Annual Report: 2024-25

Annual Report for July 2024 - June 2025 (PDF)

Message from the Ombuds

I am delighted to share the sixth annual report from the Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) Office of the Ombuds, highlighting the key activities and accomplishments of the past year. With every new school year comes the chance to build strong relationships, promote fairness, and support a culture of trust. I invite you to explore this report not just as a reflection of the past, but as an indication for a future shaped by continued listening, learning, and improvement.

The Office of the Ombuds has worked diligently to provide a confidential and impartial space for visitors to navigate challenges and foster understanding. The past year has been marked by meaningful conversations, thoughtful collaboration, and a shared commitment to resolving concerns with dignity and respect. This year marked the first time I had the opportunity to work directly with several students. Supporting them as they navigated their concerns was both meaningful and a valuable chance to introduce conflict resolution strategies that can serve them well in the future.

To better reflect the unique educational concerns raised by PWCS parents, students, and community members, I am introducing a new reporting category: Category 10 – Educational Partners. While the Ombuds Office continues to use the International Ombuds Association’s (IOA) classification system, this addition addresses gaps in existing categories and strengthens my ability to identify trends and understand stakeholder experiences.

I would like to thank the School Board, Dr. McDade, PWCS staff, and all community members for your engagement, your voice, and your partnership. As we head into the 2025-26 school year, I am excited to continue serving you and look forward to what we will accomplish together. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Take care,

Monique
Monique “Mo” Bookstein, CO-OP^®
Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner
Prince William County Public Schools 

Office Overview

The PWCS Office of the Ombuds operates in accordance with the IOA Code of Ethics. The IOA is dedicated to excellence in Organizational Ombuds ¹ practice. The Code of Ethics provides Practice Principles and Core Values that are the foundation for the IOA Standards of Practice.

The people who visit the Ombuds Office may do so for many reasons. They may be looking for a particular result or want to discuss the situation before deciding on a course of action. The Ombuds Office seeks to empower those who contact the office to resolve issues independently if possible. Depending on the situation, the Ombuds Office may utilize different methods/techniques to help the visitor ². Some of the common methods/techniques used include:

• Listening and helping the visitor to identify the underlying causes;
• Act as a neutral sounding board;
• Providing information and exploring options available to visitors;
• Facilitating discussions between parties to resolve issues, as requested and as appropriate;
• Collecting data on emerging trends and patterns while safeguarding anonymity;
• Utilize data to bring systemic and organizational concerns to the attention of the School Board and the Division Superintendent.

While the Ombuds Office can assist most individuals, there are some actions the Ombuds CANNOT take, such as:

• Be an advocate for the visitor or PWCS;
• Conduct formal investigations;
• Enforce laws or regulations;
• Provide legal advice or representation;
• Serve as official notice to the organization;
• Make or change policy or administrative decisions.

The Ombuds Office staff is composed of Ombuds, Monique "Mo" Bookstein and Ombuds Specialist, Rosamaria Manzines.

 IOA Core Values

The Ombuds role requires Ombuds to conduct themselves as professionals. The following Core Values are essential to the work of the Ombuds:

• Act with honesty and integrity;
• Promote fairness and support fair process;
• Remain non-judgmental, with empathy and respect for individual differences;
• Promote dignity, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging;
• Communicate accurate understanding through active listening;
• Promote individual empowerment, self-determination, and collaborative problem solving; and
• Endeavor to be an accessible, trusted, and respected informal resource.

Fundamental Principles

Confidentiality

All communications with those seeking assistance are held in strict confidence and are not disclosed unless given permission to do so to the extent permissible by law ³. The exception is where the Ombuds believes there is a risk of serious harm. The PWCS Ombuds is a mandated reporter of suspected child abuse/neglect as well as allegations of sexual harassment pursuant to Title IX.

Impartiality/Neutrality

The Ombuds, as a designated neutral, remains unaligned and impartial.

Independence

The Ombuds Office is independent in structure, function, and appearance to the highest degree possible within the organization. The Ombuds  Office reports to the School Board and Division Superintendent.

Informality

The Ombuds Office is an informal resource, [and] does not participate in any formal adjudicative or administrative procedure related to concerns brought to his/her attention.

Working with the Ombuds

When an individual or group of people reaches out to the Ombuds Office, the following steps represent how the Ombuds works with the visitor either through the initial meeting or over the course of several meetings.

Initial Conversation

Set up a time to meet privately and confidentially either in person, virtually, or over the phone.

Clarifying Roles

Review the standards of practice and answer any questions about the role, and how the Ombuds Office works.

Understand the Situation

Listen and ask questions to understand the situation from the visitor's perspective, not to decide who is right or wrong.

Analysis

Work with the visitor to look at the issue in a different way by thinking about other parties, issues, relationships, and causation.

Explore Options

Identify potential options which may help to address the situation.

Next Steps

As the visitor determines their way forward, the Ombuds Office may be involved as long as it is within the scope of the office.

Services Provided by the Ombuds

Every visitor to the Ombuds Office comes with a unique situation. The chart below outlines some of the common services Ombuds can offer. The Ombuds Office is often the perfect “first stop” for those facing conflict. As a confidential, informal, independent, and neutral entity, it provides a safe space to discuss options without fear of judgment or retaliation.

Analyze Data

While maintaining confidentiality, will share insights with the School Board and PWCS leadership to improve operations. 

Assessments

Will help teams in conflict uncover key issues and develop strategies to effectively manage them.

Coaching

Uses coaching techniques to help visitors advocate for themselves.

Facilitated Conversations

Can facilitate dialogue between parties in conflict.

Listening

Listens, identifies key issues, and explores solutions to address concerns.

Policy Clarification

Helps visitors find and understand relevant policies

Referrals

Can connect visitors to PWCS resources

Shuttle Diplomacy

Helps clarify concerns and foster constructive dialogue between individuals

Training

Offers training on conflict management topics

Year in Review

The Ombuds Office continues to provide parents, students, employees, and school community members with assistance in resolving school-related concerns, conflicts, and issues. A single “case” is defined by the individual who is experiencing the conflict⁴.

Visitor Totals 2024-25

Annual Visitor Engagement

Since its inception in 2019, the Ombuds Office has welcomed over 1,500 visitors. An encouraging sign of growing trust and recognition across PWCS. Steady year-over-year growth highlights the office’s role as a valued and reliable resource for the community.

⁴ The “2023 IOA Survey of Organizational Ombuds Compensation, Reporting and Structure" notes the median number of cases for an Ombuds Office (across all sectors – not solely K-12 schools) is 145.

Visitor Demographics 

Visitor Contacts Per Month

 Visitor Contacts by School Level

 How Did the Visitor Contact the Office

 How Did the Visitor Learn about the Office

 How Did the  Ombuds Consult with the Visitor

Uniform Reporting Categories Descriptions

The list below was developed by the IOA and is used by Organizational Ombuds worldwide to classify concerns brought to their offices and identify trends anonymously. A detailed explanation of each category and subcategory can be found in Appendix A.

Category 1:  Compensation & Benefits
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about the equity, appropriateness and competitiveness of employee compensation, benefits and other benefit programs.

Category 2: Evaluative Relationships
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries arising between people in evaluative relationships (i.e., supervisor-employee, faculty-student.)

Category 3: Peer and Colleague Relationships
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries involving peers or colleagues who do not have a supervisory–employee or student–professor relationship (e.g., two staff members within the same department or conflict involving members of a student organization.)

Category 4: Career Progression and Development
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about administrative processes and decisions regarding entering and leaving a job, what it entails, (i.e., recruitment, nature and place of assignment, job security, and separation.)

Category 5: Legal, Regulatory, Financial, and Compliance
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries that may create a legal risk (financial, sanction etc.) for the organization or its members if not addressed, including issues related to waste, fraud or abuse.

Category 6: Safety, Health, and Physical Environment
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about Safety, Health and Infrastructure-related issues.

Category 7: Services/Administrative Issues
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about services or administrative offices including from external parties.

Category 8: Organizational, Strategic, and Mission Related
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries that relate to the whole or some part of an organization.

Category 9: Values, Ethics, and Standards
Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about the fairness of organizational values, ethics, and/or standards, the application of related policies and/or procedures, or the need for creation or revision of policies, and/or standards.

Category 10: Educational Partners⁵
Questions, concerns, issues, or inquiries arising between educational partners (e.g. teacher-parent, teacher-student, principal-parent, etc.)

⁵Category 10 was established to improve the classification of concerns from PWCS educational partners.

Uniform Reporting Categories Data

Each IOA reporting category contains numerous subcategories, which are used to classify the concerns brought to the office. The chart below reflects the total number of subcategory concerns. Often, a visitor will express concerns related to more than one category/subcategory. For a more detailed explanation of this data, see Appendix B.

 All Visitors Top Categories - 2024 - 2025

Concerns Expressed by Employee Visitors

Category 2 Evaluative Relationships is the highest category of concerns expressed by Employee visitors. For a more detailed explanation of this data, see Appendix B.

Most Often Expressed Sub-Categories

• 2.e Communication- Quality and/or quantity of communication
• 2.o Supervisory Effectiveness- Management of department or classroom, failure to address issues 

Concerns Expressed by Parent/Guardian Visitors

Category 10 Educational Partners is the highest category of concerns expressed by Parent/Guardian visitors. For a more detailed explanation of this data, see Appendix B.

Most Often Expressed Sub-Categories

• 10.k Leadership Effectiveness- Questions, issues, or concerns regarding the management of department, classroom, or building; failure to address issues
• 10.e Customer Service/Communication- Questions, issues, or concerns regarding the quality and/or quantity of customer service/communication

Concerns Expressed by Community Visitors

Category 10 Educational Partners is the highest category of concerns expressed by Community visitors. For a more detailed explanation of this data, see Appendix B.

Most Often Expressed Sub-Categories

• 10.c  Attendance- Questions, issues, or concerns regarding attendance, absences, truancy, etc.
• 10.g Enrollment/Residency - Questions, issues, or concerns regarding enrollment, transfers, residency, etc.

Concerns Expressed by Student Visitors

Category 10 Educational Partners is the highest category of concerns expressed by Student visitors. For a more detailed explanation of this data, see Appendix B.

Most Often Expressed Sub-Categories

• 10.f  Discipline- Questions, issues, or concerns regarding the impact of disciplinary decisions
• 10.p Other - Any other educational partner question, issue, or concern not described by the above sub-categories 

Post-Visit Feedback

The Ombuds Office sends a post-visit survey as an opportunity for visitors to provide feedback to the office. This anonymous feedback survey asks five questions: How the visitor first learned about the office; What might have happened if the visitor had not contacted the office; Whether the visitor would refer others to the office; The likelihood the visitor would reach out again; and an open-ended question where visitors can provide suggestions for improvement. As received, the feedback and survey data will be used for the office’s continuous improvement.

The response rate for this year was 5%. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 83% of the respondents stating they would refer others to the office and another 89% saying they would use the office again should the need arise. Visitors also sought the opportunity to provide feedback to the Ombuds. For examples of such feedback, see Appendix C.

The chart below indicates other options respondents would consider if the Ombuds Office did not exist as a resource. This feedback highlights the positive impact the role has as a confidential resource where visitors can discuss their concerns and explore options informally.  

Outreach

As part of her ongoing efforts to enhance community engagement, Mrs. Bookstein conducted outreach to Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTOs) and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), where she introduced herself and provided an overview of the Ombuds role. These engagements served to raise awareness, foster trust, and promote greater understanding of the services and support available through the Ombuds Office. Also, Mrs. Bookstein committed to enhancing her cultural competence by increasing her awareness and effectiveness in working with interpreters. As a result of these efforts, the Ombuds Office experienced a notable increase in visits from non-English-speaking visitors.

Mrs. Bookstein designed and facilitated a professional development course titled “Unlock Your Superpower: Become a Master Communicator.” This course was presented at PWCS’ annual Excellence and Equity in Education Conference as well as the annual Classified Professional Development Conference. Based upon the success of these presentations, Mrs. Bookstein also provided the presentation as a professional development series for the Human Resources Department. The training equipped staff with practical communication tools to navigate workplace dynamics and foster a respectful, inclusive environment.

Mrs. Bookstein continues to serve in a leadership capacity for IOA’s K-12 Ombuds group. This group has over 40 members who serve in the K-12 Ombuds field throughout the United States. In this position, Mrs. Bookstein provides leadership, guidance, and support for their programs.

Professional Development

Mrs. Bookstein attended the following trainings:

• IOA Virtual Symposium
• IOA Annual Conference
• IOA course: Ombuds Communication
• IOA course: Inclusive Facilitation
• IOA course: The Organization as "Visitor" and What That Means
• Trauma Informed Care course: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Care Practitioner
• Harvard University course: Outsmarting Implicit Bias
• PWCS course: Collective Bargaining
• PWCS course: Legal Hot Topics

 Mrs. Bookstein also actively participated in the IOA, USOA, and the Association for Conflict Resolution.

Contact Information

Thank you for taking the time to read this annual report. To learn more about the PWCS Office of the Ombuds and how we can support you, please visit our website.

• Address a workplace conflict or school-related concern;
• Ask questions involving PWCS policies, regulations, and/or practices;
• Discuss a potential systemic concern;
• Schedule training on a conflict-related topic.

Due to the confidential nature of the Ombuds Office, visitors are seen by appointment either in-person, virtually, or over the phone. To schedule an appointment directly, please use our online booking system.

The Ombuds Office is located at:

Independent Hill Complex

14800 Joplin Road, T50-01

Manassas, VA 20112

For any questions/concerns, you can contact us in the following ways:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 703-791-8587

Appendix A – IOA Uniform Reporting Categories

INTERNATIONAL OMBUDS ASSOCIATION

1. Compensation & Benefits Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about the equity, appropriateness and competitiveness of employee compensation, benefits and other benefit programs.

1.a        Compensation (rate of pay, salary amount, job salary classification/level)

1.b        Payroll (administration of pay, check wrong or delayed)

1.c        Benefits (decisions related to medical, dental, life, vacation/sick leave, education, worker’s compensation insurance, etc.)

1.d        Retirement, Pension (eligibility, calculation of amount, retirement pension benefits)

1.e        Other (any other employee compensation or benefit not described by the above sub- categories) 

2. Evaluative Relationships Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries arising between people in evaluative relationships (i.e., supervisor-employee, faculty-student.)

2.a        Priorities, Values, Beliefs (differences about what should be considered important – or most important – often rooted in ethical or moral beliefs)

2.b        Respect/Treatment (demonstrations of inappropriate regard for people, not listening, rudeness, crudeness, etc.)

2.c        Trust/Integrity (suspicion that others are not being honest, whether or to what extent one wishes to be honest, etc.)

2.d        Reputation (possible impact of rumors and/or gossip about professional or personal matters)

2.e        Communication (quality and/or quantity of communication)

2.f        Bullying, Mobbing (abusive, threatening, and/or coercive behaviors)

2.g        Diversity-Related (comments or behaviors perceived to be insensitive, offensive, or intolerant on the basis of an identity-related difference such as race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation)

2.h        Retaliation (punitive behaviors for previous actions or comments, whistleblower)

2.i        Physical Violence (actual or threats of bodily harm to another)

2.j        Assignments/Schedules (appropriateness or fairness of tasks, expected volume of work)

2.k        Feedback (feedback or recognition given, or responses to feedback received)

2.l        Consultation (requests for help in dealing with issues between two or more individuals they supervise/teach or with other unusual situations in evaluative relationships)

2.m        Performance Appraisal/Grading (job/academic performance in formal or informal evaluation)

2.n        Departmental Climate (prevailing behaviors, norms, or attitudes within a department for which supervisors or faculty have responsibility.)

2.o        Supervisory Effectiveness (management of department or classroom, failure to address issues)

2.p        Insubordination (refusal to do what is asked)

2.q        Discipline (appropriateness, timeliness, requirements, alternatives, or options for responding)

2.r        Equity of Treatment (favoritism, one or more individuals receive preferential treatment)

2.s        Other (any other evaluative relationship not described by the above sub-categories) 

3. Peer and Colleague Relationships Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries involving peers or colleagues who do not have a supervisory– employee or student–professor relationship (e.g., two staff members within the same department or conflict involving members of a student organization.)

3.a        Priorities, Values, Beliefs (differences about what should be considered important – or most important – often rooted in ethical or moral beliefs)

3.b        Respect/Treatment (demonstrations of inappropriate regard for people, not listening, rudeness, crudeness, etc.)

3.c        Trust/Integrity (suspicion that others are not being honest, whether or to what extent one wishes to be honest, etc.)

3.d        Reputation (possible impact of rumors and/or gossip about professional or personal matters)

3.e        Communication (quality and/or quantity of communication)

3.f        Bullying, Mobbing (abusive, threatening, and/or coercive behaviors)

3.g        Diversity-Related (comments or behaviors perceived to be insensitive, offensive, or intolerant on the basis of an identity-related difference such as race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation)

3.h        Retaliation (punitive behaviors for previous actions or comments, whistleblower)

3.i        Physical Violence (actual or threats of bodily harm to another)

3.j        Other (any peer or colleague relationship not described by the above sub-categories) 

4. Career Progression and Development Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about administrative processes and decisions regarding entering and leaving a job, what it entails, (i.e., recruitment, nature and place of assignment, job security, and separation.)

4.a        Job Application/Selection and Recruitment Processes (recruitment and selection processes, facilitation of job applications, short-listing and criteria for selection, disputed decisions linked to recruitment and selection)

4.b        Job Classification and Description (changes or disagreements over requirements of assignment, appropriate tasks)

4.c        Involuntary Transfer/Change of Assignment (notice, selection and special dislocation rights/benefits, removal from prior duties, unrequested change of work tasks)

4.d        Tenure/Position Security/Ambiguity (security of position or contract, provision of secure contractual categories)

4.e        Career Progression (promotion, reappointment, or tenure)

4.f        Rotation and Duration of Assignment (non- completion or over-extension of assignments in specific settings/countries, lack of access or involuntary transfer to specific roles/assignments, requests for transfer to other places/duties/roles)

4.g        Resignation (concerns about whether or how to voluntarily terminate employment or how such a decision might be communicated appropriately)

4.h        Termination/Non-Renewal (end of contract, non-renewal of contract, disputed permanent separation from organization)

4.i        Re-employment of Former or Retired Staff (loss of competitive advantages associated with re-hiring retired staff, favoritism)

4.j        Position Elimination (elimination or abolition of an individual’s position)

4.k        Career Development, Coaching, Mentoring (classroom, on-the-job, and varied assignments as training and developmental opportunities)

4.l        Other (any other issues linked to recruitment, assignment, job security or separation not described by the above sub-categories) 

5. Legal, Regulatory, Financial and Compliance Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries that may create a legal risk (financial, sanction etc.) for the organization or its members if not addressed, including issues related to waste, fraud or abuse.

5.a        Criminal Activity (threats or crimes planned, observed, or experienced, fraud)

5.b        Business and Financial Practices (inappropriate actions that abuse or waste organizational finances, facilities or equipment)

5.c        Harassment (unwelcome physical, verbal, written, email, audio, video psychological or sexual conduct that creates a hostile or intimidating environment)

5.d        Discrimination (different treatment compared with others or exclusion from some benefit on the basis of, for example, gender, race, age, national origin, religion, etc.[being part of an Equal Employment Opportunity protected category – applies in the U.S.])

5.e        Disability, Temporary or Permanent, Reasonable Accommodation (extra time on exams, provision of assistive technology, interpreters, or Braille materials including questions on policies, etc. for people with disabilities)

5.f        Accessibility (removal of physical barriers, providing ramps, elevators, etc.)

5.g        Intellectual Property Rights (e.g., copyright and patent infringement)

5.h        Privacy and Security of Information (release or access to individual or organizational private or confidential information)

5.i        Property Damage (personal property damage, liabilities)

5.j        Other (any other legal, financial and compliance issue not described by the above sub-categories) 

6. Safety, Health, and Physical Environment Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about Safety, Health and Infrastructure-related issues.

6.a        Safety (physical safety, injury, medical evacuation, meeting federal and state requirements for training and equipment)

6.b        Physical Working/Living Conditions (temperature, odors, noise, available space, lighting, etc)

6.c        Ergonomics (proper set-up of workstation affecting physical functioning)

6.d        Cleanliness (sanitary conditions and facilities to prevent the spread of disease)

6.e        Security (adequate lighting in parking lots, metal detectors, guards, limited access to building by outsiders, anti-terrorists measures (not for classifying “compromise of classified or top secret” information)

6.f        Telework/Flexplace (ability to work from home or other location because of business or personal need, e.g., in case of man-made or natural emergency)

6.g        Safety Equipment (access to/use of safety equipment as well as access to or use of safety equipment, e.g., fire extinguisher)

6.h        Environmental Policies (policies not being followed, being unfair ineffective, cumbersome)

6.i        Work Related Stress and Work–Life Balance (Post-Traumatic Stress, Critical Incident Response, internal/external stress, e.g. divorce, shooting, caring for sick, injured)

6.j        Other (any safety, health, or physical environment issue not described by the above sub-categories)

7. Services/Administrative Issues Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about services or administrative offices including from external parties.

7.a        Quality of Services (how well services were provided, accuracy or thoroughness of information, competence, etc.)

7.b        Responsiveness/Timeliness (time involved in getting a response or return call or about the time for a complete response to be provided)

7.c        Administrative Decisions and Interpretation/Application of Rules (impact of non-disciplinary decisions, decisions about requests for administrative and academic services, e.g., exceptions to policy deadlines or limits, refund requests, appeals of library or parking fines, application for financial aid, etc.)

7.d        Behavior of Service Provider(s) (how an administrator or staff member spoke to or dealt with a constituent, customer, or client, e.g., rude, inattentive, or impatient)

7.e        Other (any services or administrative issue not described by the above sub-categories) 

8. Organizational, Strategic, and Mission Related Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries that relate to the whole or some part of an organization.

8.a        Strategic and Mission-Related/ Strategic and Technical Management (principles, decisions and actions related to where and how the organization is moving)

8.b        Leadership and Management (quality/capacity of management and/or management/leadership decisions, suggested training, reassignments and reorganizations)

8.c        Use of Positional Power/Authority (lack or abuse of power provided by individual’s position)

8.d        Communication (content, style, timing, effects and amount of organizational and leader’s communication, quality of communication about strategic issues)

8.e        Restructuring and Relocation (issues related to broad scope planned or actual restructuring and/or relocation affecting the whole or major divisions of an organization, e.g. downsizing, off shoring, outsourcing)

8.f        Organizational Climate (issues related to organizational morale and/or capacity for functioning)

8.g       Change Management (making, responding or adapting to organizational changes, quality of leadership in facilitating organizational change)

8.h       Priority Setting and/or Funding (disputes about setting organizational/departmental priorities and/or allocation of funding within programs)

8.i        Data, Methodology, Interpretation of Results (scientific disputes about the conduct, outcomes and interpretation of studies and resulting data for policy)

8.j        Interdepartmental/Interorganizational Work/Territory (disputes about which department/organization should be doing what/taking the lead)

8.k       Other (any organizational issue not described by the above sub-categories) 

9. Values, Ethics, and Standards Questions, concerns, issues or inquiries about the fairness of organizational values, ethics, and/or standards, the application of related policies and/or procedures, or the need for creation or revision of policies, and/or standards.

10. Educational Partners Questions, concerns, issues, or inquiries arising between educational partners (e.g., teacher-parent, teacher-student, principal-parent, etc.)

10.a     Academics (academics, classes, curriculum, etc.)

10.b     Athletics (athletics or extracurricular activities)

10.c     Attendance (attendance, absences, truancy, etc.)

10.d     Bullying/Harassment/Discrimination (abusive, threatening, coercive behaviors and/or discriminatory practices based on race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation)

10.e     Customer Service/Communication (quality and/or quantity of customer service/communication)

10.f      Discipline (impact of disciplinary decisions)

10.g     Enrollment/Residency (enrollment, transfers, residency, etc.)

10.h     Equity of Treatment (favoritism, one or more individuals receive preferential treatment)

10.i      Fear of Retaliations Against Student (punitive behaviors for previous actions, or comments)

10.j      Grading (grading, assessments, etc.)

10.k     Leadership Effectiveness (management of department, classroom, or building; failure to address issues)

10.l      School Environment/Climate (prevailing behaviors, norms, or attitudes within a department or building)

10.m    Special Education (special education matters such as IEPs, 504 plans, etc.)

10.n     Technology (technology, equipment, etc.)

10.o     Transportation (transportation related matters)

10.p     Other (any other educational partner questions, issues, or concerns not described by the above sub-categories)

Appendix B - Data Tables

 ⁶ Annual reports will include data for only the last five years. For any prior year data, please consult the Office of the Ombuds website.

Appendix C- Visitor Feedback

• "She was very kind, formal yet personable"  "I know we had already exhausted every avenue for help, so there wasn't a lot to advise. However, I appreciate her thoughts, honesty (while skating that political line), and resources she sent afterwards."

• "What a great tool to have" "Speaking with Monique was validating and insightful. I just wish I knew about it when we started school last year."

• "She was amazing"  “Meeting with her is exactly what I needed. I have been dealing with a lot of stress with my coworkers this year, and having the opportunity to speak with a neutral person and in a confidential space was so helpful. She was so understanding and supportive. It felt like a therapy session and I left empowered."

• "I felt more empowered"  “It was helpful to have an opportunity to be heard and to discuss options- even if I choose not to move forward.”

• "Wish she could investigate"  “Great chat. I only wish they had a little more ability to investigate my issue but I also understand her reasoning.”

• "I appreciate the neutral approach"  “I appreciate providing both sides to the argument and being able to talk through the situation and come to a resolution.”

• "Not in my circle"  “I needed to talk things through with someone who is not in my circle.”

• "This is my first time talking with an Ombuds"  “I so appreciate you letting me be heard. You provide great options.”

• "Thanks so much"  “I appreciate you offering times to meet outside normal hours.”