Abrahamson Announces Resignation - Video

Abrahamson Successor To Be Appointed

Ken O’Brien

The successor to School Committee member Brent Abrahamson’s seat on the School Committee will be appointed by a joint meeting of the Town Council and the School Committee.

According to the Town Charter:

SECTION 2 - VACANCIES

3-2-1: Vacancies in the elected town boards established under this charter shall be filled by the town council in joint convention with the remaining members of the respective board within sixty days unless a regular town election shall occur within one hundred and twenty days, but only until the next town election. 

Abrahamson Announces His Resignation From School Committee

Ken O’Brien

Saying that the public should be able to choose a third person to serve on the School Committee in the next town election, School Committee member Brent Abrahamson announced that he would resign from the committee tomorrow.

His remarks came during the Members Forum segment of the meeting.

Abrahamson Melts Down At Council Meeting

Ken O’Brien

Emulating the Wicked Witch when doused with water, School Committee member Brent Abrahamson staged another public meltdown at last night’s Town Council Meeting.

Speaking as an individual, rather than on behalf of the School Committee, Mr. Abrahamson voiced his displeasure with recent comments aired by the Town Manager and Council Members in a recent article in the Worcester Telegram.

Well, That’s Settled

Ken O’Brien

Amid all the non-answers and new ways of repeating what we’ve been told for at least ten years, Tuesday’s meeting of the Southbridge School Committee confirmed another suspicion.

The suspicion was that, for the third time in a row, Southbridge has committed itself to a Superintendent without any plan to engage in a search for a suitably qualified candidate to fill that role.

Further illustrating his unmatched gift for the pithy everyman summation Committee member Abrahamson compared the current state of affairs to having no need to continue searching once one had found their car keys. His remarks were made with the imprimatur of the state officials present and the blessing of the Committee Chairman.

Thus, with these endorsements providing a ringing backdrop, Southbridge once again plunges these well-tested keys into the ignition for yet another drive into an assured rosy tomorrow.

You Get A Day Off, And You Get A Day Off, And You… Oops! Never Mind

Ken O’Brien

During Councilors Forum at last Monday’s Town Council meeting, Councilor Carrasco revealed the plan to close school administrative offices during the period from December 24th to January 5th.

This wasn’t some rumor that the Councilor latched onto and ran with. He attempted to contact school department personnel. He had the Town Manager contact the Superintendent. All got the same message that administrative personnel would be given an additional 5½ days off with pay, a perk not afforded to other non-union town employees.

What Was That About?

Ken O’Brien

Tuesday night’s meeting of the Southbridge School Committee may have broken new ground in the neighborhood of the bizarre.

There was, of course, no mention of the Flick report regarding charges leveled against the Superintendent of Schools.

There was the question of the Central Office staff being given five additional days of vacation (more about that later).

But far and away the rant by committee member Brent Abrahamson during member forum was a piece unto itself.

Please feel free to submit your suggestions as to what you think he was talking about.

MCAS Mystery Deepens

Ken O’Brien

An article in today’s Worcester Telegram by Brian Lee only adds to the confusion surrounding recent MCAS results at Southbridge Middle/High School.

Those who have followed this saga will recall that initially there were reports to this site that some 38 current seniors had failed to be given the opportunity to retake the MCAS during all of 2013-14  school year following their failure as sophomores in Spring 2013.

That suspicion was apparently confirmed at last Tuesday’s School Committee meeting in a presentation by Superintendent Patricia Gardner.

In the article, titled “Southbridge MCAS fallout still being remedied”, it is made clear that we were not alone in drawing that conclusion.

At least two other members of the committee drew the same inference from Ms. Gardner’s comments. 

Brent Abrahamson's Plan

By Pim Stewert

Second or Third Best Practices

Ken O’Brien

Bent Abrahamson

At the last meeting of the Southbridge School Committee on May 13, Southbridge School Committee candidate Brent Abrahamson praised the current administration.

He waxed poetic about the wonders of the Principal Search Committee. The extent to which the public’s input was sought and heeded was, one had to be convinced, a marvel of inclusiveness and populist democracy.

And the constant critics and naysayers, he was quick to remind all, were nowhere to be seen.

Does Anybody Take This Guy Seriously?

Ken O’Brien

At the end of last month The O’Zone published a copy of a letter from a former assistant principal severely criticizing her former superior.

Shortly thereafter I published an article pointing out that, despite his shortcomings, Scott Lazo had been overly-vilified in some quarters, overlooking the many contributions he has made to the community. 

No Apologies, No Regrets

Ken O’Brien

I am simultaneously somewhat amused and chagrined by the recent call for me to apologize by Brent Abrahamson. His basis for this is my handling of an exit letter by former SMHS assistant principal Sharon Goulet  published by The O’Zone.

His tortured logic and pious solemnizing demonstrate nothing more than an attempt to justify his one-sided personal agenda in school related matters, his well-known contempt for Scott Lazo and to discredit me because, as he put it in a comment on my site, “…you have chosen a side. You have been a supporter ever since you backed him for state rep. years ago.”

The Sum Of All Facts

Ken O’Brien

Back in April, after the hoopla regarding the O'Zone's publication of the Arbitration decision in the case of Jonathan Jacobson, I conducted a poll of readers regarding whether the current principal of Southbridge High should stay or go.

At the conclusion of the article reporting the results of the poll, I wrote the following; “My prediction; I’ll end up being the villain in this black comedy.”

Yesterday I encountered an old friend (I’m talking a friend of over 40 years). We share a number of friends, many of whom are intimately involved in this affair.