EFE-PRC1

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Policy EFE-PRC1

Adopted: March, 2025
Amended: N/A

EFE PROCEDURES

INFORM:

The Hopkinton Public Schools will inform the person against whom potential discrimination may have occurred or a person who feels discrimination has potentially occurred of their right to file an official complaint.  The following steps will be taken.

Complainants should contact the Hopkinton Public Schools Food Services Director or any building principal (who will forward the complaint to the Food Services Director). People may report a complaint through this linked form or via email, phone, or any other form of written communication.

FILE:

The Food Services Director will:

• Offer to share the complaint process steps and let the complainant know a complaint can be submitted anonymously. While the District will encourage complainants to complete this HPS FSD Civil Rights Complaint Log, complaints may also be submitted verbally, via email, or through other written communication.
• Ask if the person would like to submit an official complaint.
• If yes, walk them through USDA's complaint process and clarify if they (1) want to use USDA's process on their own; (2) want you to "accept" their complaint and file it on their behalf; or (3) assist them in making a submission to USDA.
  • If they would like to submit the complaint on their own, ask if you can do anything else to help resolve the issue in the meantime.
  • If they would like you to "accept" the complaint,  accept, document and file the complaint with the USDA on behalf of the complainant
• If no, ask the person how you can help. Clarify what the complainant wants you to do with the information they are giving you. This may be a person who is reporting a concern because they want the District to help them, even though they are not interested in submitting an official Civil Rights Complaint. When the person reports satisfaction that the issue has been resolved, no further steps need to be taken.

DOCUMENT 

All Civil Rights  complaints pertaining to the Hopkinton School Nutrition Department will be documented in the HPS FSD Civil Rights Complaint Log, which must include the following information: 

• The complainant’(s) name and contact information
• The location (including country), nature, and date of the alleged discrimination. 
• Name of individual(s) and organization(s) alleged to have engaged in discrimination as well as the basis of alleged discrimination, 
• How was the complaint given? In writing or verbally? If a complaint is given verbally, a detailed record of the complaint must be taken. The Staff member who received the complaint must transcribe it into the log.
• The date of referral to FNS CRD, the findings of any investigation by FNS, and a descriptive disposition of the final complaint including any corrective action planned or taken.

SHARE: 

The Food Services Director will share the complaint within 5 days with FNS CRD.

Send a copy of the complaint you accepted by any of the following methods:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

Email: program.intake@usda.gov 

If you would like support in responding to reported concerns or Civil Rights complaints you can contact FNP at Nutrition@doe.mass.edu  781-338-6480, for technical assistance.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

 

3.2025