Accessibility-Customer Service Policy

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Our Mission

Kingston Christian School provides students with quality educational programs from a Christian perspective in a caring, nurturing environment

Our Commitment

In fulfilling our mission, Kingston Christian School strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Kingston Christian School is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

We will make every effort to communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

We will train staff who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Telephone Services

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will make every effort to train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with customers by email or in person if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive Devices

We will make every effort to serve people with disabilities who use assistive devices, to obtain, use, or benefit from our goods and services. We will make every effort to ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

We will make every effort to ensure that staff understands how to use any assistive devices available on our premises for customers.

Invoicing

We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided by email (pdf), or in hard copy upon request.

We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or e-mail.

Use of Service Animals & Support Persons

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Kingston Christian School’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

Fees will not be charged for or to the support person for admission to premises. Customers will be informed of this by a notice that will be posted on Kingston Christian School’s premises and will also be posted on the school’s web site.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Kingston Christian School will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.

Training for Staff

Kingston Christian School will provide training to all employees, and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures.

Individuals in the following positions will be trained:

All administration, faculty and staff.

This training will be provided within the first 3 months after staff commences their duties.

Training will include the following:

The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard.
How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person.
How to use any available devices on the provider’s premises or otherwise that may help with the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities.
What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Kingston Christian School’s goods and services.
Kingston Christian School’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard.
Training will also including resources from the course, Serve-Ability: Transforming Ontario’s Customer Service https://www.aoda.ca/training-resource/

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

Feedback Process

The ultimate goal of Kingston Christian School is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way Kingston Christian School provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by e-mail, or verbally. All feedback will be directed to the Principal of the school. Customers can expect to hear back in 7 days.

Modifications to this or other policies

We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.

Questions about this policy

This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. Questions or feedback about the customer service policy or feedback regarding the school’s performance of services should be directed to the Principal at principal@kingstonchristianschool.ca