R3122 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM FOR 
EMPLOYMENT AND CONTRACT PRACTICES
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE 

A.	Purpose and Application

	1.	The purpose of this procedure is to give any teaching staff member the 				opportunity to appeal an alleged violation of the district’s affirmative action plan 			for employment and contract practices, as set forth in Policy No. 3122 or in a plan 		formally adopted by the Board of Education and approved by the Commissioner.

	2.	This procedure is intended to facilitate an equitable and just resolution of a 			dispute at the most immediate level and should be implemented in an informal 			manner.

	3.	Every reasonable effort will be made to expedite the process in the interest of a 			prompt resolution.  Time limits may, however, be extended with the consent of all 			parties.

	4.	All participants in the procedure will respect the confidentiality that this district 			accords to information about individual teaching staff members.

B.	Definitions

	1.	“Board of Education” means the Board of Education of the High Point Regional 			High School District.

	2.	“Complaint” means an alleged violation of the district’s affirmative action plan or 			policy.

	3.	“Complainant”  means a teaching staff member who alleges a violation of the 			district’s affirmative action plan or policy.

	4.	“Day” means a calendar day.

	5.	“School District” means the High Point Regional High School District.

	6.	“Teaching Staff Member” means an employee of the school district who is 			required by his or her position to hold a certificate issued by the New Jersey State 			Board of Examiners.

	7.	“Violation” means the failure of a district official or employee to take the positive 			steps outlined in Policy No. 3122 or the duly approved affirmative action plan to 			remove impermissible bias or preference from all aspects of district employment 			practices and/or to correct the results of past discrimination.

C.	Procedure

	1.	A teaching staff member who believes that he or she has been harmed or 				adversely affected by a failure to enforce the district’s affirmative action plan for 			employment and contract practices shall discuss the matter with his or her 				immediate supervisor, within 10 days of occurrence, in an attempt to resolve the 			matter informally.

	2.	If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant within 10 days, 			the complainant may submit a written complaint to the affirmative action officer.  			The complaint will include:

		a.	The complainant’s name and address;

		b.	The specific failure to act that the complainant complains of;

		c.	The school officer or employee, if any, responsible for the alleged 					violation of the affirmative action plan;		 

		d.	The results of discussions conducted in accordance with C 1.; and

		e.	The reasons why those results are not satisfactory.

	3.	The affirmative action officer will investigate the matter informally and will 			respond to the complaint in writing no later than 10 days after receipt of the 			written complaint.  A copy of the complaint and the response will be forwarded to 		the Superintendent.

	4.	The response of the affirmative action officer may be appealed to the 				Superintendent in writing within 10 days after it has been received by the 				complainant.  The appeal will include the original complaint, the response to the 			complaint, and the complainant’s reason for rejecting the response.  A copy of the 			appeal must be given to the staff member alleged to have violated the affirmative 			action plan.

	5.	On his or her timely request (that is, submitted before the expiration of the time 			within which the Superintendent must render a decision), the complainant will be 			given an informal hearing before the Superintendent, at a time and place 				convenient to the parties, but no later than 10 days after the request for a hearing 			has been submitted.  The Superintendent may also require the presence at the 			hearing of the staff member charged with violation of the affirmative action plan 			and any other person with knowledge of the violation complained of.

	6.	The Superintendent will render a written decision in the matter no later than 10 			days after the appeal was filed or the hearing was held, whichever occurred later.  			Copies of the decision will be given to all parties and to the Board of Education.

	7.	The complainant may appeal the Superintendent’s decision to the Board by filing 			a written appeal with the Board Secretary no later than 10 days after receipt of the 		Superintendent’s decision.  The appeal will include:

		a.	The original complaint;
	
		b.	The response to the complaint;

		c.	The Superintendent’s decision;

		d.	A transcript of the hearing, if one has been made, or a summary of the 				hearing to which all parties have consented; and

		e.	The complainant’s reason for believing the Superintendent’s decision 				should be changed.

	8.	A copy of the appeal to the Board must be given to the staff member, if any, 			charged with a violation of the affirmative action plan.

	9.	The Board will review all papers submitted and may render a decision on the 			basis of the proceedings below.  If the complainant so requests, the Board may 			convene a hearing, at which all parties may be represented by counsel and may 			present and examine witnesses, who will testify under oath.

	10.	The Board will render a written decision no later than 30 days after the appeal 			was filed or the hearing held, whichever occurred later.  Copies of the decision 			will be given to all parties.

	11.	The complainant will be informed of his or her right to appeal the Board’s 				decision to the:

		a. 	Commissioner of Education
			Division of Controversies and Disputes
			New Jersey State Department of Education
			225 West State Street
			Trenton, New Jersey  08625
			Telephone:  (609) 292-5705 or the 

		b.	New Jersey Division on Civil Rights
			1100 Raymond Boulevard
			Newark, New Jersey  07102
			Telephone:  (201) 648-2700

D.	Record

	1.	The records of any complaint processed in accordance with this procedure shall 			be kept in a file maintained by the affirmative action officer.

	2.	A copy of the decision rendered at its highest level of appeal will be kept in the 			complainant’s personnel file.

HPRHS Notice of Non-Discrimination 

Español: https://www.hpregional.org/NoticeofND

High Point Regional School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability in admission to its programs, services, or activities, in access to them, in treatment of individuals, or in any aspect of their operations. The lack of English language skills shall not be a barrier to admission or participation in the district's activities and programs. High Point Regional School District also does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices.

Title IX - Affirmative Action Coordinator:	504 Coordinator:
Mr. Seamus Campbell 	Mrs. Courtney Delaney 
Director of Curriculum and Instruction	Director of Special Education, Child Study Team & 	scampbell@hpregional.org   973-875-3170	Guidance
	cdelaney@hpregional.org   973-875-3101 			x1308

High Point Regional High School, 299 Pidgeon Hill Road, Sussex, NJ 07461

Adopted:	18 December 1995
Revised:	August 22, 2023