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Schools

School Board Chair Recovering from Heart Attack

While Alison Bartlett will be out a few days, the other six members of the Cobb Board of Education still are expected to meet with the grand jury Friday.

Cobb County Board of Education Chairwoman Alison Bartlett is reportedly recovering and doing well after suffering a heart attack Wednesday morning.

“Obviously, my thoughts and prayers are with Alison and her family,” said board member Scott Sweeney, whose Post 6 includes and high schools. “I … look forward to seeing her soon.”

The first reported the condition of Bartlett, who represents Post 7 in south-central Cobb, shortly before noon Wednesday. Soon after, a representative of confirmed to Patch that she was admitted to the Marietta hospital.

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The MDJ quoted North Cobb school board member Kathleen Angelucci as saying Bartlett was “doing fine” after a heart catheterization and balloon angioplasty Wednesday. Angelucci said the 48-year-old Bartlett would stay at the hospital for a few days.

"We are relieved to hear that Mrs. Bartlett is doing well," Cobb Superintendent Fred Sanderson said in a statement Wednesday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We wish her a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her back at the head of the board table as soon as she is able."

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According to WellStar Health System’s website, “the balloon angioplasty procedure widens the narrowed artery to increase blood flow” to the heart. Activity or emotional stress can trigger the symptoms of coronary artery disease, the most common heart disease, the National Institutes of Health reports.

Bartlett has dealt with plenty of stress in less than three months as the chairwoman of the school board. Since three new members joined the board in January and , the board has frequently split 4-3 while battling over a special , , the and most intensely over .

Critics have organized a letter-writing campaign to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and and other board members at public meetings.

Last Friday an e-mail from the notified school board members that the entire board at 9:30 a.m. this Friday. The topics to be discussed, according to the e-mail, include the school calendar and the number of employees in the Central Office and administration.

According to board member Lynnda Crowder-Eagle, it is the first time the entire board has been asked to appear before the grand jury.

The grand jury appearance will proceed Friday without Bartlett, District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Kathy Watkins told Patch.

“I’m sorry this has happened, and I’m glad that they got her to the hospital in time and that no damage has been done and that she’ll have a speedy recovery,” said board member David Banks, whose Post 5 includes , Pope and high schools. “I’ve said a prayer for her and her family because they’re going through a lot of emotional stress right now, particularly the (children) because they’re now realizing they could’ve lost their mother.”

Bartlett and her husband, Rick, have four children, according to the . She teaches math to ninth-graders at in Douglas County and joined the board in 2009. Bartlett’s Post 7 includes .

The Board of Education also held the this month, facing a , and was moving toward winnowing the list of superintendent applicants.

Earlier this month, Banks alleged that Bartlett and the three new board members . Bartlett rejected Banks’ charge of improper conduct. She explained that the person in question simply asked questions about the job before applying.

Banks said Sanderson’s secretary, Angela Carder, notified him and the other board members of Bartlett’s hospitalization Wednesday morning by e-mail about midmorning.

“My prayer and heart go out to Alison and her family and most certainly hope that she’ll have a speedy recovery,” said Post 3 board member David Morgan, whose district includes , and high schools.

Tim Stultz of Post 2 echoed Morgan.

“My thoughts and prayers go to her and her family and hope for a speedy recovery,” said Stultz, whose district includes .

Patch was unable to reach Angelucci of Post 4 ( and ) and Crowder-Eagle of Post 1 (, , and ).

Bartlett was scheduled to have a town-hall meeting at at 6 p.m. Thursday, but that has been canceled.

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