KF-P0 - Public Commendations/Complaints/Concerns

It is an identified objective of the School Division to solicit public input on how we are achieving our educational goals.  This may include positive reinforcement in the form of commendations.  The Board recognizes, however, that at times it may also involve the expression of complaints or concerns.

1.         In the interest of handling complaints/concerns fairly and expeditiously, the ward trustee assists the public in navigating the proper channel of concerns as follows:

a.   Staff member concerned,

b.   Principal or supervisor of that staff member,

c.   Senior administrative staff,

d.   School Board using either the delegation or formal complaint procedures

e.   If the dispute involves appropriate educational programming, the matter may be brought by the complainant to the Minister’s review committee.

2.         When a complaint/concern is made to a Board member as an individual, the Board member will act in the role of a navigator, rather than as the primary problem solver.  The trustee only needs enough information in order to determine how to guide the individual:

a.    Refer the complainant to the appropriate Board policy or regulation if applicable.

b.     Ask the complainant to contact the teacher or administrator directly, or the staff member most closely associated with the complaint/concern.  The common practice is to inform the ward trustee of a concern that may be shared with you directly by a constituent outside of your own ward.

c.    If needed, the trustee can set up, but not participate in, a meeting of the complainant with appropriate members of the divisional administrative team.

d.    If the complainant has gone through this process and is still dissatisfied, advise the complainant that the matter may be brought to the attention of the Board by formal request.  A delegation process may be used for this step or a written complaint using the approved complaint form (KF-E1) is available. Additionally, MSBA also provides this document as a dispute resolution resource.

Board members will not

a.    Speak on behalf of the Board unless so directed by a quorum of the Board in legal session;

b.    Act on a complaint/concern directly;

c.    Communicate with staff members directly for the purpose of investigating potential concerns or attempting to personally solve problems. Staff members should always be redirected back to their supervisor.

Whenever possible, alternative dispute processes that are culturally appropriate will be sought by the school division staff.

No member of the community shall be denied the right to express complaints/concerns directly to the Board as a Board agenda item under the Communication for Action section. Complaints/concerns received directly by the Board will, however, normally be referred back through proper administrative channels.  Exceptions to this process are complaints that directly concern Board function or Senior Administration.  Members of the public filing complaints/concerns involving the staff or procedures of the Prairie Spirit School Division are requested to do so on the prescribed form (See Exhibit  KF-E) and submit these to the Secretary-Treasurer.

(See also Section B)