L to R: Steven Irby (dad); Ashley Irby (mom); Barry Gardner, Governor, GA District Kiwanis; Philip Gold, President Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K; Jim Perry, KCMGK; Karen Carstens, Tritt ES Principal. Front: Liam Irby, Tritt ES student, Silver Pen award winner; Rosie Teague, KCMGK.
Submitted information and photos:
The prestigious Silver Pen Award for 2026 was presented in April and May by the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K to five Cobb County elementary school students. The award was presented to the Fourth Grade School Winners from: Acworth, Addison, Powers Ferry, Rocky Mount and Tritt Elementary schools.
The Silver Pen Award is a writing excellence competition for fourth grade students, begun 30 years ago by Jack Boone as a “Signature Program” of this Club. Since then, it has expanded to become an approved program for Kiwanis Clubs throughout the Georgia District of Kiwanis and available to elementary schools statewide.
The Silver Pen Award Program – Contest Structure and Judging The students receive a writing assignment prepared by the Kiwanis Club and administered by their teachers. Classroom teachers select the top two in each class. The school administration reviews these and submits the finalist from their school to the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K. A panel of judges from the Club, comprised of professionals and educators, evaluates the entries based on an established set of criteria and selects the “School Winner.”
Recognition and Awards Winners are normally honored on a live morning broadcasts to the entire student body.
The Award for the winner includes:
A Silver Pen (in a velvet sleeve)
An engraved plaque recognizing the student’s achievement.
A monetary award of 20 uncirculated, one-dollar commemorative dollar coins purchased directly from the U.S. Mint
Jim Perry, Past President of the KCMGK and presenter of the SP awards added this about the presentations this year; “The students also had advice for their fellow learners. When asked if he had anything to share with the Powers Ferry Student Body, Kalid Adem stepped to the mic and said, ‘Follow your dreams!’. At Acworth, I asked Attorney-to-be Kai Sandoval if she would like to share anything, as she works toward her law office in Buckhead. She said, ‘Hard work pays off’. We are reading about and hearing a shift in attitude and maturity that should make all Kiwanians proud!”
GA District Governor of Kiwanis Makes Presentation at Tritt Members of KCMGK are extremely proud to present the Silver Pen Awards to those Cobb elementary schools that participate, however, history was made in 2026. This is the first time a Georgia District of Kiwanis Governor has attended and made the Silver Pen award presentation, so we whole heartly thank Gov. Barry Gardner (Georgia District of Kiwanis).
Finally, on behalf of the all members of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K, congratulations to all the Silver Pen Award Winners for 2026.
L to R: John Kone, Past President Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K; Dr. Cheri Vaniman, Principal, Rocky Mount ES; Catrina Stewart, Callan’s writing teacher; Philip Gold, President KCMGK; Jim Perry, Past President of KCMGK and SP presenter; Rosie Teague, KCMGK; Paige DeLoach, Callan’s homeroom teacher; Kimberlyn Gunn (mom); Greg Gunn (dad); Dr. Sage Doolittle, Assistant Principal, Rocky Mount ES; front: Callan Gunn, 2026 Rocky Mount ES Silver Pen Award Winner.
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Pictured from L to R: Micheal Garza, ECCC PTA Scholarship Chair, Grayson O’Daniel (Pope), Sadie Herrera (Kell), Jenay Scott (Sprayberry), Katherine Fallaw (Walton), Avi Jaiswal (Wheeler) and Margie Hatfield
Submitted information and photo:
The East Cobb County Council of PTAs (ECCC PTA) named its 2026 recipients of the Margie Hatfield Scholarship at its general meeting at Kell High School in April. Hatfield is a former ECCC PTA president, and the ECCC PTA scholarship was named on her behalf due to her diligent work and tireless commitment to the students of East Cobb.
Every year, ECCC PTA offers a $1,000 service-based scholarship to deserving seniors at each of the six high schools in the East Cobb area. Each recipient has worked hard to be successful, not just in their scholastic endeavors, but also by giving back to the community through their service and their time.
Selected from 28 applicants across six schools, the scholarship recipients are:
Sadie Herrera, Kell High School, who will attend Kennesaw State University to study Finance and Pre-Law. In addition to being a stellar student, Sadie is an accomplished BMX racer and mentor to others, especially other girls. Whether it is organizing girls only clinics or in a leadership role, she has a passion for changing the BMX space to be one in which girls feel welcome in participating in the sport.
Jonathan Lewelling, Lassiter High School, who will study Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Tech. Jonathan’s thirteen years of Scouting culminating in being an Eagle Scout laid the foundation of responsibility, civic duty, and community service. He’s not only a talented engineer, but he’s involved in Trojan Buddies, a student organization that fosters inclusion for students with disabilities.
Grayson O’Daniel, Pope High School, who will attend Auburn University where she will study Psychology on a Pre-Physical Therapy track. Described by those who know her as “quietly extraordinary”, Grayson’s journey is one filled with persistence and a genuine care for the community. She’s been part of Make-a-Wish Youth Leadership and makes weekly visits to a local personal care home.
Jenay Scott, Sprayberry High School, who will study Accounting at Clark University. Jenay is a leader in the community by mentoring the next generation through her work in the Future Successors Program and Girls in Excellence. In her words, “Each hour spent mentoring, planting, or organizing has been a step toward creating a world that is kinder, more equitable, and filled with opportunity.”
Katherine Fallaw, Walton High School, who will attend University of Texas to study Early Education. Katherine’s work with children in running a swim school and in advocacy with student government embody what PTA and this scholarship is all about. Her experiences have inspired her to pursue a career in education to help students build confidence and develop a positive relationship with learning from an early age.
Avi Jaiswal, Wheeler High School, who will study Neuroscience at Georgia Tech. As the founder of Cobb Serve, Avi has been able to provide elementary students with a way to volunteer and learn the importance of service to the community. This passion for service extends into his professional aspirations where he hopes to make science accessible to the families who need it most.
As the largest council within the state of Georgia, the East Cobb County Council of PTAs promotes the academic achievement and well-being of all students within the 35 schools within East Cobb.
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Mt. Bethel ES 4th-grader Brooklyn Moore and her mother Stephanie.
An East Cobb jewelry store owner has partnered with the Cobb County School District to encourage young people to take up writing and creativity while honoring their mothers.
The Dazzling Diamonds initiative is conducted in time for Mother’s Day, with elementary students at East Cobb schools writing essays whose winners are chosen in each grade, kindergarten through fifth.
The mothers of the winners receive a 1/4-carat genuine round-cut brilliant diamond from David Douglas Diamonds and Jewelry, which began Dazzling Diamonds more than 20 years ago to honor the mother of founder Doug Meadows, who passed away from cancer in 1990,
“This is just one small way we can give back to the community and honor moms in the process,” Meadows said in a release issued by the Cobb school district.
2026 Dazzling Diamonds for Mom Winners
Kindergarten — Rocky Mount Elementary School — Annelle Geren
1st Grade — Garrison Mill Elementary School — Libby Blythe
2nd Grade — Davis Elementary School — Alice Pass
3rd Grade — Sope Creek Elementary School — Parker Chernoff
4th Grade — Mount Bethel Elementary School — Brooklyn Moore
5th Grade — Murdock Elementary School — Z.Z. Tonng Mayega
More about the some of the individual recipients and their mothers, from the district release, along with their photos:
At Garrison Mill Elementary, first grader Libby Blythe was surprised in front of her classmates when her parents joined her in the media center to learn she had won the contest. Meadows read Libby’s heartfelt essay aloud, leading to an emotional celebration with her family.
“In my opinion my mommy deserves a diamond,” Libby wrote. “First, she has good cooking, but sometimes she burns it. Second, I love cuddling with her. Finally, she is the best!”
At Mount Bethel Elementary, fourth grader Brooklyn Moore and her mother, Stephanie, learned of their win during the school’s morning announcements.
“I’m extremely proud of her for writing something so beautiful,” said Stephanie Moore. “Being a mom is one of the best parts of my life.”
Meanwhile, students at Davis Elementary cheered as second grader Alice Pass received her winning certificate from Meadows in front of her classmates and mother.
“It’s so cool when they get so excited, and their faces are just priceless,” Meadows said.
At Mount Bethel, the surprise came during the school’s morning announcements when Principal Michelle Gillham sat next to Brooklyn Moore and her mom, Stephanie, as they were informed that they had won the Dazzling Diamonds for Mom contest.
“I’m extremely proud of her for writing something so beautiful. Being a mom is one of the best parts of my life,” said Stephanie Moore.
After the announcement, Brooklyn’s classmates erupted in cheers and applauded the fourth grader for winning a diamond for her mom.
At Davis Elementary, Mrs. Brent’s second-grade class got a big surprise when Doug Meadows walked in to present Alice Pass with a certificate naming her a winner of the Dazzling Diamonds for Mom writing contest.
“It’s so cool when they get so excited, and their faces are just priceless,” said Doug Meadows
Alice had a shocked look on her face and was then greeted by a big hug from her mom in front of her second-grade class.
Libby Blythe of Garrison Mill ES is surprised by her mother.Alice Pass of Davis ES with her mother.David Douglas Diamonds owner Doug Meadows visits with Davis ES students.
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The Cobb County School District this week held its annual luncheon near the end of the school year to honor employees who are retiring.
They include teachers, administrators, front office personnel, custodians, nurses, librarians, lunchroom workers, bus drivers and more.
We’ve included a listing below of the retirees at schools in the East Cobb area, along with photos from the district at the luncheon on Wednesday at the Cobb Convention Center.
This year’s retirees across the district logged more than 6,700 years of service. The number in parenthesis is the number of years each retiree served in the district, and not necessarily at their last school.
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Six young students from East Cobb represented Georgia at the 2026 FIRST LEGO League Explore World Festival in Houston, Texas, and returned home with the Team Model Award. The festival was held April 29 through May 2 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston as part of the 2026 FIRST Championship.
The annual event brings together student robotics teams from around the world to celebrate STEM learning, engineering design and teamwork. The East Cobb team, known as the TECH Tigers, competed on May 1 and received the Team Model Award during the official awards ceremony on May 2.
The TECH Tigers were the only FIRST LEGO League Explore team from Georgia selected to participate in this year’s World Festival. The team includes six students, ages 8 to 9, and is coached by Coach Hong and Coach Liu.
Team members:
Jonathan Ying (3rd grade, Mt Bethel Elementary School)
Nathan Bai (East Side Elementary School 3rd grade)
Haozhong Deng Sope Creek Elementary School, 3rd grade）
Christina Wen （Sope Creek Elementary School, 3rd grade
Pierce Liu (East Side Elementary School, 3rd grade)
Noah Regan (International Charter School of Atlanta, 2nd grade)
This season’s FIRST LEGO League challenge focused on archaeology. For their project, the TECH Tigers created an original story about a group of explorers who discover dinosaur fossils and work together to excavate, protect and transport the remains. They also included modern technology and clean-energy ideas to make the fieldwork safer, smarter and more efficient. During the judging session, the TECH Tigers explained their story, demonstrated how their model worked, and described each team member’s role in the project. The Team Model Award recognized the students’ model design, presentation and teamwork.
“The students were competing in an international competition for the first time, and we never expected them to perform so well,” Coach Hong said. For the TECH Tigers, the trip to Houston was more than a competition. It gave the students a chance to present their ideas, meet teams from other countries and see how science, engineering and creativity can come together through LEGO robotics. After returning from Houston, the team hopes their experience will encourage more local children to explore robotics, engineering and hands-on STEM learning.
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As a former Cobb County School District teacher, Nichelle Davis sought in her initial run for public office in 2022 to be an advocate for the needs of students in the classroom.
As she seeks re-election to Post 6 on the Cobb Board of Education, Davis said some good progress has been made in improving student outcomes and other academic initiatives.
But after running unopposed four years ago, Davis is facing a firebrand Democratic primary opponent who accuses the incumbent of settling for the status quo.
Davis, a native of Florida who taught at Lindley Middle School, is vying for a second term on May 19 against Jennifer Susko, a former Cobb school counselor who regularly blisters the district and school board (our Susko profile can be found here).
Davis recently voted to extend the contract of Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, and for Susko, that was more than enough to challenge her.
As one of three Democrats on the seven-member board, Davis told East Cobb News that “I am not a polarizing candidate. That’s not who I am.”
She says that “I represent a unique voice” and her mission is a simple one: “To get the job done” to help students achieve academic success.
Here’s Davis’ campaign website; she is senior manager at Achieve Atlanta, a non-profit which helps students prepare for postsecondary education.
Early voting in the primaries began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information.
The winner of the Post 6 primary will be elected to serve a four-year term on the school board, since no Republican qualified.
Post 6 (see map) includes the Campbell and some of the Wheeler high school attendance zones
It formerly included Walton zone but has been redrawn to boundaries that have made it a predominantly Democratic post.
Susko has received the endorsement of Davis’ predecessor, Charisse Davis (no relation), who was at the center of several school board controversies during her one term.
But Nichelle Davis said that as the only black female member of the board, she understands the importance of treating students fairly.
Susko thinks that minority students in particular are at a greater disadvantage than they should be, and supports restoring banned Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project program.
Nichelle Davis said that she was “surprised” when Susko announced her candidacy but that “advocacy for everyone looks a little different.
“I lead with joy.”
In explaining her vote to extend Ragsdale’s contract, Davis said that she went on the “facts and data presented to me” about his job performance. She wouldn’t get into details, since those were discussed in executive session, but she said that she made her decision based on “what he has done, based on how we measure success.
“I think we have a lot of good things going on [in the Cobb school district] and I recognize that there is a lot of room for improvement. . . . I made the best decision in that moment.”
She said her approach to serving also reflects the reality of being a Democrat on a Republican-majority board.
“We may not agree on everything,” Davis said, “but we have to move from a space of being confrontational to having courageous conversations. Positive things have been happening” in the district and on the board in moving forward on some of those priorities.
“I’m proud of our enrichment and career-ready programs, charter schools, SPLOST projects and Georgia’s BEST,” she said.
“We agree more than we disagree,” Nichelle Davis said of the Cobb school board.
Davis said her objectives are focused on “doing what’s best for kids,” including more curriculum and student support, and in particular improvements in literacy programs.
She also favors more mental health support and resources for students, improving communications between students and their families and the district and the district being more transparent with the public in general.
Davis was critical of the board’s policy last year to ban airing of public comments at board meetings, which she says has hurt dialogue and citizen engagement she thinks is necessary.
She also thinks high school students should be able to speak at board meetings without a parent present (Davis occasionally holds a “Youth Roundtable” with high school students to discuss a variety of issues in the schools.)
“How do we find the right balance between our resources and our needs?” as a district, Davis asked, if the larger public doesn’t know what community members are expressing.
She admits that some of the things she advocates for at times up short on board votes when there’s a distinct partisan difference.
“That is a challenge,” Davis said. “It’s hard to gauge the progress when it moves by inches. There are many things we agree on. But we agree more than we disagree.”
While to some members of the public “it looks the same, there’s ongoing work” that suggests otherwise. “When put to a vote, it still takes a board majority.”
School safety concerns have loomed larger during Davis’ term in office.
That includes a rapid and sometimes secretive expansion of safety programs within the Cobb school district. Last year the district announced it was accepting a state school security grant to hire a cyberintelligence company, Servius, to conduct risk assessments at schools and identify students who may pose threats.
The district also has approved funding for dogs trained with “vapor wake” technology to detect weapons in high schools.
The board has been briefed in executive session about some of these programs, but Davis said that “we need more updates in helping to identify threats quicker.”
But she said that an important measure for the public is to improve gun safety advocacy in the community.
Davis said that regardless of how the partisan dynamics may be on the board—and it could become non-partisan in 2028—this current board is making significant strides.
After some fractious debates prior to her arrival in 2023, Davis said, “we’re starting to find some middle ground. It’s about moving forward with solutions that work” in what would be her second term.
“I love to reframe my thoughts about what a win looks like,” she said. “People know where I’m coming from.”
Davis said the question she constantly asks herself, regardless of the issue before her, is “what is best for students?”
That’s because “I’m a solutions-oriented person . . . it’s the educator in me. That’s why I want to continue serving.”
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Since she began speaking out against Cobb County School District leadership a few years ago, Jennifer Susko has hardly stepped out of the spotlight with her blistering criticisms of the powers-that-be.
And now the former Cobb school counselor is vying for a spot on the Cobb Board of Education that she routinely criticizes—and not just the Republican majority.
Susko is a Democratic challenger to Post 6 first-term board member Nichelle Davis in the May 19 primaries precisely because the incumbent recently supported extending the contract of Superintendent Chris Ragsdale.
Susko, who noisily resigned as a counselor at Mableton Elementary School in 2021 so she could speak out on a range of issues—and after the school board banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project—says Davis’ vote was the final straw for her.
“I am running because I believe voters deserve representation that is willing to question leadership when necessary,” Susko told East Cobb News, “insist on answers and not offer automatic support in the face of ongoing concerns about student outcomes, equity, and district direction.”
Here’s Susko’s campaign website; she is currently a counselor with the Georgia Cyber Academy, an online charter school.
Early voting in the primaries began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information.
The winner of the Post 6 primary will be elected to serve a four-year term on the school board, since no Republican qualified.
Post 6 (see map) includes the Campbell and some of the Wheeler high school attendance zone.
It formerly included Walton and Wheeler areas but has been redrawn to boundaries that have made it a predominantly Democratic post.
Susko has received the endorsement of Nichelle Davis’ predecessor, Charisse Davis (no relation), who was at the center of several school board controversies during her one term.
Davis was outspoken on diversity and equity issues, but Susko began to speak out at board meetings prior to that in 2016-17, sparked by what she said was a racist message sent out via social media by a North Cobb High School student.
As a regular during public comment periods, Susko has been especially critical of how the Cobb school district treats minority students. Like Charisse Davis and former board member and now State Sen. Jaha Howard, Susko thinks the district is too harsh with disciplinary measures for minority students in particular.
“For many families, especially Black students and parents, there are long-standing, well-documented concerns about racism in Cobb schools that have not been meaningfully addressed,” Susko said.
“In some cases, efforts intended to respond to those concerns have been reduced or rolled back. A ‘yes’ vote on the superintendent’s contract communicates approval of that trajectory.
“The sky may not be falling to you, but for Black parents and students experiencing racism in schools, it is,” she said. “Ignoring that does not make it disappear. There is documented evidence in district data along with years of students and families describing what they are facing in classrooms and hallways every day.”
Susko cited a policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics that “although progress has been made toward racial equality and equity, the evidence to support the continued negative impact of racism on health and well-being through implicit and explicit biases, institutional structures, and interpersonal relationships is clear.
“Failure to address racism will continue to undermine health equity for all children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families.”
She said during her time in the Cobb school district, black students told her about being called racial epithets, “hearing adults laugh about the KKK, and constantly facing assumptions that they are not academically capable.”
Sukso said a teacher told her once not to worry about teaching career lessons to a second-grader “because at least he looks great in orange,” a suggestion that “a 7-year-0ld by would end up in prison. These are repeated, compounding harms.”
If those are the incidents that sparked Susko’s activism, they have expanded to include her general priorities if she were elected: accountable leadership and effective oversight, responsive governance and student-centered policies.
“The clearest difference between me and my opponent is how we understand accountability and what we are willing to support in public,” Susko said.
Susko has been a frequent critic of the Cobb school district at board meetings and in the community.
“A vote to renew Superintendent Ragsdale’s contract is one of the strongest signals of confidence in district leadership. My opponent supported that contract; I did not.”
Susko also has been critical of the Cobb school district investing in school safety measures without board action, including a contract with a private cyberintelligence company about which little has been said publicly.
The district has said that Servius is conducting threat assessments at individual schools and developing processes to help schools identify patterns in student behavior that could become safety concerns.
“There have still been incidents where weapons entered school buildings, leaving families questioning whether those systems are effective and whether leadership has been fully held accountable,” Susko said.
She also said the board fails at governance by preventing the airing of public comments, and prohibiting board members from making them.
She supports allowing students to speak during public comment without having a parent present, a change from the current district policy.
“I think a parent permission form is fine, but removing the barrier of parent presence would ensure student voices are heard and allow them to actively practice the civic engagement skills they learn in social studies classrooms,” she said.
Susko said that if she were elected, “maybe” she could support retaining Ragsdale if he “can listen, demonstrate accountability, and make changes when they are necessary for student success without becoming defensive or responding with long public remarks that feel dismissive of students and families . . However, there is very little evidence of that kind of responsiveness, which makes continued support unlikely.”
When asked if she could make the transition from political bomb-thrower to board member and work with colleagues she may disagree with, Susko told East Cobb News that “a working relationship does not mean agreement, and it does not mean I would ever stay silent in the face of issues harming students. If there are ongoing concerns, I will address them directly and consistently with any board member.
“Some people like to reduce my work to the idea that all I do is get kicked out of boardrooms by police, but that is in my role as a community organizer and through participation in direct action activism. I understand how to navigate both contexts appropriately, but I do not confuse being direct with being unprofessional.”
Susko also has received the endorsement of the political arm of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which recently was indicted by the federal government. Susko has said that she did not seek that endorsement.
While she said she understands how her views—and style—are seen as controversial, she won’t back down from confrontation if she thinks conversations about school issues are not improving education outcomes, especially for what she describes as disadvantaged students.
“But when you are talking about life-and-death issues and nothing changes, or the response is inadequate or even harmful, you realize that tone alone does not drive outcomes,” Susko said.
“At that point, you must shift from simply speaking to insisting on change. My approach is to name problems clearly and put them on the public record so they cannot be deferred through process or silence.
“I do not adjust my advocacy based on comfort in the room, because the stakes are too high for students and families to be sidelined.”
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After ending a 40-year teaching career, most of it in the Cobb County School District, Susan McCartney said she still felt like there was more she wants do with local education.
A longtime teacher and later paraprofessional at Shallowford Falls Elementary School, McCartney filed to run as a Democrat in the Post 4 primary election for Cobb Board of Education.
“This is my chance to give back to education,” McCartney said in an interview with East Cobb News.
She’s facing school activist Michael Garza (here’s our profile of him) for the right to challenge three-term incumbent David Chastain in November.
Chastain is unopposed in the Republican primary—we’ll be interviewing him during the general election campaign.
Early voting in the primaries began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information.
The Post 4 race is considered a crucial one given the GOP’s 4-3 majority status, and it’s the only seat among the three up for election this year that is in Republican hands.
Post 4 includes most of the Sprayberry, Kell and Lassiter high school attendance zones (see map below), and it was redrawn in 2022 to maintain most of its previous boundaries in partisan redistricting battles that preserved that Republican majority.
The Post 4 boundaries were redrawn in 2022; for a larger view click here.
A native of Florida, McCartney taught at Shallowford Falls from 1998-2003, and after living in Texas, her family returned to Cobb and she returned to the same school, this time as a parapro.
It was in that role that her eyes widened to what she says are disparities that need attention, especially in some special education areas.
“Being a parapro gave me the chance to see schools with a different perspective,” McCartney said.
“Those are some of the hardest-working people in the profession.”
Addressing changes in special education programs are among her priorities, especially the Mild Intellectual Disabilities program, whose offerings are being reduced in some areas.
That includes at the kindergarten level, where McCartney said she saw as a parapro a student not get the attention she thought was needed.
A girl diagnosed as having a MID was placed in a general education program, and McCartney said that “my concern is that had she been [in a specialized program], her learning may have been more impactful.”
McCartney also disagrees with a board policy enacted last year that prohibits the airing of public comments during board meetings.
The comments are heard only in the meeting room and don’t get distributed to the general public, a decision Democrats have claimed is being done by a Republican-led board to discourage dissent.
“It’s essential that we understand the community that we serve,” she said. “They are part of what makes us who we are.”
School safety issues also have grown in recent years, and the Cobb school district is contracting with a private cyberintelligence company and has hired another firm to place and train specially-trained dogs to detect weapons in high school.
The Cobb school district has paid more than $2 million to Servius, the intelligence firm, much of that via state grant money, but the school board never voted on the contract.
McCartney said the board did so “with no understanding of how it would be spent.” Superintendent Chris Ragsdale has said publicly only that board members will be briefed in executive session as needed about the details.
The district has said that Servius is conducting threat assessments at individual schools and developing processes to help schools identify patterns in student behavior that could become safety concerns.
But the program otherwise has been shrouded in secrecy. The district issued this Q and A in February, but McCartney said the public deserves more information.
“We needed it,” McCartney said of more initiatives to enhance safety, and the Servius contract. “But we should have been told more on how it was going to be spent.”
McCartney said she’s spoken to a woman who did speak out at public comment session—and not aired publicly—and “who wants to know why we’re not getting important updates” from the district.
She said she appreciates how the district, and Ragsdale in particular, recognize the contributions of educators and of student achievers, and said Cobb schools have much to be proud of in terms of general academic achievement.
But she thinks he’s being heavy-handed in overseeing removals of books from school libraries he says are sexually explicit and not appropriate for minors.
McCartney also said she takes a dim view of his recent comments aimed at those who are critical of him sending out “thoughts and prayers” messages at school board meetings.
Those comments normally come when he’s announcing deaths in the school district. Ragsdale responded in March that ““If you’re going to say it, do it. Words matter.”
McCartney said she thinks Ragsdale at times is too opinionated about the wrong things.
“Who are y0u to say that? The way he stands out—that’s not the place for him to say that. He’s not a member of the board.”
While she considers herself a longtime Democrat, McCartney said her first time seeking public office is about helping students and families.
The board could become non-partisan by 2028, which would be just fine with her.
“What we have to focus on is what’s best for our students, staff and communities,” McCartney said, adding that her experience navigating the school district “is what I bring to the table.”
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After running twice for the Georgia legislature against an entrenched incumbent, Northeast Cobb resident Micheal Garza is taking aim at another long-time elected official in a domain where he’s been very active.
Garza, who owns a web development business and has been a vocal opponent of Cobb County School District leadership, is seeking the Democratic nomination for Post 4 on the Cobb Board of Education.
He’s facing retired Cobb teacher Susan McCartney in the primary election (here’s our profile of her) for the right to challenge three-term incumbent David Chastain in November.
Chastain is unopposed in the Republican primary—we’ll be interviewing him during the general election campaign.
In an interview with East Cobb News, Garza said in reference to the Cobb school district that he’s running because “I see a lot of the great things that we do, but I see a lot of room for improvement.
“It’s the right time, it’s the right moment.”
Early voting in the primaries began Monday and continues through May 15; consult our early voting guide for more information.
Garza’s campaign website can be found by clicking here; he was defeated by Republican State Rep. John McCarson in Georgia House elections in 2022 and 2024.
The Post 4 race is considered a crucial one given the GOP’s 4-3 majority status, and it’s the only seat among the three up for election this year that is in Republican hands.
Post 4 includes most of the Sprayberry, Kell and Lassiter high school attendance zones (see map below), and it was redrawn in 2022 to maintain most of its previous boundaries in partisan redistricting battles that preserved that Republican majority.
The Post 4 boundaries were redrawn in 2022; for a larger view click here.
Garza, a native of Texas, and his wife are the parents of a daughter who attends Keheley Elementary School. He’s been involved in PTA activities at the school and with the East Cobb County Council of PTAs.
He’s been better known as a leading member of a group of critics of the Cobb school district in recent years.
The Cobb Community Care Coalition focuses on advocacy for racial and social justice and inclusion, and has been outspoken on other hot-button issues facing the district, including school book removals, school safety and the tenure of Superintendent Chris Ragsdale.
Garza has sounded off on many of those themes during public comment periods and elsewhere, critical of the “intense partisanship” he blames Republicans for fomenting.
Those votes on many key issues have proliferated in recent years, after what had been a 6-1 GOP majority was reduced in 2018.
“All of these things speak to a board that wants to hold power,” Garza said, adding that the redistricting saga is what prompted him into this race.
(Another Cobb Community Care Coalition figure, former Cobb school counselor Jennifer Susko, is taking on Democratic incumbent Nichelle Davis in the Post 6 race that includes some of the Wheeler attendance zone. We will be publishing profiles of both candidates shortly.)
Even though Post 4 was redrawn by the GOP-led legislature to favor a Republican, Garza says a Democrat can win it, and he is touting his regular involvement as an advantage.
“I’m somebody who is in our schools all the time,” Garza said. “I’m closer to the parents and the educators themselves.”
He said he wants to be an advocate for families and students he says are being ignored by the district, or who are afraid of retaliation if they speak out.
Some of those issues concern curriculum matters, special education and board-superintendent relations.
He said he hears from parents “a lot” about special education needs.
“We have a lot of amazing educators and parapros,” Garza said, but added that he hears about a lack of communication “when [concerns are] brought past the local level.
Michael Garza has been critical of library book removals in the Cobb school district.
“These are conversations the board should be having. I’m not saying that I have all the answers, but there are conversations we can have as a board in partnership with the community and our educators.”
When the board ended public airing of public comments at board meetings last year, Garza said that’s another example of the Republican majority—at the behest of Superintendent Chris Ragsdale—heading off public criticism.
He also thinks the district is unwise to remove books from school libraries that Ragsdale has said are sexually explicit and inappropriate for minors.
Garza thinks that’s a function that “we should be putting in the hands of educators and media specialists” and not a committee close to the superintendent’s office that’s been reviewing such materials.
On school safety issues, Garza thinks it’s important for parents to educate their children on gun safety and “to lock up their firearms” at home.
He said metal detectors in schools are “problematic,” but has questions about how the district is spending money with a cyberintelligence firm as a partner and on a “vapor wake” specialty dog detection system in high schools.
The latter couldn’t detect a gun at Hillgrove High School, Garza said, adding that “I don’t think we should be spending money on unproven solutions.”
Garza said if he’s elected, he would do more than be a yes-man for Ragsdale—which is what he thinks the Republicans have been doing for too long.
“I will ask questions, especially ‘is it a good idea?’ ” Garza said. “It’s our job as board members to question” what’s brought before them by the administration, on any number of issues, which he also said includes other academic matters and school transportation.
He also favors changing board policy that now allows only the superintendent or chairman to place items on the agenda unilaterally. Other board members must get at least three other votes, which Garza says deliberately freezes out Democratic members.
Should Democrats gain the majority, Garza said he wouldn’t do anything dramatic regarding Ragsdale’s tenure, which Republicans claim would be endangered with party switch.
“I am going to meet with the superintendent to discuss the priorities of the district,” Garza said, noting that the board could become non-partisan after 2028.
“I especially want to have a good relationship with the superintendent. And I would have to govern in which I have to listen to everyone.”
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Kennesaw State University and Shorter University are partnering to offer students a streamlined pathway to earn two bachelor’s degrees simultaneously – one in mathematics from Shorter and one in engineering from Kennesaw State.
As part of Kennesaw State’s LINK program of collaborative academic pathways, the KSU-Shorter partnership enables students to take coordinated coursework at both institutions, with credits transferring seamlessly between the two. The structured pathway and aligned curriculum will help students navigate both degree programs and stay on track to graduate.
Participating students will complete 45 credit hours at Shorter and then apply to Kennesaw State as a transfer student. Once the student has completed all requirements for their Bachelor of Science in Math, they will reverse transfer to be awarded their bachelor’s degree at Shorter while completing a second bachelor’s degree in KSU’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the second-largest engineering college in Georgia.
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Pictured (left to right): David Bartow, Executive Director of PeachSkinSheets, and Heather Rees, President of the East Cobb County Council of PTAs (ECCCPTA), at the ECCCPTA awards event.
Submitted information and photo:
PeachSkinSheets has been named the 2025–2026 Community Partner of the Year by the East Cobb County Council of PTAs (ECCCPTA), recognizing the company’s ongoing support and partnership with local PTAs and school communities.
The award highlights organizations that demonstrate meaningful impact and consistent engagement in supporting students, educators, and families across the East Cobb area.
PeachSkinSheets has worked alongside PTAs through its fundraising platform, PeachSkinSheetsFundraising.com, providing a streamlined approach that lets PTAs benefit from online sales without needing inventory, order handling, or distribution. Through this model, families receive exclusive pricing, and $20 from every set purchased supports the PTA.
PeachSkinSheets has been featured on Good Morning America and has received national recognition, including the 2025 Newsweek Readers’ Choice, 2026 Good Housekeeping, and the 2026 Oprah Daily Sleep O-Ward. The company has donated over $100,000 to schools through its partnership efforts.
“We’re honored to be recognized by the East Cobb County Council of PTAs,” said David Bartow, Executive Director of PeachSkinSheets. “PeachSkinSheets is committed to supporting schools, including our Teacher Appreciation program in May.”
The East Cobb County Council of PTAs represents 35 schools and works to strengthen family and community engagement in education.
PeachSkinSheets, a woman-owned company founded by Karen Levine, continues to expand its partnerships with PTAs and school communities through its microsite program.
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The Walton High School Chess Club delivered an impressive performance at the 2026 Georgia K‑12 Team State Qualifier, held on April 26 at Berkmar High School in Lilburn. Representing East Cobb with skill and confidence, the Walton team earned plus‑score results across the board, marking a strong showing in one of the state’s most competitive scholastic chess events.
The team was led by President – Sarvesh Prabhu, whose leadership has helped elevate Walton’s chess program in recent years. He was joined by Vice President – Logiit Mugunthan, along with team members Ritvik Rachamallu, Noel Karu, and Soursih Kavale. Together, the group demonstrated strategic depth, composure under pressure, and a commitment to excellence that reflects the growing strength of scholastic chess in East Cobb.
The Georgia K‑12 Team State Qualifier brings together top teams from across the state, and earning plus scores is a significant achievement. Walton’s performance highlights both individual talent and cohesive team preparation.
With momentum building, the Walton Chess Club continues to establish itself as a rising force in Georgia scholastic chess, inspiring younger players and strengthening the East Cobb chess community.
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Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.
We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are involved in the community.
It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!
Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: [email protected], and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.
Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.
We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.
Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.
Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you!
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“We’re not in a confetti-dropping, champagne-popping situation,” Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said. “But we’re not the alternative either.”
The Cobb County School District’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget is tight and lean, reflecting increased costs, lower enrollment and modest tax digest growth.
District officials on Thursday presented a nearly $1.9 billion spending package that doesn’t include employee raises beyond the scheduled step increases.
The budget—which would go into effect on July 1—is based on holding the property tax rate at 18.7 mills and four percent growth in the Cobb tax digest.
The Cobb Board of Education tentatively adopted the budget 7-0 at a voting meeting Thursday night, meaning that the proposal can be legally advertised.
A final budget public forum and formal adoption are scheduled for May 14.
To address the lack of raises in the Fy 2027 proposal, the school board on Thursday voted to to take more than $7 million from its current fund balance to pay for one-time bonuses for non-temporary employees.
Those $2,000 bonuses were approved by the Georgia legislature earlier this year. The total cost to the Cobb school district is around $30 million, with the state providing $22 million in the current fiscal year budget.
District employees getting that bonus will see that in their paychecks by April 30.
At a work session before school board Thursday afternoon, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale admitted that the FY 2027 budget proposal isn’t ideal. But compared to other large districts in metro Atlanta, some of which are proposing to close schools to cut costs, Cobb is in relatively good shape—for now.
“We’re not in a confetti-dropping, champagne-popping situation. But we’re not the alternative either,” he added, calling this a “catch-up” budget following employee raises last year.
Holding the line without raises also is an effort to replenish the district’s general fund balance, which is around $200 million.
Employees eligible for “STEP” increases as part of their employment contracts will still get those, to the tune of $16 million.
Another line item of $3.5 million will go to hire literacy coaches across the district, but it’s unclear now how that money will be used pending state guidance.
Board members did have questions about some of the line items that were presented Thursday.
They include a reduction of 185 teaching allotment positions due to reduced enrollment and to balance the budget. Ragsdale said no teaching layoffs would occur—the cuts would be made through attrition and reassignments.
Lost positions include some media specialists, with schools being limited to one each.
Losing those allotments will result in a budget decrease of nearly $22 million.
Another line item caught the eye of board member Brad Wheeler—a $275,000 increase in the rent the district pays Kennesaw State University for graduations.
Additional fees and increased staffing charges are the primary reasons for that jump, as well as additional charges when graduations are held on weekends.
Ragsdale had wanted to build a $50 million special events center for graduations and other events, but public pressure prompted the board to cancel that project in 2024.
The increased KSU funding, board member John Cristadoro said, “is not sustainable.”
The budget proposal also includes spending $725,000 to hold a referendum in 2027 to extend the current Cobb Education Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax, which is used to fund school construction and maintenance.
The current Cobb Ed-SPLOST VI will be collected through the end of 2029.
The district also announced that the “rollback” millage rate—what the property tax rate would be if the budget dollar amount was the same as fiscal year 2026—would be 17.69 mills.
But Ragsdale said given the legislature’s appetite for putting a cap on property tax rates, “I won’t be recommending a rollback of the millage rate.
“I have great concern over the funding of public education.”
Cobb homeowners aged 62 and older can file for exemption from school property taxes, but he also said that changes at the state level “could make that exemption go away.”
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
New principals at two East Cobb elementary schools were appointed for the 2026-27 school year on Thursday, and the retirement of another K-5 principal at a school in East Cobb was announced.
Lauren Rabil, Kincaid ES
The Cobb County School District said that Dr. Christina Moll will be the new principal at Addison Elementary School. She is currently an assistant principal at Milford Elementary School in the south Cobb area.
Addison has been led on an interim basis by Brett Ward, a former Cobb elementary school principal, following the resignation of Dr. Jill Spiva. She was arrested for driving under the influence near the Addison campus, and after refusing to take a blood test, Cobb Police got a search warrant from a judge requiring to provide blood.
Moll begins her new post at Addison on June 1.
The new principal at Kincaid Elementary School will be Lauren Rabil, an assistant principal at nearby Keheley Elementary School. Starting July 1, she will succeed Debbie Tennyson, who is retiring after 28 years with the Cobb school district.
Timber Ridge Elementary School principal Shannon McGill will be retiring, effective July 1. She has been at Timber Ridge since 2019 and has more than 30 years of experience as an educator. Her successor is to be named later.
Dr. Shannon McGill
Former Walton High School principal Dr. Catherine Mallanda also will be retiring. She has been the Cobb school district’s chief academic officer since 2022 after serving as a teacher and administrator at Walton. Mallanda also is a Walton graduate.
Another member of the district’s executive cabinet will be retiring. Dr. Sherri Hill has been the chief of staff since 2023 and has more than 30 years of experience as an educator.
The upcoming graduations in the Cobb school district will be the last for John Stafford, senior executive officer for the district’s events and venue management department.
He is a Walton graduate who has worked for the Cobb school district for 42 years and has been in his current position since 2017.
Stafford previously was an assistant principal at Harrison High School and was also the district’s spokesman in 2017-18.
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Four students from East Cobb have been named recipients of corporate-sp0nsored National Merit Scholarships.
They were among the high school seniors who will receive scholarships financed by about 115 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation said Wednesday that students were selected from the finalist level in the NMS competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors.
“Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for Finalists who are children of their employees, who are residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage,” NMSC said in a release.
Most of the scholarship awards are annual stipends that range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year for undergraduate study. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.
More information about the National Merit Scholarship program can be found at this link.
Krishna Anand, Campbell High School. Probable career field: Economics (Truist Financial Corporation)
RitvikRanjan, Wheeler High School. Probable career field: Mathematics (Truist Financial Corporation)
Jerry T. Xu, Walton High School. Probable career field: Law (State Farm Companies Foundation)
AprilZhang, The Westminster Schools. Probable career field: Law (Truist Financial Corporation).
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The Cobb Board of Education will hold the first of its required public forums on the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget on Thursday.
But there isn’t a budget proposal for the public to peruse just yet.
That’s because the Cobb County School District waits until the day of that first forum—typically only a few hours ahead of time—to lay out the budget proposal to the school board and the public.
On Tuesday, the district released its agendas for Thursday’s public meetings—a work session at 2 p.m., followed by the budget forum at 6:30 p.m. and a voting meeting at 7 p.m.—but with no budget details (you can read them here).
According to an agenda item, the district is proposing a budget of $ 1.881 billion, a slight increase from the approved FY 2026 budget of $1.8 billion.
Anticipated revenues would come to $ 1.869 billion, leaving a projected deficit of nearly $12 million.
The board will be asked Thursday for “tentative approval” of the budget, which is required for the district to publicly advertise it during the budget process; formal adoption is scheduled for May.
The agenda for Thursday’s meetings also indicate that the board will be asked to approve “an estimated rollback millage rate,” but there is no figure indicated about the property tax rate that will be sought for the school district.
The FY 2026 budget was adopted along with a millage rate of 18.7 mills and is typically the largest portion of a property tax bill.
The district has set up a landing page for the FY 2027 budget process that can be found at this link; budget details will be added there after they are presented at the work session Thursday.
The board also will be asked to amend the current budget to factor in $2,000 one-time bonuses for non-temporary employees that were approved by the Georgia General Assembly. According to an agenda item, the cost for the Cobb school district bonuses will come to $30 million, with $22.7 million coming from state funds.
In another agenda item, the board will be asked to provide a $50,000 loan for band uniforms for Sprayberry High School. and that would be repaid over five years.
The district also is asking for $308,798 in funding for the purchase of seven vehicles for the district’s police department.
At the evening voting meeting, recognitions will include the Wheeler High School boys basketball state championship team.
All meetings take place in the board room of the Cobb County School District Central Office, at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. An executive session will follow the work session.
The public meetings will be streamed live and you can watch on Comcast Cable or on a livestream on the district’s Boxcast Channel.
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Our FRC team has officially qualified for the 2026 FIRST World Championship in Houston this April. In addition to this, we placed 2nd at the State Championships this weekend and are currently ranked 4th in the state. We also were given the Judges Award awarded by the judging panel to recognize teams for unique efforts, exceptional performance, or team dynamics.
ALL THREE OF OUR TEAMS ARE NOW HEADED TO WORLDS!!!
This is the first time a school from the Cobb County School District will have three teams at the FIRST championship.
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We’re excited to invite you to be a part of something special — the Pope High School Color Guard.
Whether you’ve danced your whole life or have never picked up a flag before, this is your place. No experience necessary, just bring energy, commitment, and a willingness to try something new.
What do we do? You’ll learn to dance, spin, and perform — and take the field at football games, competitions, and parades as part of one of the most exciting ensembles on campus.
And the momentum is real… 2025 WGI Scholastic A World Champions 2026 WGI Scholastic Open Class Semi-Finalists This is a program on the rise — and we want you in it.
Auditions: April 27–29 Time: 5:00–7:30 PM Location: Pope High School Band Room
Interested and want to try it out before auditions? Join us for “Spin with the Greyhounds” clinic days on April 23 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. to learn some basic skills to prepare for the audition!
Ready to jump in? Scan the QR code on the flyer to fill out the interest form and get more info.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The Walton High School Robotics team has qualified for the FIRST World Championship in Houston later this month. Here’s what the club is telling the community about what they’ve done, and what’s next:
“After a long season competing across the Peachtree Robotics District, we’ve earned one of the few spots to represent Georgia against 600 of the best teams from around the world. Our 40 students have been putting in hours upon hours of work to build, program, and test our robot, and that effort has paid off.
“Beyond the competition itself, we’re proud of the footprint we have here in East Cobb. Between running our summer camps for local kids and maintaining a full-size practice field that we share with other robotics teams in the community and across the state, we try to make sure Walton Robotics isn’t just about our success on the field, but about giving back to our community.”
Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.
We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are involved in the community.
It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!
Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: [email protected], and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.
Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.
We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.
Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.
Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you!
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Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the man behind The Phantom of the Opera and Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a high-energy, feel-good musical that bursts with color, humor, and unforgettable songs. Told through an infectious pop-rock score, this beloved show brings the biblical story of Joseph to life with wit, warmth, and dazzling theatrical flair. Perfect for audiences of ALL ages, Joseph celebrates resilience, forgiveness, and the power of dreams, delivering nonstop fun and a rainbow bright finale that leaves everyone smiling!
Performances will take place April 17-19 with shows on Friday at 7:00 pm, Saturday at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm, and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased through the link below or through our website at www.wheelerhightheatre.com.
All performances will be held in the Performing Arts Center on Wheeler High School’s campus at 375 Holt Road, Marietta GA 30068. Directions within ticket link.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of The Really Useful Group. www.concordtheatricals.com
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The Post 4 boundaries were redrawn in 2022; for a larger view 
