Process for Concerns

In Walled Lake, our philosophy is to resolve issues with the individuals closest to the situation. We encourage parents to form partnerships with teachers and to work together on classroom and student concerns. We believe that the best solutions are developed collaboratively by the people most familiar with the issue.

All complaints regarding the district should be resolved at the lowest possible administrative level. Neither the Board of Education as a whole nor any individual member will entertain or consider communications or complaints from teachers, parents, patrons or employees until they have first been referred to the superintendent. Only in those cases where satisfactory resolution cannot be made by the administrative staff shall communications and complaints be referred to the board after hearing evidence submitted by the superintendent.

The mission of the Walled Lake Schools, in partnership with parents and community is to become the best educational system in America so all students demonstrate they are caring, responsible and knowledgeable citizens.

Walled Lake Procedure

Complaints or concerns may be introduced at any level, but for the most adequate response, issues introduced at a level higher than the source of the concern will be redirected to the most appropriate level. If not satisfactorily resolved, and the complainant wishes to pursue the issue, the following steps for resolution will be followed:

Step 1: Review the issue with the staff member involved. If not satisfactorily resolved, advance to Step 2.

Step 2: Review the issue with immediate supervisor of staff member. If not satisfactorily resolved, advance to Step 3.

Step 3: Review the issue with the appropriate director or the assistant superintendent of schools. If not satisfactorily resolved, advance to Step 4.

Step 4: Review the issue with the superintendent. If not satisfactorily resolved, advance to Step 5.

Step 5: Contact the board of education in WRITTEN form addressed to Walled Lake Schools, 850 Ladd Road, Building D, Walled Lake, MI 48390. If Steps 1-4 have been followed, the superintendent shall advise the board of unresolved complaints or concerns along with appropriate background information. The complainant will have access to the services of an advocate/ mediator upon request directed to the director of community relations and marketing.

Accept Personal Responsibility FIRST

Ask for information
Know your child’s teacher, principal, and other significant people at school.
Understand this procedure and who can help you.
Contact your child’s teacher
When you have a classroom concern or specific concern about your child, contact the teacher first.
Ask for information, express a concern, suggest a solution, or share an idea through a conversation or a meeting.
Generate a possible plan together
Work with the teacher first.
Ask the teacher to keep the principal aware of the communication to date.
Agree to a timeline for trying the solution and include when you will communicate again to evaluate it.

Build Consensus NEXT

Contact your child’s principal or assistant principal
When you have a general school or school district concern, or when resolution cannot be reached with the teacher.
It is important to work with the principal when both you and the teacher agree it is time to get additional insight or when you cannot reach a solution.
Review the process to date
When the principal (or assistant principal) joins the process, be sure to review the issue, what communication has taken place and possible solutions.
Generate a plan together that meets the situation’s needs.
Agree to a timeline for trying the solution and include when you will communicate again to evaluate it. OR
If you are unable to agree to a solution at the building level, the principal will invite the next most appropriate administrator to join the process. Depending upon the issue, that may be the:
- Supervisor of Transportation,
- Director of Operations,
- Director for Community Relations and Marketing,
- Director of Instructional Programs,
- Director of Student Services,
- Instructional Coordinator or
- another administrator with knowledge or experience specific to your concern.

Continue to Communicate LAST

Monitor your solution together
Evaluate the success of the plan.
Make adjustments a necessary
Discuss when adjustments might improve the plan.
Congratulate one another on your successful resolution
Continue to grow, learn and work together as collaborative partners.

Please note: With appropriate attention to your concerns, through this due process design, very few unresolved problems will remain. In rare instances, those few problems that remain unresolved will likely involve an Assistant Superintendent. Final resolution attempts progress to the Superintendent.

Nondiscrimination Policy:

In compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, it is the policy of the Walled Lake Consolidated School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, disability, height, weight, political belief, military service, marital status or genetic information be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination during any program or activity or in employment. For information contact the District Compliance Officer, at (248) 956-2023.