Board of Education The grievant shall present his/her written grievance to the Board of Education by letter to the President of the Board. Either party may request a hearing, which must be held at a regularly scheduled Board meeting, or before a committee of the Board if mutually agreed, within the time limit for the Board’s response. The Board’s decision shall be binding on the grievant, the Union, and the District. a) The Board of Education must respond within twenty (20) working days after it receives the appeal. b) If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved at Step 3, or the Board of Education does not render its decision within the time limit, the grievant may appeal to Step 5. a) Within ten (10) days after the decision has been made at Step 4, the grievant may submit the grievance to arbitration by notifying the President of the Board, with a copy to the Superintendent of Schools to that effect. The notice must include a brief statement setting forth precisely the issue being submitted to arbitration and the specific provision or provisions of the agreement alleged to have been violated. b) Within ten (10) days after the Superintendent receives the written submission to arbitration, the Superintendent or his/her designee and the grievant and/or the Union shall select a mutually acceptable arbitrator. If the parties are unable to agree on an arbitrator, the parties will then request a list of arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association. If the dispute is submitted to the American Arbitration Association, the Union shall pay the filing fee. c) The arbitrator shall hear the matter promptly and shall issue his/her decision not later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date the hearing is closed (after all documents and briefs, if any, have been submitted). The arbitrator’s decision shall be in writing, and shall set forth findings of fact and recommendations on all issues submitted. The arbitrator shall have no authority to add to, subtract from, or modify the agreement or any provision of it. The recommendations of the arbitrator shall be final and binding upon the grievant, the Union, and the District. c) The cost for the services of the arbitrator, including expenses, if any, shall be borne equally by the District and the Union. Each party will pay for its own advocates and representatives, if any.