Cleveland Metropolitan School District

OFFICE of the OMBUDSMAN

  Tip Box 
 

24-Hour Information Line:  (216) 574-8462

Email school conflicts, problems or questions to:  ombudsman@cmsdnet.net

Helpful Hints to Resolve School Conflicts

• Go to school staff member directly to resolve a disagreement

• Organize your thoughts (make a list of question or points)

• Stay Calm. Take a deep breath. Focus on the problem, not the person

• Talk to the Principal

• State your facts clearly

• Be positive even if your are not satisfied with the outcome.

• Use language such as “I believe,” “I feel,”, or “We can” rather than “You should.”

• Stay flexible and remain open to creative solutions

• Call the  Ombudsman’s Office for assistance

Learning is a Family Experience

• Read with your child at least 20 minutes a day

• Pick a consistent, quiet place for homework

• Pull the Plug: turn of the TV, video games, IPods

• Keep track of what your child is learning

• Involve the whole family in a shared activity

• Challenge your child to excel

• Monitor homework assignments and attendance

• Remember:  Learning is fun!

Study Has Key to Success

Education remains the most reliable springboard out of poverty according to a New Brookings Institution study entitled Getting Ahead or Losing Ground: Mobility in America.  The study points that a four-year degree gives children in poverty is their best chance toward upward mobility and into the middle class.  On the other hand, the study says, without a degree a poor student’s lifestyle will most likely not change. An urgent plea is made to public schools. A key conclusion is that school reforms aimed at increasing the number of college graduates from poorer neighborhoods would dramatically improve the fortunes of cities like Cleveland.