Contact The Office of the Ombudsman

Whether you are a student, parent, guardian, or staff member, you may contact the Office of the Ombudsman if you have concerns or questions related to The Crescent Academy.

When contacting the Office of the Ombudsman, you have choice of contacting either:

A board member who serves as the Internal Ombudsman; or
An External Ombudsman

Parties should use the form below to contact the current Ombudsman. Only one ombudsman should be contacted for each concern. Multiple submissions will default to one ombudsman.

Concerns should include sufficient factual detail to permit meaningful review, including, where applicable:

• Dates and approximate times
• Locations
• Names of individuals involved
• Names of witnesses willing to be contacted
• Relevant documents, photographs, recordings, correspondence, police reports, court filings, or other independently verifiable information

The Ombudsman may decline to pursue concerns that are speculative, conclusory, unsupported by sufficient factual detail, or outside the Ombudsman’s scope.

Good-Faith Reporting

The Ombudsman process exists to assist in resolving genuine concerns and improving the school community.

Individuals submitting concerns are expected to do so in good faith and provide information they reasonably believe to be accurate. Knowingly false, misleading, retaliatory, or harassing submissions are inconsistent with the purpose of this process and may be disregarded.

The role of the Ombudsman

The Ombudsman serves as a confidential, neutral, and independent resource to help members of the school community address concerns, resolve conflicts, and better understand available options. The Ombudsman does not take sides or advocate for any individual party; rather, the goal is to ensure concerns are heard and to help facilitate fair and constructive solutions.

When to Contact the Ombudsman

You may wish to reach out to the Ombudsman if you:

Have a concern about a school policy, decision, or process
Feel that a situation has not been resolved through normal channels
Need guidance on how to address a conflict or misunderstanding
Would like a confidential place to discuss a sensitive issue
Are unsure about what options are available to you

Personnel matters

Personnel matters, employment disputes, hiring decisions, compensation decisions, performance evaluations, disciplinary matters, and allegations regarding employee qualifications, background, or conduct are generally reviewed directly by the Board of Directors and are not part of the Ombudsman process.

Individuals with information relevant to such matters should contact the Board directly and provide sufficient detail and supporting evidence to permit review.

Escalation

The Ombudsman’s office is committed to resolving concerns at the most appropriate level and as quickly as possible. In most cases, concerns can and should be addressed directly with those closest to the situation. It is recommended that before contacting the Ombudsman, families follow this process:

Teacher Level (First Step)
- Contact your child’s teacher directly to discuss the concern.
- Many issues can be resolved quickly through direct communication.
Principal Level (Second Step)
- If the matter is not resolved, escalate to the school principal.
- The principal will review the concern and work toward a resolution.
Ombudsman (Final Step)
- The Ombudsman should be contacted only after reasonable efforts have been made at the teacher and principal levels, and the concern remains unresolved.

In situations involving serious concerns (e.g., safety, misconduct, or matters where direct communication may not be appropriate), families may contact the Ombudsman directly.

What the Ombudsman Can Do

The Ombudsman can:

Listen to your concerns in a confidential setting
Help clarify policies, procedures, and expectations
Explore possible options for addressing your concern
Facilitate communication or informal resolution where appropriate
Identify patterns or systemic issues that may need attention

What the Ombudsman Does Not Do

The Ombudsman does not:

Replace formal grievance or disciplinary procedures
Make binding decisions or enforce outcomes
Serve as legal counsel or formal investigator
Maintain permanent records of confidential conversations

Identified Submissions Required

To ensure fairness, accountability, and the ability to conduct meaningful reviews, individuals submitting concerns through the Ombudsman process must identify themselves and provide valid contact information.

Anonymous submissions are not accepted through the Ombudsman process and will not be treated as Ombudsman complaints.

The Ombudsman may request additional information or documentation before determining whether a matter is appropriate for Ombudsman review.

Individuals submitting concerns are expected to do so in good faith and provide information they reasonably believe to be accurate.

The Ombudsman process requires identified submissions. Individuals wishing to provide anonymous feedback may use the Feedback page. Anonymous feedback is reviewed for informational purposes and is not treated as a formal Ombudsman complaint.

Individual Submissions

Concerns submitted through the Ombudsman process must be presented by the individual raising the concern. Individuals should not submit concerns on behalf of unnamed third parties or represent the views, experiences, or observations of others unless they have been expressly written authorized to do so. Such written authorization must be presented along with the concern, if a proxy approach is chosen.

The Ombudsman and Board are best able to evaluate concerns when information is received directly from the individuals with firsthand knowledge of the matter. Direct participation allows for clarification of facts, follow-up questions, assessment of credibility, and a fair review of the information presented.

If multiple individuals share a concern, each person is encouraged to submit their own statement and participate directly in the review process. This helps ensure that every voice is heard accurately and that concerns are evaluated based on firsthand information rather than secondhand reports, assumptions, or summaries.

Confidentiality

Communications with the Ombudsman are treated with discretion and confidentiality to the fullest extent reasonably possible.

Information may be shared with individuals who have a legitimate need to know in order to evaluate, investigate, or address a concern, or where disclosure is required by law or necessary to prevent serious harm.

Contacting the Ombudsman

If you would like to speak with the Ombudsman, please reach out using the contact form below.

When contacting the Ombudsman, please include:

Your name, email and phone number
A summary of the concern
Steps already taken (teacher and/or principal communication)
Relevant dates and documentation, witnesses, documents, photographs, recordings, police reports, court filings, or other independently verifiable evidence.
Your role in the school community (student, parent, staff, etc.)

This helps ensure a timely and effective review.

Once your message is received, the Ombudsman will respond as soon as possible to arrange a confidential conversation.