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Family Complaint Procedures

Complaint Procedures – Students/Families

Complaints will fall into one of five categories:

  1. Complaints about a student, the classroom experience, or a teacher.
  2. Complaint relating to a subject, employee, or issue within a specific program area.
  3. Complaints about a school-wide policy, administration, or a particular administrator not in a specific program area listed above.
  4. Complaints about a parent/guardian or community member involved with the school.
  5. Complaints that the school, or school employee has acted in a manner that violates state law or rule or Governing Board policy.

In general, GCA will not address a complaint made anonymously, based on hearsay, or made on behalf of another family. GCA will also not address a complaint where resolution has not been exhausted through the appropriate steps indicated below. GCA may, at its discretion, notify individual school employees about grievances brought against them. Parents/guardians may, however, request that they not be personally identified as the party bringing a complaint.

Steps for making a complaint:

Category A:  Complaints about a student, the classroom experience, or a teacher

  • Step 1: Parents/guardians should try to resolve the issue with the classroom teacher.
  • Step 2: If these efforts are unsuccessful, a complaint may be made to the Principal.
  • Step 3: If efforts to resolve the issue with the Principal have been exhausted, or the complaint involves the Principal, the parent/guardian may bring the complaint to the Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment.
  • Step 4, If efforts to resolve the issue with the Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment have been exhausted, or the complaint involves the Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment, the parent/guardian may bring the complaint to the Superintendent/Head of School whose decision shall be final.

Category B:  Complaint within a specific program area

  • Step 1: The complaint should be made to the assistant director for the program area.
  • Step 2: If the complainant is unaware of who is assigned to a given area or is unable to resolve the issue with the Assistant Director, or the complaint involves the Assistant Director, the parent/guardian may make the complaint to the Director of the Department.
  • Step 3: If efforts to resolve the issue with the Director have been exhausted, or the complaint involves the Director, the parent/guardian should bring the complaint to the Superintendent/Head of School.
  • Step 4: Appeal to Governing Board as described below.

Categories C and E:  Complaints about a school-wide policy, administration, or administrator

  • Step 1:  The parent/guardian should make the complaint to the Principal or Assistant Director of the program area involved.  
  • Step 2: If efforts to resolve the issue with the Principal/Assistant Director have been exhausted, or the complaint involves the Principal/Assistant Director, then the parent/guardian should bring the complaint to the Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment or Director of the program area.
  • Step 3: If efforts to resolve the issue with the Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment or Director of the program area have been exhausted, or the complaint involves the Director of Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment or Director of the program area, then the parent/guardian should bring the complaint to the Superintendent/Head of School
  • Step 4:. Appeal to Governing Board as described below.

Category D:  Complaints about a parent/guardian or community member

  • Step 1: The parent/guardian should make the complaint to the Principal. 
  • Step 2:  If efforts to resolve the issue with the Principal have been exhausted, or the complaint involves the Principal, then the parent/guardian should bring the complaint to the Superintendent/Head of School.
  • Step 3: Appeal to Governing Board as described below.

Process for Reviewing Complaints - Administration

For Categories A-D, upon receipt of a complaint, where applicable, the Principal, Assistant Director, Director, or Superintendent/Head of School will each acknowledge receiving the complaint and seek to resolve it within 10 business days or as soon as reasonably practicable.

Process for Reviewing Complaints - Governing Board

For Category E complaints and for Categories B, C and D complaints where a parent or guardian is not satisfied with the response of the Superintendent/Head of School, the complaining party may bring a complaint to the Governing Board as follows:

Complaints should be made in writing via the grievance form on the school’s website or on the same form available at the GCA offices. This allows all parties involved to work from a consistent body of information.

For any complaint presented to the Board, a response via written letter will be sent within (30) thirty days of receipt of the complaint, or as soon as reasonably practicable.  The Board may delegate review of a grievance to a member or members of the Board, legal counsel, or another designee. If the complaint is addressed at a meeting of Board, or a committee thereof, every reasonable effort will be made to provide a written decision to the aggrieved person within ten (10) business days of the meeting.

The Board’s decision shall be final and binding.