A History By The Numbers

1997 – The year Karen Mathews Stewart, who was president of the Board of Education, took Martha Nesbit to lunch and asked me to work on improving middle schools in Chatham County. That lunch got Nesbit interested in charter schools.

12 – the number of people recruited to serve on the steering committee that would become the founding members of Oglethorpe Charter School – Paige Case, Dianne Lawhorne, Antoinette Mullino, Mance Mullino, Marjo Zelinsky, Barbara Grimm, Mike Miller, Fred Edie, the late Loretta Jones, Wendy Williamson, and our special ace in the hole, John Miller, a former board of education president himself. Oglethorpe thanks these brave souls for the many hours you spent assisting in so many ways.

1998 – The year we lobbied the state legislature to allow start-up charters. The legislation passed in January and was signed into law in July, which allowed our group to proceed. Many thanks to Bob Lane, then representative from Bulloch County, and Dubois Porter, then chairman of the education subcommittee, who helped us get the legislation to the floor, and to former Senator Eric Johnson’s relentless support for school choice.

November, 1998 – That was the historic vote by the Savannah Chatham County Board of Education.

5-4 – was the actual vote count, with members Lori Brady, Dwayne Hamilton, Billy Knight, Mary Ellen Sprague, and Karen Mathews Stewart voting for the proposal that allowed Oglethorpe to proceed. This was a courageous act of faith in our school plan.

9-1 – that was the vote for the charter at the State Board of Education meeting in Atlanta, Georgia in January of 1999. Flying up to be present at that historic vote were Antoinette Mullino, Manse Mullino, the late Loretta Jones, Martha Nesbit, and Wendy Williamson. We took a peach pound cake to seal the deal.

Countless – that’s the number of hours spent trying to obtain and clean up furniture, paint walls and create rooms the summer before Oglethorpe opened in the former Pearl E. Smith site on Stiles Avelue. Volunteers Laura and Richard Barry chaired the production crew and worked as if they were getting paid that hot summer of 1999.

August, 1999 – The year Oglethorpe opened. There was a ribbon cutting in the front parking lot, (Zack Nesbit was allowed to assist first principal Jackie Rosswurm). Excitement and enthusiasm was high.

2 – that’s the number of staff members who are still with Oglethorpe from the first year – Leon Williams, head custodian, and Peggy Bolden, our school nurse, are the only staff members still remaining at Oglethorpe from the first year.

4 – teachers came the second year – Norma Finley, Anne Malone, Andrea Fenning and Cynthia Saxon. Please stand so that we can thank you for your dedication to students.

4 – is the number of principals who have provided the unique leadership required of charter schools – Jackie Rosswurm, Sue Gingrich Off, Jeff Cheney, Kevin Wall. They were assisted by Gertrude Robinson, Deborah Antosca, Jeff Cheney, Yvettte Wells, and Jennifer Kolman. Mr. Wall and Dr. Kolman are entering their fourth years as Oglethorpe’s leaders.

2004 – the year that Oglethorpe was recognized by the United States Department of Education as being one of eight exemplary charter schools in the nation – Greg Sapp, Kim Iocovozzi, Sue Off and Martha Nesbit attended the awards ceremony in Miami to accept this prestigious award.

Over 100 – this is the number of parents, community members and teachers who have served on Oglethorpe’s governing board. Parent board members are selected by OCS parents; community members are selected by other governing board members. All board meetings are open to the public.

99% - that’s the percentage of 8th graders in 2010 who met standards on the CRCT reading and language arts tests. Ninety-four 8th graders met math standards, 83% met social studies standards, and 69% met science standards. 100% of our students who took courses for high school credit in Spanish, Math I and 9th grade Literature and Composition pass their end-of-course tests, with over 50% exceeding in Math I and Lit/Comp.

Close to 4,000 – the number of students who have been through the one long hallway of Oglethorpe Charter School.

Over 7,000 – that’s the number of family members who have supported a student at Oglethorpe Charter School. Each family is required to provide 10 (for single parents) or 20 (for couples) volunteer hours to the school each year and attend two parent conferences. Oglethorpe Charter School was created not to be all things to all people, but to provide choice in public education for those families who chose to abide by the family contract. Oglethorpe also addresses the unique needs of the young adolescent.