Definitions

Definitions

Public Record: Is writing, regardless of physical form, containing information relating to the
conduct of governmental or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function,
prepared, owned, used or retained by Sequim School District. These include
Commission Records.

Writing: Broadly defined, a writing means handwriting, printing, Photostatting, photographing,
and any other means of recording any form of communication, including , but not limited to,
letters, words, pictures, sounds or symbols or their combinations; paper, maps, magnetic or
punched cards, discs, drums, diskettes, sound recordings, and other documents including data
compilations form which information may be obtained or translated. An e-mail is considered
writing.

Office of Record: The office designated to maintain the record or official copy of a particular
record in an organization.

Identifiable Record: An identifiable record is one in existence at the time of the records request
is made and that Sequim School District staff can reasonably locate.

Exempt Record: All agency records are available for review by the public unless they are
specifically exempted or prohibited from disclosure by state law, either directly in RCW 42.56 or
other statutes. Records exempt from disclosure include: Examination test scores, teacher,
student or public employee information that would constitute an invasion of privacy as defined
in RCW 42.56.210, or preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations and intra-agency
memorandums not publicly cited by the agency in connection with any agency action.

E-Mail: Electronic mail in an informational transfer system which uses computers for sending
and receiving messages. It is comprised of individual units of information divided into an
“envelope” and the message contents. The envelope, or message header, contains the mailing
address, routing instructions, transmission and receipt information, and other information the
system needs to deliver the mail item correctly. Email messages are public records when they
are created or received in the transaction of public business and retained as evidence of official
actions.