your form.
Wait for Principal or Department Head approval before deletion.
Do old report cards and registration forms get shredded locally or sent to Division Office?
To maintain consistency, all student-related records (such as report cards, verification forms, and cumulative files) should be sent to Division Office for shredding once approved for disposition.
How are schools in remote or smaller communities handling shredding?
Gordon will collect the approved Records Disposition Authorization Form and boxes from schools located further west or east and deliver them to Division Office for secure shredding through EnviroShred. Gordon retains the form until shredding is complete, records Section 3 (Confirmation of Destruction), and returns the final form to Records for permanent retention.
What about scholarship and bursary records?
- Only select Division-managed scholarships and awards (SI-01) are retained at Division Office.
- All other school-managed scholarship records must be retained at the school for E + 13 years (E = August 31 of the school year).
- Related financial records are retained under FA-01, FA-08, or FA-12, depending on the transaction type.
Who should we contact if we have questions or aren’t sure which record type applies?
If uncertain, please use the Service Request Portal to reach the Records Advisor. Attach examples or descriptions of your files for a quicker review.
Specific Form & Record Guidelines
| Form / Record Type | Retention Rule & Notes |
|---|---|
| Authorization to Release Student Records | Request for Transfer of student records (Mandatory Student Records). Ex: If a student has a DOB of 2008 (16 yrs old), these should be uploaded and remain in PASI. |
| 316-1 (Student Medical Information) | Supplemental Student Records. Kept for 2 years after the current school year. Differ from Health Information uploaded to PASI. |
| 260-1 (Excursions Administration) | SI-03. Retained for Event Date + 2 years (Event date = Aug 31st of the school year). Extended if classified as "high risk" (AP 260 App B). |
| Student Verification (Paper Copies) | Treat similarly to Authorization to Release. Scan and retain digitally for at least 10 years. Once digitized, paper copies can be destroyed. |
| 180-7 (FOIP - Disclosure of Personal Info) | IM-01-01. Retained for Event Date + 1 year (Event date = date of disclosure/signed). |
| 180-2, 180-5 (Collection/Use of Student Info) | Follows the exact same retention rules as 180-7. |
| Medical & Food Allergies | Follows same retention as 316-1, with the exception of anaphylactic reactions which follow AP 317 (Form 317-1). |
| Random Documents Scanned to PASI | Kept for current year + 1. Ensure no QA issues or flagged problems before destroying. |
| 490-1 (Volunteers) | HR-12. Retained for Event Date + 3 years (Event date = Aug 31st). If permission is revoked, retention starts from the revoked date. |
| 562-2, 562-3 (Excursions Signed Forms) | SI-04. Retained for Event Date + 2 years (Event date = Aug 31st). Retained longer if high risk or if an incident occurred. |
| New Student Files (Scanned to PASI) | Retained for current year + 1. Ensure no QA issues are flagged before destroying files. |