April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023

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Quarterly Report: April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023

April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2023 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: [email protected]
Phone: 703-791-8587

The Ombudsman’s office is located at:
Independent Hill Complex
14800 Joplin Rd., 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 2022-23

Quarter Visitors
Quarter 1 49
Quarter 2 53
Quarter 3 105
Quarter 4 91
Total 298

Visitor Demographics

Type of Visitor Number of Visitors Percentage
Employees - Individual who is employed by PWCS 73 80%
Parents/Guardians - Individuals with a student who attends a PWCS 16 18%
Community - Individuals with concerns regarding PWCS 2 2%
Total 91  100%

Classification of Employee Visitors

Type of Visitor Number of Visitors
Certified 42
Administrator 27
Classified 4

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

Specific Issue Category Total Q1 Total Q2 Total Q3 Total Q4
1. Compensation & Benefits 0 0 6 3
2. Evaluative Relationships 91 109 244 260
3. Peer and Colleague Relationships 38 21 31 12
4. Career Progression and Development 16 5 10 11
5. Legal, Regulatory, Financial, and Compliance 4 7 8 10
6. Safety, Health, and Physical Environment 15 21 10 16
7. Services/Administrative Issues 45 42 60 57
8. Organizational, Strategic, and Mission 37 40 63 49
9. Values, Ethics, and Standards 0 20 4 5

Percentage of Visits by Issue Category and Visitor Type

Specific Issue Category Employee Concerns Parent/Guardian Concerns Community Concerns
1. Compensation & Benefits 1% 0% 0%
2. Evaluative Relationships 68% 0% 0%
3. Peer and Colleague Relationships 3% 0% 0%
4. Career Progression and Development 3% 0% 0%
5. Legal, Regulatory, Financial, and Compliance 2% 0% 0%
6. Safety, Health, and Physical Environment 4% 0% 0%
7. Services/Administrative Issues 5% 94% 67%
8. Organizational, Strategic, and Mission 13% 0% 33%
9. Values, Ethics, and Standards 1% 6% 0%

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.