First Quarter Report: 2024-25

July 1 - September 30, 2024 (PDF)

Office Overview

The Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) Office of the Ombuds operates in accordance with the International Ombuds¹ Association (IOA) Code of Ethics and adheres to the following principles:

Confidentiality  ~  Impartiality  ~  Independence  ~  Informality

The Ombuds Office seeks to empower those who contact the office to resolve issues on their own if possible. Depending on the situation, the Ombuds Office may utilize different methods/techniques to help the visitor². Some of the common methods/techniques used include:

• Listens and helps clarify visitor concerns
• Provides information and explores available options
• Identifies underlying issues and interests
• Facilitates discussions to resolve issues

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

• Act as an individual’s advocate
• Serve as a formal office of legal notice for PWCS
• Conduct formal investigations
• Maintain records

To learn more about the office and how we can support you, please visit our website. Due to the confidential nature of the 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. For any questions/concerns, you can contact us in the following ways:

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

The Ombuds Office is located at:
Independent Hill Complex
14800 Joplin Road, T 50-01
Manassas, VA 20112

The Ombuds Office staff is composed of Ombuds, Monique “Mo” Bookstein, CO-OP® and Ombuds Specialist, Rosamaria Manzines.

Data Review

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

Uniform Reporting Categories

Below are the IOA Uniform Reporting Categories. This is a list of categories developed by the IOA and used by Ombuds around the world to anonymously classify the types of issues brought to their offices and identify trends in requests for services. For a more detailed explanation of these categories, see the Ombuds website.

1. Compensation and Benefits;
2. Evaluative Relationships;
3. Peer and Colleague Relationships;
4. Career Progression and Development;
5. Legal, Regulatory, Financial, and Compliance;
6. Safety, Health, and Physical Environment;
7. Services/Administrative Issues;
8. Organizational, Strategic, and Mission Related;
9. Values, Ethics, and Standards; and
10. Educational Partners

Uniform Reporting Categories Data

Visitors often express concerns related to more than one category. Within each category there are numerous subcategories. For a more detailed explanation of this data, see the Ombuds website.

Category 10 is new for the 2024-25 school year. This category captures questions, concerns, issues, or inquiries arising between educational partners (e.g., teacher-parent, teacher-student, principal-parent, etc.)

¹ The term “Ombuds” includes all applicable nomenclature in use for an organizational ombudsperson.

² The term “visitor” describes those who engage the services of the Ombuds.