Through an open records request, I read the initial contract between CCSD and Ombudsman. Buried in the contract is a little note that said, and I summarize, that administrators have the option of issuing its Ombudsman students an "Ombudsman" diploma. Does this sound like an underhanded, sneaky way of passing the buck to others? Guess which students will be given those "Ombudsman" diplomas- students who fail to make the AYP test scores, that's who- those students who bring down any other school's passing rate, that's who. Remember, the school is responsible for recommending students to attend Ombudsman in the first place, so if your student is weak in reading, behind in math, or a pain in the butt in general, he or she will be attending the big "O" and getting a special diploma. Good luck with that.

When asked, "What data informed your decision to hire Ombudsman and close Oakwood High School?" the CCSD Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Constantino said, "There is no data. We will have to collect it as we go along since it is a new program."

So, Dr. Constantino, Sanderson and the school board, you are saying to our students that it is okay to not do any prior research before you make decisions, correct?

So, if I were a student and say I was making a decision on whether or not to have unprotected sex, use intravenous drugs and to binge drink, I should just see how I feel afterward?

Best bet for Oakwood HS:

TELL them that with all of the increase in class size, wouldn't it be nice to encourage and send students to Oakwood High School? Wouldn't they like to not increase the drop out rate and to keep their AYP looking squeaky clean next year?

Campbell Dr. Grant Riveria 678-842-6850

Harrison Donnie Griggers 678-594-8104

Hillgrove Robert Shaw 678-331-3961

Kell Trudie Donovan 678-494-7844

Kennesaw Mtn. Dr. Kevin Daniel 678-594-8190

Lassiter Chris Shaw 678-494-7863

McEachern Regina Montgomery 770-222-3710

North Cobb Dr. Phillip Page 770-975-6685

Osborne Dr. Steven Milletto 770-437-5900

Pebblebrook Zinta Perkins 770-819-2611

Pope Rick Beaulieu 770-578-7900

South Cobb Ashley Hosey 770-819-2611

Sprayberry Edward Wagner 770-578-3200

Walton Judith McNeill 770-578-3225

Wheeler David Chiprany 770-578-3266

AND, call, email and write THEIR School Board members. ALL OF THEM!

Next school board meeting is June 9th! Be there at 7:00 p.m. 514 Glover St. Marietta, Ga. 30080.

May 27th, Thursday, School Board Meeting:

arrive at 5pm to speak up for Oakwood High School.

514 Glover St.

Marietta, Ga. 30080

BRING FRIENDS, ALUMNI, PARENTS, GrandParents, AUNTS, Uncles, Cousins, children, and wee babes!!!

We need to lead an outcry!

What they have done is ILLEGAL and underhanded.

You dirty CCSB: Dirty, Dirty, Dirty.

What can we do to get rid of this school board earlier than planned?

LET'S GET US A LAWYER!!!

Any takers?

They closed a school without any say.

They lied.

We know they violated the law.

Anyone know who to contact?

"Sure I am this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us."

- Winston Churchill

(From the MANY stuck in the halls throughout the county school system: Keep Oakwood High School Open and Alive for us- 2010-2011 :)

Teacher at Oakwood are one of a kind. Back at my home school I was not treated well by teachers dew to the fact that they do not care about us as much as Oakwood teacher do! We spend most of our time at Oakwood! Each and every person comes from a different background and life style; but no matter where we live we all get along! We are truly like a family! I do not consider Oakwood teacher just Educators, I consider them my family, along with the students. I’ve never felt so welcomed somewhere as I do at Oakwood! I found myself here.

I truly love the teachers. Some stories about teachers touched me! Like when I was falling behind in work my first session at Oakwood, I told my teacher, Ms. Seago I was going to drop her class because I wasn’t passing. I handed her the drop slip and she said let me hold onto this for a week! I want you to try Miranda, because I believe you can bring this grade up. So for the next week I work really hard! I passed my final and come to find out I passed my class. Returning the next session I opened my locker and set in there was my drop slip that I gave Ms. Seago and it said “Never give up on yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to,” and to this day I never forgot that!

Mrs. Beasley was the only lady that ever thought me math! Yes, she stayed on my butt because she knew I didn’t like math! After I got to know her and the way she shows how she cares about each and every one of her students showed me that the teachers at Oakwood are not just there for money or a “job”. She teaches math in fun way! If I come in stressed she knows just how to make me laugh and keep my mind off things. I never would of thought that Math is better then a stress ball.

Mrs. Hawkins, She is there to talk with me when I’m crying or anything! She’s like my 2nd mom! She will do anything or give anything she has to someone. So with all this being said about some of the teachers at my school; why would Cobb County School Board want to take this away from us. I think they should vote again, but this time they should know what they are voting for! Maybe they should visit the school for once.

Open Office Hours: Tuesday, MAY 11th, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Fred Sanderson

514 Glover St. Marietta, Ga. 30060.

call (770)-426-3455 or send an e-mail

to angela.carder@cobbk12.org

for your guaranteed appointment time.

Please let Superintendent Sanderson know that closing Oakwood High School is a hasty decision that we would all like to see reversed.

Now members of the board are crying that they "didn't know" his plan included closing Oakwood, a unique institution which has been the salvation of many kids for years now.

Ah-hah! Board now you know how CCSD's teachers feel- we "didn't know" this year's first time ever subjective as subjective can be teacher evaluation tool would be used to eliminate us!

It is kind of hard for the board to know of Sanderson's decisions or actions when he has a history of not telling the truth or not remembering to inform the board.

Rhinehart's got it right!

Now what can we do about it?

It feels like everyone is just waiting to see which teachers get the pink slip before they actually decide if it is worth speaking up.

Does anyone know how to contest this board's decisions?

Interestigly, Dale Gaddis, Area2 Superintendent, supposedly doesn't know about how Ombudsman plans to implement the program once they take over Oakwood's campus. How is that possible? He and others say this was a recent decision; however, even Allison Bartlett admits that Oakwood's been "on the table" for several years. They're mostly all a bunch of swizzes who lie through their teeth. Bartlett is about the only one with any decency.

Kathie....Sanderson doesn't really have evaluations, just a private pep rally with the Board full of attaboys and such. To refer to it as an evaluation is to diminish the meaning of the term evaluation.

If I came up $137 mil short - I know I would be fired.

When is Sanderson's next "evaluation" - cannot wait for that - HA

Where are those numbers?

At this point, would we even trust any of the numbers that come from the district office under Sanderson's reign?

If you review the numbers put out by the MDJ, it just doesn't add up. Oakwood can accommodate 500 students; Ombudsman, 150. Ombudsman costs 1.6 million. Oakwood costs 1.9 and has 7 people retiring this year. I'm pretty sure the worst Math student in Cobb County could figure this one out. Just promote Oakwood High School and allow students who are crammed wall to wall next year have somewhere to go where they can breathe.