Policy SE-33.0 Grievance Process

The school firmly believes that adults must be models of good character even when there are disagreements or misunderstandings. Should a parent or member of the community have a grievance concerning a particular class or the administration of the school, that grievance should be resolved using the following chain of command. Issues that arise in a particular classroom should always be addressed to the teacher first since the teacher is most likely to have the most direct knowledge of the student and the situation.

1. The teacher. Parents should schedule a meeting with the teacher through the office. Under no circumstance is it ever acceptable for a parent to confront a teacher about an issue with students present, including the parent’s children.

2a. The assistant headmaster or dean. If the grievance cannot be resolved with the teacher, and the matter regards discipline, the parent should schedule a meeting with the assistant headmaster or dean, who will respond to a grievance within three (3) days.

2b. The headmaster. If the grievance cannot be resolved with the teacher and the matter regards academics or teaching, the grievant should schedule a meeting with the headmaster. The headmaster will respond to a grievance within three (3) days.

Appeals to the Ascent Classical Academy Charter Schools Governing Board

If resolution is not achieved by the foregoing process two other options are available:

1. The grievance can be submitted to the Ascent Classical Academy Charter Schools Governing Board, through the Grievance form on the school’s website.

2. The Governing Board or Board Chair may appoint members, to not comprise a quorum, to review the grievance and/or may review and make one of the following determinations:

• 1. support the previous decision;
  2. appoint up to two Board members to address the issue that may take up to 15 business days;
  3. address the issue in an open regularly scheduled Board session, which may take up to 30 business days during a scheduled Board meeting; or
  4. address the issue in an executive session, in accordance with the Colorado Open Meetings Law.

Public Comment

Concerns may also be raised during the public comment portion of a meeting of the Governing Board. The comment may be submitted in writing to board.chair@ascentcolorado.org or presented verbally during the meeting. No more than three minutes will be granted for each comment.

Grievances or discussions involving specific personnel will not be entertained. It is recommended that the concern or grievance be addressed in one of the aforementioned steps before using this option. Grievances regarding policy should be directed to the headmaster first. Grievances regarding an administrator should be directed to the individual first, then in writing according to this policy.

Authorizer Review

As an independent public body, decisions on grievances and appeals by the Governing Board are considered final. Should a grievant wish to have a decision reviewed by the Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI), he or she may submit a request to the CSI Executive Director via phone (303.866.3299) or email (CSI_Info@CSI.state.co.us).

General Concerns/Questions/Suggestions

In the unfortunate event that resolution is not achieved through the process outlined above, it is unlikely that Ascent Classical Academy is the best educational option for your family. The Governing Board will not entertain anonymous complaints, nor can they hold information in confidence when it is not in the best interest of the school.