October 01, 2010

Update: Amherst School District Adopts Organizational Ombuds Model

Last month the Amherst Regional Public Schools appointed Barry Brooks as its first Ombuds. The appointment was received positively by the community, but the new Ombuds role was only vaguely defined. Now, ARPS has created a website for the District Ombudsman that explicitly defines an Organizational model.

The ARPS District Ombuds job is defined by four core tenants:
When established, formal procedures have failed to result in resolution, the Ombudsperson serves as an independent, impartial, confidential resource to assist parents and community members in resolving complaints, conflicts and other school-related issues. The Ombudsperson is a designated neutral party who listens, answers questions, receives and provides resources and information, suggests referrals, and helps individuals develop options to resolve concerns and conflicts. [Emphasis added.]
The new office will serve a broad constituency of students, parents and community members, but apparently not district employees. (ARPS Superintendent's Update, Ombuds Job Description.)

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