Every day, families and caregivers, volunteers, teachers and support staff work together to provide the best education possible for all students.

To work together effectively, the relationship between home and school must be strong. This relationship can be strengthened through open, receptive and honest two-way communication.

From time to time, there may be a misunderstanding, a lack of communication, or a serious situation that needs attention. When this happens, everyone must work together to resolve the matter. Families and caregivers have the right to express concerns, a teacher has the right to respond and the Board has an obligation to support students, families and caregivers and staff.

The words “families and caregivers”, when used, includes parents.

Steps in Communicating with Schools

If families and caregivers have a concern about a school matter, these are the steps that should be followed:

Step 1: Talk with Your Child’s Teacher

Families and caregivers should discuss a concern or issue with the classroom teacher at a mutually convenient time.

Step 2: Talk with Your School Principal

If families and caregivers and the teacher are not able to resolve the issue, it should be discussed with the school principal (or designate). The principal (or designate) will gather facts from everyone involved to clarify the problem and work to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. Basic to every investigation is the Board’s expectation that employees and students will follow school and Board policies and procedures.

Step 3: Talk with Your School Superintendent of Student Achievement & Well-Being

If families and caregivers and the school principal are not able to resolve the issue, families and caregivers may discuss the issue with the school superintendent. The school superintendent will review the matter as it relates to established policies and procedures and will respond to the families and caregivers about their concern.

Step 4: Talk with the Associate Director of Education

If families and caregivers and the school superintendent are not able to resolve the issue, the families and caregivers may discuss the issue with the Associate Director of Education. The Associate Director of Education will review the matter and respond to the family member and caregiver about the concerns. The Associate Director of Education may choose to consult with the Director of Education at this time.

The Role of Trustees

Families and caregivers may contact Trustees at any time. Trustees support the communication process between families and caregivers and the appropriate staff and provide information and direction. Trustees shall direct families and caregivers to the process which should be followed in resolving any concerns or to the appropriate person or step in the process (dependent on the steps the families and caregivers have already undertaken to resolve the concerns at the time the trustee is contacted) but shall not act as a representative of the families and caregivers. Learn more about delegating to the Board of Trustees.

If an individual has followed the steps and is not satisfied that the issue has been resolved at the local level, the individual may contact the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.on.ca.

Representative of the Families and Caregivers

From time to time, families and caregivers may believe or feel that they need support in order that they can adequately address their child’s interests. This support may be necessary while families and caregivers are attending meetings with the staff employed by the Board.

Families and caregivers have the right to have a representative of their choosing in attendance at meetings with staff, subject to any limitations established in these procedures. Any costs/expenses associated with such a representative are the responsibility of the families and caregivers.

Principals, staff and families and caregivers should be notified in advance of a meeting as to who is anticipated to be in attendance.

The role of such a family representative will be to provide the families and caregivers with support before, during, or after any meetings with Board staff. In most cases, such a representative/advocate may be in attendance as an advocate to support but not speak about the families and caregivers’ concerns. In certain circumstances, for example when there is a language barrier which inhibits communication by the families and caregivers, they may choose to request that the representative speak on their behalf throughout the meetings with Board staff. As a result, a representative, as referred to in these procedures, is not usually a paid advocate attending the meeting on behalf of the families and caregivers.

A representative supporting the families and caregivers must agree, at the outset of or in advance of the meeting, to respect and maintain the confidentiality of any matter discussed at a meeting between families and caregivers and staff.