COMPLAINTS POLICY

The Gift of Openness

The School practices the "gift of openness" as it cares for the Canterbury family. It recognizes
that there are times when parents, faculty, and students will want to express their concerns about
certain actions or policies. Clearly the vision of the school is to provide excellent educational
opportunities for our students and to maintain open and helpful communication with all parents
of our students. The school will address concerns in a timely and understanding way.

The Board of Trustees has shown its support of this process by approving at its March 1999
meeting the following underlying interests:
1. To deepen mutual understanding and, where appropriate, to work toward resolution of
school-related concerns or issues by promoting and facilitating communication among
stakeholders (i.e. parents, students, staff, trustees and administrators) who are involved.
2. To enlarge the various stakeholders' perspectives on school- related concerns or issues by
placing them in the larger context of the School's purpose, philosophy and core values.
3. To clarify and promote a greater understanding of, and respect for, the roles,
responsibilities and interests of the school's various stakeholders.

The Board also has two primary objectives in developing this procedure:
1. To preserve the authority of the school administration (i.e. the Head of School) to make
final determination of any student or family related issues, and
2. To assure all interested parties in a matter of a full, fair, and just opportunity to make
their views known to, and understood by, the other parties prior to final resolution.

Canterbury School is built in a climate of trust, openness, listening, respect, honesty,
understanding and consistency as well as humility. We all at times make mistakes. No situation is
completely perfect. Concerns may certainly include suggestions, new ideas and improvements.

We will all abide by our internal rules of governance and respect the specific allocation of
responsibilities to staff, teachers, parents and board. We will be guided by deeper leading of
truth, fairness and justice rooted in the spiritual commitments of Canterbury.

The following procedure will serve as our guideline:

Procedure for Communicating Concerns
1. The Closest Person at the School
Always talk first with the person closest to the situation. If the concern involves a specific
teacher, advisor or staff member, the complainant is requested to contact that person directly
to talk through the issue and seek to resolve questions, suggestions, or misunderstandings and
to find a mutual acceptable solution. Such conversations may focus both on the specific
impact of a situation on a student and on broader issues or principles that are involved.
Typically such conversations can be most constructive when they are private, that is, not in

the presence of other parents, teachers, or students where someone might be embarrassed or
drawn into "taking sides". It is our hope that nearly all issues will be addressed quickly in this
direct and mutually respectful way.

2. The Division Director
In cases where a complainant may feel the need to discuss a matter further or where repeated
problems of the same sort continue, the issue may be taken to the Lower or Middle School
Division Director. Being one step removed from the specific situation, it is important to be
very specific about the concerns presented, as well as cooperative in seeking an appropriate
and acceptable resolution.

3. The Head of School
The Head of School has the ultimate responsibility for all administrative, academic,
personnel, and disciplinary matters at the school. If the above steps have not brought
resolution, a contact with the Head of School can be made. It would be important for the
parent to put the substance of the concern in writing in preparation for a conversation with
the Head of School. When talking with the Head of School it is important to be clear about
what the complainant sees to be the focal issue or issues. The ongoing relation between the
Head of School and all members of the school community, as well as knowledge of a wide
range of factors potentially affecting the situation will make the quality of understanding and
the fruitfulness of a final resolution possible.