Effective Date: January 1, 2010
Responsibility: Superintendent of Business
Applicable Reference from Accessible Customer Service Policy Statement:
When services that are normally provided to a person with a disability are temporarily unavailable such as access to an elevator, a disruption of service notice will be posted at the site and on the Board’s website.
Definition/Explanation of Disruption of Service:
As members of the general public, people with disabilities may rely on certain facilities, services or systems in order to access the services of the school or board offices. Escalators and elevators, for example, are important to people with mobility disabilities because that may be the only way they can access the premises. Other systems and services designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities can include accessible washrooms, amplification systems, and note-taking or TTY services. When those facilities or services are temporarily unavailable or if they are expected to be temporarily unavailable in the near future, a notice of disruption of service is required.
Generally, disruptions to all of the Board’s services, such as during a major storm or power outage, do not require this special notice. However, if the disruption has a significant impact on people with disabilities, a notice of the disruption should be provided.
1.0 Responsibility
1.1 Supervisory Officers, Principals, Managers, Supervisors and the Communication Officer will ensure that the users of board and school services are notified when there is a disruption in services that may have an impact on access to services by people with disabilities.
2.0 How Must the Notice of Disruption of Services be Provided?
2.1 Notice may be given by posting the information at a conspicuous place at or in the school or at or in board facilities. Other options that may be used include: posting on the board and/or school website; through direct communication with users of the services in accordance with school practices.
2.2 Consideration should be given to providing notice in multiple formats.
2.3 If the disruption is planned, notice should be provided in advance of the disruption. If the notice is unplanned, notice should be provided as soon as possible after the disruption has been identified.
3.0 What Must be Included in Notice of Disruption of Services
3.1 The notice of disruption of service must include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if any, that are available.
Sample Notices
Sample 1 – Access to School Building
To: Parents, Guardians and Community Users of our School
Maintenance work will make the main door of the school and the access ramp inaccessible from May 1 to May 8. A temporary ramp has been set up that gives access to the door at the east of the school building. We regret this inconvenience. If you have questions or concerns, please contact ___________________________at [phone number].
Thank you.
Principal
Sample 2 – Accessible Washroom
To: Visitors to the Board Office
Our accessible washroom is out of service due to a broken pipe. Repairs are underway and the washroom is expected to be usable again by tomorrow. In the interim, we have made arrangements for our visitors to use the accessible washroom at 123 Main Street, which is located next door to our premises. We apologize for this inconvenience.
Thank you.
Manager of Plant
Legal Framework
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)
Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07
Ontario Human Rights Code
Cross-Referencing
NNDSB Administrative Guidelines:
• Near North District School Board Accessibility Standards Policy
• Accessibility Standards – Use of Assistive Devices by the General Public
• Accessibility Standards – Use of Service Animals by General Public
• Accessibility Standards – Monitoring and Feedback on Accessible Customer Service
• Accessibility Standards – Use of Support Person by the General Public
• Safe Schools: Interim (Pending appropriate consultation) Code of Conduct for all Persons in Schools
• School Closure/Power Interruption/Plant Disruption/Bus Cancellation
• Volunteers
• Human Rights
• Workplace Harassment
