Key Guidelines for Employee Conduct
Communicating Honestly and Responsibly
Employees are expected to act with integrity. While serving as a representative of Cary Academy, an employee may not knowingly provide or communicate false or misleading information or omit information that is misleading in the course of business.
Employees are required to disclose and record all School-related business transactions in a timely manner. No secret or unrecorded funds or records are permitted, nor may an employee hold school funds in a personal account. Employees are required to ensure that the recording of all transactions is timely, accurate, and complete.
Professional Interactions
Employees are expected to uphold the school’s core values of respect in all their interactions with colleagues, students, parents, and outside members of the community. Respect is the consideration for others through both words and actions. It includes consideration not only for an individual’s physical space, privacy, and property but also for his or her identities, beliefs, viewpoints, philosophies, physical and mental abilities, appearance, and personal qualities. Be cognizant of appropriate communication methods and language.
Sexual Relationships with Students
Molesting and/or engaging in sexual relations with students is strictly prohibited. Accusations of molestation and/or sexual relations with a student by an employee will be thoroughly investigated, and violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment and/or legal action as appropriate.
Any sexual activity between any employee of Cary Academy and any student must be immediately reported to the Head of School, or if it involves the Head of School, to the Chair of the Board of Directors. Moreover, if an employee believes that a student has been placed at imminent risk of serious harm, the employee must report such concern to one of the individuals listed above. Employees with questions about this policy or their obligations to report suspected molestation or sexual relations, or with questions regarding any specific incident of suspected molestation or sexual relations, should immediately contact their supervisor, Division Head, or the Head of School.
Protecting Confidential Information
Cary Academy possesses certain confidential, proprietary, and sensitive information that has been and may be revealed to employees during their employment with Cary Academy. The protection of confidential information and trade secrets is vital to the interests and success of Cary Academy. Employees must take all appropriate steps to ensure that the confidentiality of such information is maintained. Proprietary, confidential, and sensitive information regarding the School, its students, families, volunteers, other educational institutions, suppliers, vendors, and anyone else doing business with Cary Academy must be treated with sensitivity and discretion and only be disseminated on a need-to-know basis.
Cary Academy expects that, as a condition of employment, employees will keep all proprietary information strictly confidential. All confidential and proprietary information is the property of Cary Academy, and employees are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of this information even after termination of employment or other relationship with Cary Academy regardless of the reason for the termination.
Confidential information includes all information that has or could have value or other utility in Cary Academy’s mission or operations, or the unauthorized disclosure of which could be detrimental to Cary Academy’s interests, whether or not such information is specifically identified as confidential information by the School. By way of example and not limitation, confidential information includes any and all information, whether or not meeting the legal definition of a trade secret, concerning (a) Cary Academy’s strategic plans, forecasts, budgets, projections, and costs; (b) Cary Academy’s current and prospective students, families, volunteers, including their identity, special needs, and financial status; (c) marketing activities, plans, promotions, operations, and research and development; (d) operations, internal structures and financial affairs; (e) systems and procedures; (f) tuition structure; (g) proposed curriculum; and (h) contracts with other parties.
Employees who improperly use or disclose confidential and proprietary information may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment and legal action, regardless of whether the employee benefits from the disclosed information.
Confidential and Proprietary Information of Third Parties
Cary Academy is not interested in acquiring from employees any trade secrets or confidential information that they may have acquired from others. Therefore, employees shall not, during their employment with Cary Academy, improperly use or disclose any proprietary information or trade secrets of any former employer or any other person or entity with whom they have an agreement or to whom they owe a duty to keep such information in confidence.
Protecting Cary Academy’s Rights and Privileges
Employees are required to protect Cary Academy’s rights and privileges. The School’s rights, property, and facilities will be used only for the School’s benefit and purposes unless use for the personal benefit of individuals has been authorized in advance by School administration. For example, employees’ telephone numbers, job titles, addresses, and business cards may not be used to promote an employee’s personal business interests. Likewise, the School’s name, logo, and reputation may not be used to promote an employee’s personal business interests.
Avoiding Any Actual or Potential Conflict of Interest
Cary Academy conducts its operations in accordance with the highest ethical and moral standards. Employees are required to avoid personal activities, commitments, ownership interests, and other arrangements that may or will compromise their primary duty of loyalty and fidelity to Cary Academy.
A conflict of interest exists when you or a family member has a material financial interest in or is a director, officer, agent, partner, associate, trustee, or otherwise represents an entity engaged in a transaction with Cary Academy. A “family member” is a spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister, and the spouse of a child, brother, or sister. A “material financial interest” is a financial interest which, in view of all the circumstances, is substantial enough that it would, or reasonably could, affect your judgment with respect to a transaction in which Cary Academy is a party. Employees are required to ensure that their personal activities, commitments, and ownership interests outside the School do not create any actual or perceived conflict of interest.
As an employee of Cary Academy, you are not permitted to participate in the solicitation, negotiation, award, arbitration, modification, or settlement of any contract or grant or of any dispute arising under such contract or grant when you or a family member stands to benefit directly or indirectly from such grant or contract.
If a potential conflict of interest arises, you are required to disclose the potential conflict to the Head of School who will then disclose the matter to the Board of Directors. You will not be deemed to have benefited directly or indirectly from any contract or grant, if you receive only the salary or stipend due you in the normal course of employment with, or service to, Cary Academy.
For instance, employees may not seek to induce the School to enter a business relationship or transaction with an entity in which they or their family member have a financial interest unless the employee first discloses the existence and nature of that financial interest. Similarly, employees are required to avoid using the School’s contacts to advance their private business or personal interests. Employees may accept a position as a board member of an organization, public, private, for-profit, or not-for-profit, only after consultation with the Head of School.
Retention of Financial Data
In addition to other data retention laws and regulations, employees are required to retain for seven (7) years any data that might be relevant to any proceeding in which financial or accounting misconduct was in any way an issue. This mandate specifically prohibits data destruction, alteration, or concealment with any intent to impair the integrity or availability for use of such data in any proceeding. If employees have a question about whether data should be retained, they should consult the Chief Financial Officer.
Appearance and Dress Code
Employees serve as models to students and are representatives of Cary Academy in the community. Consistent with these roles, all employees are expected to dress in a manner and have an appearance that is appropriate, professional, and safe in light of the environment in which they work, the duties of their jobs, and the impressionable youth they serve. Therefore, we observe basic guidelines of neatness, cleanliness, and modesty at all times, including school and summer breaks.
Although Cary Academy employees are not expected to follow every aspect of the student dress code policies, employees should be familiar with these policies and take care not to violate aspects of them that would detract from their ability to serve as a model for students. Denim jeans are permitted every Friday, as well as other designated “dress down” days, and during school and summer breaks. Dress shorts are permitted only during school breaks and summer breaks. Depending on the nature of an employee’s job or special event/work assignment, attire may vary from this policy. When wearing casual attire, employees must still observe the basic guidelines of neatness, cleanliness, and modesty at all times.
If Cary Academy determines that your personal appearance is inappropriate, you may be asked to leave the workplace until you are properly dressed and/or groomed. Under such circumstances, you may not be compensated for time away from work. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. If you have any questions or would like to request any modification or exception to this policy, please contact Human Resources.