School Counseling Frequently Asked Questions

How do I request a copy of my transcript if I have graduated or withdrawn from Prince William County Public Schools?
Please visit the PWCS Records Center webpage to obtain the necessary form, fee information, fax number, and address.

How do I set up a conference with my child's teacher?
We encourage parents to communicate with teachers in a variety of ways. All parents should use Parent Portal to monitor grades as well as the teacher's class page to stay updated on instruction, assignments, and upcoming events in each of their child's classes.

If parents have questions about their child's progress, we ask that they either call or email the teacher. Most issues and concerns are addressed in this manner. If, after a period of ongoing phone or email contact has been established, parents feel that a conference would be useful, they should contact the teacher to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet. There are no established conference days at the high school level.

In a few cases, parents may feel the need to meet with all their child's teachers if there are more serious issues that need to be addressed such as excessive absenteeism, multiple course failures, chronic discipline problems, or long-term illness. In these situations, parents should contact their child's counselor to decide if a meeting with all of the teachers would be helpful.

How do I know if my student is going to graduate?
Consult the Graduation Requirements. If, after reviewing it carefully, you are still unsure, you should directly contact the School Counselor for the student in question, who will be able to consult that student's records. For the email address of your student's School Counselor, consult the staff directory.

How do I know if my student will be retained or promoted?
A student must have a minimum of five (5) credits to be a Sophomore (Grade 10), a minimum of eleven (11) credits to be a Junior (Grade 11), and a minimum of sixteen (16) credits to be a Senior (Grade 12). For information on what constitutes a Standard Unit of Credit, consult the Graduation Requirements.

How do I know if my student will need to attend summer school?
First, have a conversation directly with the teacher(s) of the courses in which the student is having difficulty. The teacher is best able to answer questions about what a student needs to do in class to achieve a passing grade, and any communication with the administration or the counseling center will lead back to your having a conversation with the teacher, so it is best to be proactive and contact the teacher directly. It will save you time in answering your question. After this, you will want to speak to the student's School Counselor to discuss specifics of the student's records. In a general sense, if the course is required, and the student cannot take the course the following school year, summer school is a consideration if the course is not passed at the current time.

How do I request a transcript to be mailed?
The process for requesting such college application documents is described in the downloadable file College Application Process.

I suspect my student has a learning disability. What do I do?
When a student is having difficulty, the first, best resource is the classroom teacher, who can suggest strategies for aiding your child's performance. If no significant progress is observed following the implementation of these strategies, it is appropriate to conference with all the child's teachers to discuss additional observations and methods of assistance. If there is no significant progress following this intervention, a parent/guardian can approach the child's classroom teacher to request referral to the Osbourn Park Intervention Team.

What resources are available for my struggling student?
One of the best resources available to your child is his/her current classroom teacher. Activity buses run after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Staying after for extra help is a critical component of getting back on track. The National Honor Society also provides tutoring after school on these days as an additional layer of support. Some students also choose to seek private tutoring outside of school at their own expense. Prince William County School website has a list of approved providers. We have a folder of local tutors in the School Counseling office for parents and students to review.

Why can't my student double up on academic subjects?
Many courses have specific prerequisites that cannot be waived. If "Level 3" of a course requires successful completion of "Level 2," a student cannot take both levels concurrently. Additionally, schools are governed by regulations and legal statutes regarding class size, so space availability must be considered.

Can I request that my student be placed with a certain teacher?
No. Such requests cannot be accommodated.

My student is a few credits short of earning an advanced diploma. Can he or she still apply to college?
Yes, students are strongly encouraged to apply to attend the college(s) of their choice. Please check the requirements of the College or University your student plans to attend to make sure they are meeting the requirements for admission to that school.