October 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022

Quarterly Report: October 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022

October 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022 (PDF)

Office Overview

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

  • Confidentiality
  • Impartiality
  • Independence
  • Informality

The Ombudsman’s office seeks to empower those who contact the office to resolve issues on their own if possible. Depending on the situation, the Ombudsman’s 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 Ombudsman’s office can assist most individuals, there are some actions the Ombudsman 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 about the PWCS Office of the Ombudsman and how the office can support you, please visit our website. Visitors are seen by appointment either in-person, virtually, or over the phone. Please contact the office in one of the following ways to schedule an appointment:

Email: ombuds@pwcs.edu Phone: 703-791-8587

The Ombudsman’s office is located at:
Independent Hill Complex
14800 Joplin Road, T 50-01
Manassas, VA 20112

The Ombudsman’s office staff is composed of Ombudsman, Monique “Mo” Bookstein and Ombuds Specialist, Rosamaria Manzines.


Data Review

The Office of the Ombudsman 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.

Total Visitors Year to Date
Quarter 1 49
Quarter 2 53
Quarter 3 0
Quarter 4 0
Total 102

 

Visitor Demographics

Number of Visitors

Percentage

Employees- Individual who is employed by PWCS 39 74%
Parents/Guardians- Individuals with a student who attends a PWCS 11 21%
Community- Individuals with concerns regarding PWCS 3 5%
Total 53

 

Classification of Employee Visitors
Certified 33
Classified 4
Administrator 2

Uniform Reporting Categories

Below are the IOA Uniform Reporting Categories. This is a list of categories developed by the IOA and used by Ombudsmen 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 Ombudsman’s 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; and
  9. Values, Ethics, and Standards.

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 Ombudsman’s website.

Category Totals by Quarter
Totals Q1
Totals Q2
1. Compensation & Benefits 0 0
2. Evaluative Relationships 91 109
3. Peer and Colleague Relationships 38 21
4. Career Progression and Development 16 5
5. Legal, Regulatory, Financial, and Compliance 4 7
6. Safety, Health, and Physical Environment 15 21
7. Services/Administrative Issues 45 42
8. Organizational, Strategic, and Mission 37 40
9. Values, Ethics, and Standards 0 20

 

Specific Issue Category
Employee
Concerns
Parent/Guardian
Concerns
Community
Concerns
1. Compensation & Benefits 0% 0% 0%
2. Evaluative Relationships 53% 0% 0%
3. Peer and Colleague Relationships 10% 0% 0%
4. Career Progression and Development 2% 0% 0%
5. Legal, Regulatory, Financial, and Compliance 2% 2% 6%
6. Safety, Health, and Physical Environment 10% 0% 0%
7. Services/Administrative Issues 2% 74% 41%
8. Organizational, Strategic, and Mission 17% 10% 18%
9. Values, Ethics, and Standards 4% 14% 35%

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 Ombudsman.