- Walnut Creek School District
- Filing a Complaint
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REPORTING A CONCERN OVERVIEW
The Walnut Creek School District’s Board of Education is committed to listening to the concerns of the community. The Board encourages parents, staff, students and community members to resolve problems early and informally whenever possible by:-
Talking to your child’s teacher
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Talking to the counselor (if applicable)
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Talking to an assistant principal (if applicable)
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Talking to your school’s principal
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Keeping a log of who you have talked to regarding your concerns and dates and times of any related incidents
If your child’s teacher or principal has not been able to resolve your concern, please contact Kelly Eagan who serves as the District Compliance Officer. Please submit all inquiries in writing to keagan@walnutcreeksd.org.
During this process, you may be guided through the formal complaint processes outlined by Federal and California State law that includes a written statement that is signed and verified under penalty of perjury. These complaints allege a specific violation. More information on formal Title IX, Uniform, and Williams Act Complaints can be found through the links listed at the top of this section.
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SUSPECTED BULLYING, HARASSMENT, OR DISCRIMINATION
The Governing Board recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student well-being, student learning, and school attendance and desires to provide a safe school environment that protects students from physical and emotional harm. No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, visual, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel, or retaliate against them for filing a complaint or participating in the complaint resolution process.
Please complete the Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination form below and return it to your school Principal. Any complaint of bullying shall be investigated and, if determined to be discriminatory, resolved in accordance with law and the district's uniform complaint procedures. If during the investigation, it is determined that a complaint is about nondiscriminatory bullying, the principal or designee shall inform the complainant and shall take all necessary actions to resolve the complaint. Investigations will be completed with urgency within a reasonable timeline.
- Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination Reporting Form
- WCSD Board Policy 5131.2: Bullying
- WCSD Administrative Regulation 5131.2: Bullying
- WCSD Policy 5145.7: Sexual Harassment
- WCSD Administrative Regulation 5145.7: Sexual Harassment
- WCSD Board Policy 5145.3: Nondiscrimination/Harassment
- WCSD Regulation 5145.3: Nondiscrimination/Harassment
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SPECIAL EDUCATION CONCERNS
If you have a concern related specifically to Special Education services, please contact your case manager. If you feel your concern was not addressed, please escalate your concern to your site principal. If both efforts have been exhausted, you may contact Carrie Nerheim at cnerheim@walnutcreeksd.org.
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WILLIAMS COMPLAINTS
In any school serving any of grades 6-12, a complaint may be filed alleging noncompliance with the requirement of Education Code 35292.6 to, at all times, stock and make available and accessible free of cost, an adequate supply of menstrual products in every women’s and all-gender restroom, and in at least one men’s restroom. (Education Code 35292.6)
A complaint alleging any condition(s) specified in the section "Types of Complaints" above shall be filed with the principal or designee at the school in which the complaint arises. A complaint about problems beyond the authority of the principal shall be forwarded to the Superintendent or designee in a timely manner, but not to exceed 10 working days. Complaints may be filed anonymously. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4680)
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CONCERNS FROM EMPLOYEES
The Governing Board recognizes the need to establish a process to allow employees and job applicants to have their concerns heard in an expeditious and unbiased manner. The Board expects that employees will make every effort to resolve complaints and disagreements informally before filing a formal complaint.
The Board prohibits retaliation against complainants. The Superintendent or designee may keep a complainant's identity confidential, except to the extent necessary to investigate the complaint.
All matters related to a complaint shall be kept confidential and any document, communication, or record regarding the complaint shall be placed in a separate file and shall not be placed in an employee's personnel file. Please contact Human Resources regarding filing formal complaints or informal resolution information.
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COMPLAINTS AGAINST EMPLOYEES
The Governing Board recognizes its accountability to the public for the quality of the district's educational program and the performance of district employees. The district shall provide a process by which a complaint submitted by any person regarding an employee can be resolved impartially, expeditiously, and with minimal disruption to district operations and the educational program. Any complaint regarding the Superintendent shall be initially filed in writing with the Board. The Board shall consult with legal counsel or appoint an appropriate agent to conduct the investigation.
The Superintendent or designee shall determine whether a complaint against any other employee should be considered a complaint against the district and/or an individual employee and whether it should be resolved by the district's process for complaints concerning personnel and/or other district procedures. Any complaint of child abuse or neglect alleged against a district employee shall be reported to the appropriate local agencies in accordance with law and BP 5141.4 - Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting. Any complaint alleging that an employee engaged in unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying) in district programs and activities shall be filed in accordance with BP/AR 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures. Any complaint by an employee, job applicant, volunteer, intern, or independent contractor alleging unlawful discrimination or harassment by an employee shall be filed in accordance with AR 4030 - Nondiscrimination in Employment.
Any complaint subject to this policy and the accompanying administrative regulation shall be investigated by the principal, the employee's immediate supervisor, the Superintendent or designee, legal counsel, agent of the Board, and/or another appropriate person who is not the subject of the complaint or subordinate to the employee charged in the complaint. The complainant and the employee shall have an opportunity to present information relevant to the complaint.