Cobb schools FY2025 proposed budget, Sprayberry contract on agenda

Cobb schools FY2025 proposed budget

The Cobb Board of Education will hear details of the Cobb County School District’s proposed fiscal year 2025 operating budget on Thursday, and hold a public forum on the matter.

According to an agenda preview, the budget presentation will be made at a 1:30 p.m. work session and at the public forum, which starts at 6:30 p.m.

The board’s monthly business meeting will take place at 7 p.m.

Also on the agenda is a recommendation to approve setting a $71.9 million maximum construction price for the replacement of the main classroom building at Sprayberry High School.

All meetings are scheduled for the board room of the Cobb school district’s central office at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. The work session, public forum and business meeting can be seen live on the district’s Boxcast streaming channel and CobbEdTV (channel 24 on Comcast cable and channel 182 on Charter cable).

You can read through the full agenda by clicking here; an executive session will take place after the work session.

An agenda item states the proposed Cobb school budget for FY 2025 is $1.85 billion in expenses, compared to the $1.448 current fiscal year 2024 budget.

No details have been released. The Cobb school district’s fiscal year begins on July 1. Current budget documents can be found by clicking here; that link eventually will include FY 2025 spending details.

Another budget forum will take place on May 16, the date the board is scheduled to finalize the budget.

Watching the Funds-Cobb, a citizens watchdog group that scrutinizes Cobb school district finances, posted a social media message Tuesday asking for an earlier release of budget details before the meeting day.

“Assuming the Board members have been given the budget docs by now, there is no reason to keep them from us so we have a few days to do our due diligence, rather than a few hours,” the message said.

“If they truly respect the taxpayers and are as concerned about our money as [current chairman] Randy Scamihorn recently stated (regarding a fee the County Commissioners are considering), then surely he and the others (especially those up for re-election) can compel the district leaders to honor our request.”

The message urged followers to write to school board members, saying “Let’s make our budget process more transparent and inclusive by giving the public the time they need to engage meaningfully.”

Last year, the Cobb school board lowered the property tax millage rate for the first time in 15 years, from 18.9 mills to 18.7 mills.

That was done in part to offset sharply-increasing property tax assessments. The FY 2024 budget called for full-time employees to receive salary increases between 7.5 percent and 12.1 percent, and the addition of 11 police officers.

The board will hear a recommendation by district staff to award a $71.9 million construction contract to Carroll Daniel Construction of Atlanta for the Sprayberry project.

It’s on the project list of the current Cobb Education SPLOST VI and work is expected to get underway this summer, with the installation of portable classrooms.

Estimated completion is July 2027.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

East Cobb high school students named 2024 Georgia Scholars

Students from Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler high schools in East Cobb were named to the 2024 class of Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education.Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Scholars East Cobb

The Georgia Scholar program is coordinated by the department in partnership with local districts and schools.

This year they are 177 seniors from across the state “who have achieved excellence in school and community life through the Georgia Scholar program,” according to a release.

The criteria (click here) are set in state law, and includes rigorous academic standards, including course credits, as well as grade-point averages and test scores.

Georgia Scholars also participate in interscholastic activities “and assumed leadership roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools.”

Sprayberry

  • Isabella Sternagle

Walton

  • Emily Baker
  • Omer Inan
  • Daniel Lee
  • Collin Marbutt
  • Olivia Packer
  • Lydia Zang
  • Stephen Zhu

Wheeler

  • Haya Fatmi
  • Venya Gunjal
  • Aashna Kshirsagar
  • Romil Mehta
  • Misha Patel
  • Sameeh Pottayil
  • Shreya Prakash
  • Suchita Vanguri
  • Lilian Tow

“These 177 Georgia students have made our state proud through their stellar efforts in the classroom and in their communities,” Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a release.

“The Georgia Scholar designation is a recognition of their leadership and diligence. I wish them great success as they continue into their futures, and know they will continue to contribute to their communities and to our state.”

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Wheeler students to perform at Woodruff Arts Center concert

Two students at Wheeler High School will be performing in the Fall Into Spring Finale Concert, which features chamber music selections played by young musicians, at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta later this month.Wheeler students to perform at Woodruff Arts Center concert

The concert is a collaboration of Franklin Pond Chamber Music and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and takes place on Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m.

The Wheeler students, sophomore Angelina Lu, a violinist, and senior Christian Phanhthourath, a cellist, are part of the Eucalyptus Trio, and will be performing Henrietta Renié’s Trio for Harp, Violin, and Cello.

Here’s more from a Franklin Pond release about the event:

Twenty talented middle and high school musicians from six ensembles representing 13 schools from six counties will present some of classical music’s most beloved chamber works, including compositions by Dvořák, Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Shubert, Prokofiev, Henrietta Renié and Paul Schoenfield.

The performances by these inspiring young musicians celebrate the ongoing collaboration between FPCM and the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra (AYSO). Several students also play with the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO) and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO). All these organizations provide students with comprehensive and collegiate-level music education to prepare students for success in college and beyond.

“This event showcases the dedication and incredible work of these talented young musicians, and each year they raise the bar, delivering truly inspiring performances,” said Ginny Fairchild, Franklin Pond program coordinator.

This year there are seven graduating seniors and 12 of the 20 overall participating students are in both FPCM and the ASYO. Two FPCM members are also members of the EYSO and two FPCM members are also in MYSO.

The young musicians are coached and mentored by Franklin Pond’s elite faculty, all members of the Atlanta Symphony or Atlanta Opera Orchestras. They also perform in masterclasses led by internationally renowned guest artists such as the award-winning violinist and chamber player, Itamar Zorman.

The Fall into Spring Finale Concert takes place April 28 at 3 p.m. in the Rich Theatre of Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta. Admission is free and open to the public with no ticket required. Visit FranklinPond.org or call 404-252-3479 for more information.

Related:

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Cobb schools releasing early Monday due to solar eclipse

solar eclipse, East Cobb Park
East Cobb Park drew a crowd for the last solar eclipse in 2017.

Most school districts in metro Atlanta will be in session on Monday afternoon, when the solar eclipse will be visible across North America.

But the Cobb County School District will be releasing early at all three grade levels before the eclipse window begins.

The district will have a shortened first day following the past week’s spring break, and has cited parental discretion and student safety issues.

High schools will release at 11:30 a.m., followed by elementary schools at 12:30 p.m. and middle schools at 1:30 p.m.

All after-school activities will take place as regularly scheduled.

The district extended the school day during the last solar eclipse in August 2017. Many students were seen with friends and parents at East Cobb Park for that event.

But last July, the Cobb school district sent a message to parents notifying them of an early release, stating that “while experiencing a solar eclipse can be memorable and educational, looking directly at an eclipse can seriously damage a student’s eyes. We are providing Cobb families as much time, information, and flexibility as possible so they can make the best health decisions for their children.”

DeKalb schools will be having an “independent learning day” on Monday, but most other local school districts, including Marietta, will be in session in person as usual.

According to forecasts, the rolling path of the eclipse across North America will take place between 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday, with between 80-85 percent of the sun being blocked in the Atlanta area.

The projected path of the eclipse stretches from Mexico and Texas to the Midwest, and into the Northeast.

Several Cobb library branches will be having special eclipse watch events, including East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) from 2-4 p.m.

The event will include a live stream of NASA’s official live broadcast.

The next solar eclipse takes place in 2044.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Cobb school board chairman blasts stormwater fee proposal

Days after the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to delay imposing a stormwater fee, the chairman of the Cobb Board of Education blasted the proposed changes, saying they would they would be “grossly unfair” to taxpaying school parents.

Cobb school board chairman blasts stormwater fee proposal
Randy Scamihorn

Republican Randy Scamihorn said  in “Just the Facts,” his occasional column, that the fee would “add to the monthly bills of hardworking parents and, again, apparently, schools across our county.”

The Cobb Water Sytem’s proposal would switch how customers are charged for stormwater services.

Currently, the charges are based on the amount of water consumption. The county wants to charge according to the amount of impervious surfaces of a building and property.

While homeowners have been most vocal in protesting what they call a “rain tax,” the impervious surface change would mean that commercial and institutional customers would be paying a larger share than they do now.

That prompted protests from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce last week.

Scamihorn wrote that “for our families who already live on a tight budget, this additional ‘fee’ on their already strained finances is grossly unfair.

“I’ve raised the impact this fee would have on our schools a number of times with district leaders,” Scamihorn wrote.

“Unfortunately, our staff does not have enough information from the Commissioners to know how much money would be taken from classrooms, but they know it would mean fewer dollars for teachers and students. We also know our schools could have been made legally exempt, but they weren’t.”

(You can read Scamihorn’s full remarks by clicking here.)

The Cobb County School District posted the message on social media channels and sent out a separate e-mail with Scamihorn’s remarks Friday.

Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt told East Cobb News Friday that as far as he knows, any specifics of the financial impact to the Cobb County School District haven’t been discussed, including a fee exemption.

Cavitt added it “that it is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars to allow an elected official to express a personal opinion through taxpayer-funded communications channels.”

After a contentious, hours-long hearing on Tuesday, Cobb commissioners voted to delay taking up a stormwater vote, and called for more public hearings to take place in August.

Among the issues is the uncertainty over how much more commercial and institutional customers would be charged for stormwater services.

Cobb Water System Director Judy Jones has indicated in various presentations that a majority of residential customers would pay between $2 to $4 a month for a dedicated stormwater utility fee and the commercial and institutional customers would pay up to $21 a month.

Those institutional customers include churches, schools and other non-profit organizations.

“After consulting with our legal team, we believe this bizarre ‘stormwater fee’ will be imposed upon schools, as well as the thousands of acres on which your schools are built,” Scamihorn wrote.

“The reality is that every school dollar taken for stormwater management is a dollar taken away from our children’s futures. . . . I know I speak for the majority of the Board when I point out that the latest proposal being brought forward by Cobb Commission Chair Lisa Cupid is fraught with problems for our schools and our parents. 

“I’m not telling you how to vote; I’m telling you what is and isn’t good for our schools and Cobb’s children.”

On the Cobb school district’s Facebook page, some citizens pushed back against Scamihorn’s comments.

Laura Judge of East Cobb, a Democratic candidate for the Post 5 school board seat, noted that talks with commissioners about the stormwater fee have been “bipartisan, heated and long. That’s why one of my hopes as a future board member is to work with the other layers of government. Not start a blog bashing them.”

“I hope that as a possible member I can say that if our board chair is concerned, now the commission vote has been delayed, he’ll reach out to our commissioners and the school community to set up an education townhall about this rainfall fee.”

Another commenter found it ironic that Scamihorn was complaining of “yet another threat to dollars that belong in the classroom” when he signed off on spending $50 million for special events center for the school district, amid an “ongoing staffing and maintenance budget burden. . . . What a joke, Mr. Scamihorn. What an absolute joke.”

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Tickets on sale for Wheeler Theatre’s ‘Mamma Mia!’

Submitted information:Tickets on sale for Wheeler Theatre's 'Mamma Mia!'

Wheeler High School Theatre rocks to ABBA’s timeless hits in the hilarious feel-good musical, Mamma Mia! April 18, 19 & 20 at 7 pm and April 20 & 21 at 2 pm. 

Told through Swedish pop group ABBA’s timeless music and inspiring the 2008 hit movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia! tells the uplifting story of a young woman’s search for her birth father on the eve of her own wedding. Non-stop laughs, explosive dance numbers, the magical backdrop of a Greek island paradise, and infectious hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “The Winner Takes It All” make Mamma Mia! a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! 

Mamma Mia! is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Rated PG -13. Take a chance on Wheeler Theatre for an ABBA-solutely amazing evening and see why people all around the world have fallen in love with this sunny, funny feel-good show! 

ADVANCE TICKETS are $12 at WHEELERHS.BOOKTIX.COM. Tickets at the door: $20 for adults; $15 for students with ID; $12 for kids 12 and under. CCSD Faculty/Staff receive one free ticket at the door with ID.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy appoints new theater director

Submitted information:

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is thrilled to announce new leadership to further develop its theater program. Mrs. Brittany Leazer will be joining the Academy’s faculty as Theater Director, overseeing our drama program schoolwide. Mrs. Leazer is the owner/artistic director of Brittany Leazer Productions, the leading student theater organization in the region.Mt. Bethel Christian Academy appoints new theater director

Mrs. Leazer will be teaching Upper and Middle School drama classes, producing theatrical performances, and leading a Lower School after-school program. Mr. David Coheley, the school’s current Band Director, with his superlative career as a band instructor, will be focusing on building the band program schoolwide as well, developing new opportunities to accommodate school growth.  

“As a lower, middle, and upper school parent, I am excited about the future of MBCA,” said Mrs. Leazer. I hope to bring my many years of experience in acting, directing, and teaching theater to propel our school to excellence in Performing Arts.”

Mrs. Leazer and her husband, Mike, are parents of three MBCA students. She is an award-winning professional who has produced and directed over 60 children’s and young adult productions and is passionate about doing so from a Christ-centered approach. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Acting and a Master’s Degree in Playwriting. Passion for theater and teaching drives Brittany to help students reach their goals and shine on stage; she is excited about the future of MBCA and is committed to excellence in the performing arts. 

“We know the potential of these kids,” said Mrs. Leazer. “Our family has been, and will continue to be, a part of MBCA for a really long time, and I’m so excited to see the Performing Arts grow.”

Founded in 1998, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is an independent, Christian preparatory school serving 700 students in Junior Kindergarten – twelfth grade. The school has two campuses in east Cobb County. Both campuses provide an extraordinary, Christ-centered environment where students are academically challenged, nurtured, and loved. 

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Cobb school board approves special events facility contract

The Cobb Board of Education approved the hiring of a construction manager for the Cobb County School District’s new special events facility Thursday, but the vote wasn’t unanimous.

Cobb school board approves special events facility contract
Becky Sayler

By a 5-2 vote, the board signed off on the district’s recommendation to hire Winter Construction Co. of Atlanta to oversee construction of the facility, which will be located next to the district’s central office on Glover Street.

The price for the project is estimated to be $50 million, and Winter will be paid 0.8 percent of that amount—around $400,000. The school board in December approved spending $3 million for the property.

A separate vote on the construction project itself will take place later. Funding will come from Cobb Education-IV SPLOST.

The facility, which will seat 8,000, will have graduations and other district-related special events. Estimated project completion is 2026.

But during a board work session Thursday afternoon, school board member Becky Sayler of Post 2 in the Smyrna area said she wasn’t satisfied the board was getting enough details.

The advance meeting agenda did not include the recommended construction manager and included the word “placeholder” in large bold print.

When Sayler asked Chief Technology and Operations Officer Marc Smith for more details, including a final cost, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale interjected to say that won’t be known until construction bids come in.

She pressed for other information–feasibility, cost savings, budget impact, maintenance and staffing costs–and Ragsdale said that “all that information was covered” when the board approved the decision to build a special events center in 2023.

“I remember getting big-picture ideas, but I still have not seen details for an expense of this magnitude,” said Sayler, who was the only board member to cast dissenting vote last year.

“Once the project was approved, we started moving down the path of getting the project in plan and that’s where we are today.”

Sayler and Post 6 board member Nichelle Davis, also of the Smyrna area, were the votes against the construction manager recommendation on Thursday.

In other action Thursday night, the school board voted along partisan lines to make changes to the district’s fiscal management possibilities, removing language requiring board approval of budget transfers.

The vote was 4-3, with the four Republicans voting in favor and the three Democrats voting against. Critics said that move would give the superintendent too much power over financial matters.

Ragsdale and district officials claimed otherwise, and a motion by Sayler to subject financial transfers to board approval failed, along the same party lines.

The board also voted to award a $6 million construction contract to R.K. Redding Construction, Inc. of Bremen for HVAC, door hardware, and plumbing improvements and restroom renovations at Shallowford Falls Elementary School in East Cobb.

The project is expected to be completed in July 2025.

Also on Thursday, the district announced several staff retirements, including East Cobb Middle School principal Leetonia Young, effective June 30.

She has been a teacher and administrator in Cobb since 2004.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Eastside Christian School hires Wheeler magnet teacher

Submitted information:Eastside Christian School hires Wheeler magnet teacher

Eastside Christian School, a K-10th school that launched a high school this year, has announced their first full-time hire as they execute their plans to add a grade each year through 12th grade. Dr. John Cody will be joining the ECS team as the research and internship coordinator and science teacher.

Dr. Cody is coming from Wheeler High School, where he spent the last 17 years as a teacher in the Magnet Program. Dr. Cody brings experience in writing curriculum and has taught Magnet Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Advanced Scientific Research (part of the Wheeler Magnet internship and research program). Dr. Cody earned his PhD in Chemistry at Georgia Tech in 2006.

Eastside Christian’s Head of School, Dr. Tiffany Stark, worked with Dr. Cody for over 10 years during their time together at Wheeler. “I am thrilled that Dr. Cody is going to be joining the Eastside team as we continue to build our high school. He brings a level of excellence to the classroom and delivers challenging content while helping students learn to think and apply at a high level. Dr. Cody is loved by his students and colleagues, and he will be a great addition at Eastside,” said Dr. Stark.

“The idea of being part of a team that is building something from the ground up excites me and, as a matter of fact, was a major contributing factor in this move,” said Dr. Cody. “My time at Wheeler was spent teaching some of the brightest minds in the district, and I always tried to set the achievement bar high for those students. I love the idea of coming alongside an already great team of educators to work toward offering their students excellent educational opportunities as well.”

Dr. Cody will be teaching Honors Chemistry and Honors Biology in the 2024-25 school year, while preparing to launch the internship program at Eastside in the fall of 2025.

For more information about Eastside Christian School, visit www.eastsidechristianschool.com.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Student arrested after Sprayberry HS stabbing incident

Sprayberry High School, Cobb Education SPLOST

Sprayberry High School

UPDATED, MARCH 21:

Cobb Police identified the suspect as Aedan Smith, 17, who was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Wednesday night.

Sgt. Eric Smith, a Cobb P0lice spokesman, said the victim, Earl Nichols, 18, is in critical condition at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

Police said Nichols was found with several puncture wounds, likely from a knife, when Cobb Police were called to the scene by Cobb school district police.

Police said that based on witness interviews, they identified Smith as the suspect, and that the two boys had had a physical altercation.

Aedan Smith was charged with aggravated assault and possessing a weapon on a school campus.

According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office booking reports, he was being held on $10,000 bond, but the Cobb Magistrate Court Clerk’s office said Thursday morning that bond has been revoked.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

A student stabbed another student at Sprayberry High School Wednesday morning, prompting a code red alert.

The suspected assailant was later arrested, the Cobb school district said.

A message went out to the school community said that the assailant fled the scene and the victim was being treated for injuries, but didn’t provide more details.

“Earlier today, a student used a knife to injure another student. The victim has been treated for their injuries,” a Cobb County School District spokeswoman said in a statement.

“The campus is secure, and thanks to the quick response of police the suspect is custody. Learn how we keep Cobb schools safe by visiting  www.cobbshield.com and learn about Cobb’s shield of protection in this podcast.

Wednesday’s attack at Sprayberry is the second at a Cobb high school in recent weeks. 

On Feb. 1, two former McEachern High School students were shot in the school’s parking lot during an altercation and four suspects—all of them teens—have been arrested.

The situation prompted two community town halls in that area by Cobb school board member Tre’ Hutchins. 

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

Cobb school board Post 5 candidates qualify for primary

Cobb school board candidate reports nearly $30K in fundraising

Two candidates who announced their campaigns for the Cobb Board of Education from East Cobb nearly a year ago qualified for the 2024 primary elections on Monday.

Republican John Cristadoro and Democrat Laura Judge filed qualifying paperwork and fees at their local party offices on Monday.

They’re both parents in the Walton attendance zones, and are seeking the Post 5 seat on the school board being vacated by David Banks, a four-term Republican who is not seeking re-election.

The primary election is on May 21.

Post 5, which includes the Walton, Pope and some of the Wheeler attendance zones, is one of four school board posts on the ballot this year.

Three of those seats are held by Republicans, who have a 4-3 majority on a Cobb school board that has been strongly divided along partisan lines in recent years.

In a statement released by his campaign, Cristadoro said that “I am honored to have the opportunity to represent Walton, Wheeler, and Pope High Schools. I believe that maintaining common sense leadership for Cobb schools is paramount to the continued success of all Cobb students.”

After qualifying, Judge announced that she will be holding a fundraiser Thursday hosted by Dr. Dahlia Levine of Dentistry at East Piedmont.

Here are the respective campaign websites for Cristadoro and Judge; and you can find our at-length interviews with both candidates from last spring here and here.

They are the only announced candidates to have qualified thus far. Qualifying continues through noon Friday for Congressional, legislative and local offices across Georgia.

In Cobb, there are three seats on the Board of Commissioners on the ballot—all three currently held by Democrats.

That includes District 2, where first-term Democrat Jerica Richardson has announced her candidacy for the 6th Congressional District.

The Cobb Board of Elections announced Friday it would be honoring “home rule” maps that include some of East Cobb in District 2 while a legal dispute is played out before the Georgia Supreme Court.

The legislature included most of East Cobb in District 3, represented by GOP member JoAnn Birrell. But the county is appealing a ruling by a Cobb judge that said the “home rule” maps preferred by Democrats violates the Georgia Constitution.

Oral arguments before the court are scheduled for April 17, but on Monday Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger blasted the Cobb Elections map decision.

“The Cobb County Commission’s irresponsible decision to proceed with commission-drawn maps jeopardizes candidate qualifying and puts Cobb County voters at risk for disenfranchisement,” Raffensperger said in a release. “The court has already ruled that the commission must use the maps enacted by the General Assembly. Their unilateral decision will add confusion, likely errors, and unnecessary burdens on election officials at the 11th hour. This decision does not serve the people of Georgia.”

On Monday, two previously announced Democratic candidates for District 2 qualified. They are former State Rep. Erick Allen, who drew up the home rule maps that the county is using, and former Cobb school board member Jaha Howard.

William Costa of the Kennesaw area also qualified as a Democrat for District 2.

The other seats up this year include District 4 in South Cobb and the countywide-elected chair.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Cobb school board extends Ragsdale’s contract along party lines

Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale received a one-year extension to his current contract Thursday to run through Feb. 28, 2027.

Cobb school board extends Ragsdale's contract
Cobb Superintendent Chris Ragsdale told his critics: “Do not come after my teachers, my principals or my team.”

The Cobb Board of Education voted 4-3 along party lines to offer the extension to a contract that will continue to pay Ragsdale, who has been superintendent since 2015, a salary of $350,000 a year.

The board’s four Republicans voted in favor, the three Democrats against, following an executive session, but didn’t discuss the matter at the voting meeting Thursday night.

Ragsdale thanked the board for the “vote of confidence” but didn’t elaborate. He later launched into scathing remarks against those critical of the district’s handling of a Feb. 1 shooting in the parking lot of McEachern High School that prompted two town hall meetings.

Two former students were shot and two current students were arrested during the incident, which didn’t extend into the school buildings.

Some citizens called for public meetings to be held on school safety plans, and others wanted the removal of McEachern principal Regina Montgomery.

But Ragsdale said that the details of those plans are discussed in executive session and are not allowed to be made public. He stood by Montgomery, and said there’s a safety plan for every school, including McEachern, and that it was followed on that day.

“I find it disturbing, but not surprising, that the same people and political groups who spoke against increased security measures in our schools . . . are now the very same people screaming the loudest about not having enough resource officers.”

At that point, some in the audience began interrupting, and one person was removed from the room.

“Please sit down and quit being rude and let us conduct our business,” board chairman Randy Scamihorn said.

Cobb school board extends Ragsdale's contract
Melissa Marten of the Cobb Community Care Coalition has been a vocal critic of Ragsdale’s leadership.

Ragsdale continued that “you can continue to come at me with all of your lies, but do not come after my teachers, my principals or my team. They’re all too far and work too high to stoop to your level.”

Before the vote, some critics—wearing shirts that read “No Confidence in Ragsdale”—spoke out against him, complaining mostly about the McEachern situation and efforts they allege the district made to restrict public commenters at the September board meetings and that created what they said was a chaotic situation.

“This was dangerous, and they are lucky no one was seriously injured,” said Melissa Marten, leader of a group called the Cobb Community Care Coalition, which has been critical of the district on a number of issues, including what it contends is an “acceleration of racism, bigotry, and censorship in Cobb County School District.”

“We demand accountability for putting our safety at risk and for district employees wasting our tax dollars and spending their time orchestrating potential violence.

“How can we have safe schools when our schools are run by people like this?” Marten said. “The problem is right here in this room looking at you right now.”

Also on Thursday, the Cobb school board voted to approve a “guaranteed maximum price” of $14.5 million for the Sprayberry High School main campus building replacement project, and to spend $9.328 million for renovations at Blackwell Elementary School on Canton Road.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Cobb school board to set cap on Sprayberry HS rebuild

Sprayberry High School

After approving a contractor for the replacement of the main campus building at Sprayberry High School, the Cobb Board of Education will be asked Thursday to set a maximum construction cost for the project.

The board will be asked to approve a “guaranteed maximum price” of $14.5 million at a voting session Thursday night. The item will be introduced at a work session Thursday afternoon.

The board previously approved hiring Carroll Daniel Construction of Gainesville as the construction manager for the project, which is expected to get underway this summer and take around two years to complete.

The Sprayberry rebuild is one of the first major projects of the Cobb Education-VI Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax period that began collections in January.

Setting a maximum price now, according to an agenda item, will enable the contractor “to move forward procuring long-lead time equipment, sitework/utility relocation, and other enabling work” to meet the anticipated completion deadline of July 2026.

The Cobb County School District is taking out a $100 million loan from future collections in short-term tax anticipation notes (TANS) to get early projects started. The loan has to be repaid by the end of the year.

The Sprayberry main campus building that opened in 1973 will be torn down and replaced with a main classroom and office facility, the latest in a comprehensive overhaul of the Northeast Cobb campus.

A new gymnasium recently opened at Sprayberry, which also has undergone renovations to its CTAE (Career, Technology and Agricultural Education) facility.

Also on Thursday, the board will be presented with an agenda item to spend $9.328 million for renovations at Blackwell Elementary School on Canton Road.

Among the work includes roof, door, window and HVAC replacements, telephone and technology upgrades and maintenance and replacement of computing devices and equipment.

The agenda item states a recommendation for the contract is for Ward Humphrey Inc. of Marietta with an estimated completion date of July 2025.

The board is meeting in public at a 1:30 p.m. work session Thursday and a 7 p.m. business session at the Cobb County School District Central Office (514 Glover St., Marietta).

The agendas for both meetings can be found here; an executive session will take place in between and action is indicated for the voting session for personnel, land and legal matters.

The public meetings also will be live-streamed on the district’s BoxCast channel and on CobbEdTV, Comcast Channel 24.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

East Cobb high schools included in state AP honors program

All six public high schools in East Cobb were honored in several categories Tuesday by the Georgia Department of Education as Superintendent Richard Wood designated AP Honor Schools across the state.Sprayberry High School, Cobb Education SPLOST

A total of 276 designations in 99 high schools were announced in eight categories, reflecting student achievement in Advanced Placement coursework and testing in 2023.

According to a release, “AP exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP courses are one of several ways Georgia students can access college-level learning at the high school level; students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam may receive college credit. GaDOE began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008.”

Kell, Pope, Lassiter, Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler were all included in the state’s list of AP STEM schools, which have “a minimum of five students testing in at least four AP STEM courses, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, and a minimum of 25 exams administered.”

Pope, Lassiter, Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler were also named AP STEM Achievement Schools, with at least 50 percent of all AP STEM exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

Kell, Lassiter, Sprayberry and Walton were named AP Humanities Schools, those “with at least five exams administered in each of the following AP categories: one ELA course, two social studies courses, one fine arts course, and one world language course and a minimum of 25 total exams administered” as well as AP Humanities Achievement Schools, with at least 50 percent of all AP Humanities exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

Pope, Lassiter, Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler were named AP Schools of Distinction, those having at least 20 percent of the total student population taking AP exams and at least 50 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

Sprayberry was included as an AP Access and Support School, which has at least 30 percent of AP exams taken by students who identified as African American and/or Hispanic (minimum of 16 students) and 30 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher (minimum 25 exams).

 

 

East Side ES students experience ‘Courtroom to Classroom’ event

East Side ES students experience 'Courtroom to Classroom' event

Submitted information and photo:

On Friday, February 9th, 2024, the Cobb County Superior Court proudly hosted the first Courtroom to Classroom event of the new year, welcoming nearly 200 enthusiastic fourth graders from East Side Elementary School. The event aimed to educate students about the intricacies of the legal system through an engaging mock trial experience.

Under the guidance of Superior Court judges Jason D. Marbutt, Kellie S. Hill, and Henry R. Thompson, alongside State Court judge Jaret Usher, the young participants delved into a scripted mock trial to determine the guilt of “Jaime Joyride” in the alleged theft of bicycles from a local store. Judge Marbutt expressed his enthusiasm for educating children, noting, “I love having the opportunity to teach kids about our jury system and due process. I was impressed with how seriously the kid jurors took their job!”

Following the mock trial, the students had the privilege of engaging with representatives from the Cobb Sheriff’s Office’s Community Engagement Unit and meeting K-9 officers Rose and Boomer, along with their handlers, Angela and Deputy Jacob Long, respectively. These officers provided valuable insights into their roles within the community and showcased tools used to ensure public safety, including bicycle and trike patrol units. Judge Henry R. Thompson emphasized the importance of public servants participating in community outreach programs, stating, “I think it is the duty of all public servants to participate in community outreach programs whenever feasible.”

The Cobb County Superior Court looks forward to hosting more mock trials throughout the 2023-24 school year, providing valuable educational experiences for fourth- and fifth-grade groups.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

East Cobb Classic 5K and Fun Run returns for second year

East Cobb Classic 5K and Fun Run returns for second year

Submitted information and photo:

Lace ‘em up and let ‘em fly! The East Cobb Classic 5K & Fun Run will return for its second year on March 9. This family friendly event promises a fun-filled morning for all ages while supporting the East Cobb community.

The East Cobb Classic supports the annual fund of Eastside Christian School, which has plans to build a brand new playground and greenspace area.

Registration options include a timed 5K race, untimed 5K run/walk, and a quarter-mile fun run obstacle course. The timed 5K is USATF certified and an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race qualifying event with awards for the top 3 male and female overall finishers, in addition to age group awards. The fun run is filled with exciting obstacles that take kids up, down, and around. All fun run participants receive a finishers medal. Registration for all race day participants includes a super soft race t-shirt.

“I absolutely loved that this was a family event! Very very impressed that it was the first one! Music was great, the race started on time, and they did a fantastic job with the cones and having folks out there at all the turns and intersections. I was super impressed by this,” said competitive runner and USATF certified coach Courtney Strosnider.

“It is well organized, fun crowd, rockin’ DJ! Great race and family fun day! My kids loved getting to do their own race as well,” said Chris Darragh.

“Running and hospitality are both passions of mine. Organizing the race gives me an opportunity to combine both. I love the way it brings together the community of participants, volunteers, and sponsors,” said race director Sara Gentry.

The race takes place at Eastside Christian School, 2450 Lower Roswell Road in Marietta/East Cobb. Register by February 24 to guarantee your t-shirt! For more information and to register to run the East Cobb Classic 5K, visit eastcobbclassic.com.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

PeachSkinSheets makes donation to East Side Elementary PTA

PeachSkinSheets makes donation to East Side Elementary PTA
East Side Elementary PTA Co-President Caitlin Smith, PeachSkinSheets David Bartow

Submitted information and photo:

The Original PeachSkinSheets donated $720 to East Side Elementary PTA as part of the company’s launch of Partners In Education. Many more East Cobb schools will be partnering with PeachSkinSheets this school year.

Known for its super-soft, moisture-wicking antimicrobial bedding, PeachSkinSheets understands the importance of a good night’s sleep for students and educators. Sleep impacts more than just students’ ability to perform well; it improves the ability to learn, memorize, retain, recall and use new knowledge to solve problems creatively. With 32 ultra-soft colors from which to choose, PeachSkinSheets is a necessity for optimal sleep and creativity this school year.

How it works: Families receive a unique online discount code for their school, and with every qualifying purchase, PeachSkinSheets donates $20 per set back to the individual school. All proceeds will be used at schools for various projects including classroom supplies, podcast equipment, teacher appreciation, libraries and more. Online purchase with home delivery makes it simple and easy for Principals/PTAs as well as school families.

On-going commitment: In May 2024, a Teacher Appreciation discount event will give educators a great night’s sleep at an affordable price, while also providing additional funding for teacher’s needs.

The PeachSkinSheets Partners In Education program proudly supports schools across the country while enriching communities. Partners In Education plans to donate $1 Million to schools. For more information, please visit partnerwithpeachskin.com.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Powers Ferry ES ‘Terrific Kids’ honored by Golden K Kiwanis

Powers Ferry ES 'Terrific Kids' honored by Golden K Kiwanis
L to R: Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K members Jim Perry and Rosie Teague; Elayna Wilson, Principal of Powers Ferry Elementary School; Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K members Paul Smith, KCMGK President and member John Kone

Submitted information and photo:

Twenty four Powers Ferry Elementary School  students were presented with a “TERIFFIC KIDS” certificate on February 1st, 2024. Terrific Kids, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in showing “RESPECT” during the month of January. 

Jim Perry, Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K explained, “Terrific Kids  is a character-building program that recognises students for modifying their behavior. The program encourages kids to become the best version of themselves.  Kids determine what being terrific means to them, then develop their own goals and use peer mentoring to hold themselves accountable for the actions they take each week. When a participant  achieves a goal, he or she is recognized for being a Terrific Kid.”

Elayna Wilson, Principal of Powers Ferry ES and Aimee Pieree of the Powers Ferry ES staff presided over the presentation.  A brief party followed the ceremony whereby students that received a certificate received a scrumptious “good bag” filled with delicious snacks.

The presentation was held at 8 am so as not to interfere with students “rest of the day” activities.  A great way to start the school day … a “Teriffic Kids” certificate and morning snack. Congratulations to all of the Powers Ferry Elementary School “TERIFFIC KIDS.” 

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Delta Community’s college scholarship program accepting entries

Submitted information:

Delta Community Credit Union philanthropic grants
Delta Community Credit Union Logo (PRNewsFoto/Delta Community Credit Union)

Delta Community Credit Union, Georgia’s largest credit union with more than $8.6 billion in assets, is accepting entries for its 19th Annual College Scholarship Program. Delta Community will award a $5,000 scholarship to five deserving students to assist with the cost of their college education. Applicants will be awarded scholarships based on their academic achievement, community involvement and essays on the following topic:

With an understanding that financial literacy is an important subject often omitted from school curriculums across many grade levels, Delta Community has developed a nationally recognized Financial Education Center, providing consumers of all ages with comprehensive knowledge of money, saving, banking, investing and more. As you embark on your future, how do you plan to use key financial tips learned along your journey to help you reach your goals?

“Our annual scholarship program emphasizes the importance of financial education, which we believe is essential to everyone’s personal and professional journeys,” said Hank Halter, Delta Community’s CEO. “As champions of community education, we take pride in helping exceptional students pay for the cost of higher learning so they can focus on pursuing their goals and ambitions.”

Applicants must be Delta Community members seeking a first-time undergraduate degree and enrolled full-time at an accredited U.S. college or university during the 2024-2025 fall semester. Students must complete the Delta Community 2024 scholarship application online by 5 p.m. ET on March 1, 2024, in order to qualify, and the award recipients will be announced in early April.

In addition to its annual Scholarship Program, Delta Community offers scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and provides hundreds of free classes in metro Atlanta through its Financial Education Center.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

GOP-backed Cobb school board redistricting bill signed into law

Following up last week’s story about a GOP Cobb school board map that passed the Senate; the same bill was approved by the House Monday by a party-line vote and was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Brian Kemp.

GOP-backed Cobb school board redistricting bill passes House
State Sen. Ed Setzler’s Cobb school board electoral map would split the Walton and Wheeler attendance zones. For a larger view click here.

The Georgia legislature was ordered to draw new maps last month by a federal judge as part of a continuing lawsuit alleging that the 2022 maps diluted minority voting strength under the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

The judge, Eleanor Ross, will review the newly approved map.

The 2022 maps pushed most of the East Cobb area (Walton and Wheeler attendance zones) out of Post 6 and into the Cumberland-Vinings-Smyrna area.

That’s one of three posts held by Democrats on the seven-member Cobb Board of Education. Republicans hold a 4-3 majority and three of the GOP-occupied seats expire at the end of this year.

That includes Post 5 in East Cobb, where four-term Republican David Banks is retiring. The new map, sponsored by GOP Sen. Ed Setzler of Acworth would include most of the Wheeler zone in Post 6.

The 2022 maps had Walton, Wheeler and Pope clusters in Post 5, with Kell, and most of the Lassiter and Sprayberry clusters in Post 4, which is represented by Republican David Chastain.

The new maps were introduced despite the objections of the Democratic-majority Cobb legislative delegation. Rep. Teri Anulewics of Smyrna, the delegation chairwoman, has introduced her own maps, and legislation has passed the House.

Democrats contend the Setzler map continues to pack minority voters into limited areas and reduce their political influence.

Qualifying for school board races is in early March, with primaries in May. Thus far Democrat Laura Judge and Republican John Cristadoro, parents in the Walton zone, have announced their candidacies for the Post 5 seat.

(Note: While school board posts are drawn by the legislature, school attendance zones are determined administratively by the Cobb County School District.)

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!