The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board is committed to supporting students and their parents requesting help in resolving issues regarding the services provided by this school board.
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board’s By-Law Establishing Procedures for the Examination of Complaints from Students or Their Parents outlines the procedure to be followed by the school board, students and parents for the examination of complaints.
All complaints must be addressed to the following people in the order indicated below:
1) The school principal or centre director when a complaint concerns a decision made by the staff of a school or centre
OR
The director of the department from which the decision initially originated;
2) The director of School Affairs and School Organization (click here to access our online complaint form);
3) The director general or the assistant director general.
If, after following these steps, the complainant is dissatisfied with the manner in which their complaint was handled or with its outcome, they must address a complaint to the secretary general, Me Anna Sollazzo, via this email address: jthompson@swlauriersb.qc.ca. If the complaint concerns an individual decision concerning a student (for example, a disagreement with regard to their placement), the complainant must use this form.
Upon reception of the complaint sent by email, the secretary general will determine the admissibility of the complaint by first ensuring that the proper steps were followed. Once this is done, the complainant has two means of recourse, depending on the nature of the complaint. The secretary general will explain to the complainant the steps of each:
If the complaint pertains to an individual decision
concerning a student, in accordance with
sections 9 to 12 of the Education Act
(for example, placement, transfer of schools).
If the complaint is not related to an individual decision
concerning a student
1) The secretary general transfers the complaint to the Appeals
Review Committee (composed of 5 Commissioners and the
director general or their delegate).
2) The Appeals Review Committee determines the individuals
who will be called upon to present their points of view.
Hearings are held in camera in the presence of all parties
concerned.
3) The Appeals Review Committee presents a report
containing recommendations to the Council of
Commissioners.
4) The Council of Commissioners renders a decision.
The complainant retains the right to have their complaint examined by the Student Ombudsman should they be dissatisfied with the decision of the Council.
1) The secretary general transfers the complaint to the student
ombudsman.
2) The student ombudsman has 30 days to give the Council of
Commissioners and the secretary general an opinion on the
merits of the complaint and recommend appropriate
measures.
3) The Council of Commissioners renders a decision.
The student ombudsman for the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board is Me Vincenzo Guida. According to section 8.2 of the above-mentioned by-law, the student ombudsman must contact the secretary general upon reception of a complaint to verify that the complainant has exhausted the corrective measures prescribed above. Despite the foregoing, the student ombudsman may take up a complaint at any stage of the complaint examination procedure if they consider that an intervention is necessary to prevent harm from being caused to the complainant.
Me Vincenzo Guida’s contact details are the following:
Me Vincenzo Guida, Student Ombudsman
999, boulevard De Maisonneuve Ouest, bureau 1600
Montréal (Québec) H3A 3L4
Email: sombudsman@swlauriersb.qc.ca
Tel.: 514 874-2000 ext: 231
Cell: 514 919-5137
Fax: 514 874-9041
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