East Cobb Schools

Cobb school employees on leave over Charlie Kirk messages

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The Cobb County School District said Monday an unspecified number of employees have been placed on administrative leave while it investigates allegations that they posted messages on social media “appearing to celebrate the death of Charlie Kirk.”Campbell High School lockdown

In a release sent out Monday afternoon, the Cobb school district said the employees on leave “will not be in a classroom or interacting with students or parents while on leave. The District will complete a thorough investigation and will take appropriate personnel action. We will also report the matter to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, the ethics board for Georgia educators, requesting appropriate action against their Georgia teaching license.”

The district didn’t indicate how many employees have been placed on leave, and how many are teachers. Nor did the district detail the social media messages or identify the social media platforms where they were posted.

East Cobb News left a message with the Cobb school district seeking more information, but a district spokeswoman said that “We cannot discuss personnel specifically.”

Kirk, 31, was a conservative political activist who was shot and killed in Utah last Wednesday while speaking at a college event.

His death sparked outrage from many conservatives on social media and elsewhere, including President Donald Trump, whom Kirk supported.

But the assassination also has sparked some who opposed Kirk’s politics to express comments that have prompted more controversy.

Employers are taking action against workers who have been accused of cheering Kirk’s killing. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has suspended some employees with a message from its chief executive officer.

Teachers around the country also are being suspended or dismissed for negative comments about Kirk, a junior college dropout who had strong appeal with many students.

Cobb school district media and communications director Nan Kiel said in the release that the district was informed by parents about the posts, which she said “are incredibly rare instances and do not reflect the outstanding professionalism demonstrated by the vast majority of Cobb educators daily.”

Kiel further stated that more complaints about the posts “have been received from Cobb educators, stating these behaviors are inconsistent with the professional duty educators owe their students and the Cobb community. We could not agree more. Professional educators are expected to exercise sound judgment and professionalism in and outside the classroom. ”

The Cobb school district has a social media policy for employees that also has provisions for what employees are permitted to post on their personal and social media accounts.

Among the provisions, employees are refrained from posting material that “displays inappropriate personal information, videos, or pictures that impair the employee’s professionalism and reputation” and “harms the reputation of or discredits the District.”

In its release Monday, the district said that “posts that celebrate or support the murder of an innocent person by a school shooter are unprofessional and disruptive to the school environment. We expect Cobb educators to help students learn and grow, which requires limiting disruptions to their classrooms and school. ”

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East Cobb students plant American flags for 9/11 anniversary

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East Cobb students plant American flags for 9/11 anniversary

Several schools in the East Cobb area have been festooned with American flags for the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

Students at Kell High School planted 2,977 flags—equalling the number of people who were killed in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001—on the school’s lawn.

“A truly touching morning for all who could see this display,” said a message on the school’s Facebook page, which contains more photos.

Similarly, at Pope High School, students there placed the same number of flags on school grounds on Wednesday, so they would be seen as the school day started Thursday.

“We truly have the best students and yesterday was another powerful reminder of their compassion and commitment,” said Pope’s Facebook message, which also included more photos.

East Cobb students plant American flags for 9/11 anniversary

The same gesture was made at Walton High School:

“Every year Student Leadership Council students line the walkways and driveways with flags in honor of the victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001.”

East Cobb students plant American flags for 9/11 anniversary

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East Cobb students named National Merit semifinalists

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More than 16,000 semifinalists have been named for the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program, including a number of seniors at Walton and Wheeler high schools in East Cobb. East Cobb National Merit Scholarship Program

They are competing for 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring by NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance to college-bound students.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and another 300 business organizations, higher education institutions, and individual donors.

The process for the 2025-26 school year began earlier this year, with more than 1.3 million juniors applying. A semifinalist, according to the NMSC, “must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school offi cial, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.”

Finalists will be announced in February 2026, and “Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.”

LASSITER H. S.

  • Lucy Conway; Carter Kopp; Riley Sullivan; Alina Zhu

POPE H. S.

  • Kenneth Kim; Ishaan Marwaha; Ekansh Singh; Nyla Yarbrough

WALTON H. S.

  • Aayushmann Bhattacharyya; Anna Isabelle Cerqueira Perman; Li-Yen Chou; Sean Dalton; Thomas Ellison Cole Jamison; Maxim Le-Tu; Jung Woo Lee; Jacob Lembeck; Aditya Manabala; Aashrith Muppalla; Benjamin Norman; Dev Patel; Christina Philip; Shinjon Rafique; Jeremiah Raj; Ameen Sayeed; Aubrey Seay; Anika Thatte; Vishruthi Thiyagarajan; Logan Wicks; Alena S. Wolfe-Tham; Jerry Xu; Anna Yang

WHEELER H. S.

  • Samuel Grouchnikov; Maddic Jordan; Thilo Kalbarga; Nathan Lawson; John Leith; Madelyn McGurk; Krish Patel; Ananya Rajagopalan; Ritvik Ranjan; Mythili Shah; Vidya Sinha; Ezekiel Skeene; Jacob Thottungal; Dillan Vuong

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Lawmaker files Title IX athletics complaint against Pope HS

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State Rep. John Carson of East Cobb said he has filed a Title IX sex discrimination complaint against Pope High School’s athletics department for a policy regarding female sports eligibility.Pope softball

Carson said in a release he filed a complaint with the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which enforces Title IX.

That’s a federal education law that bans sex discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal funding.

In his complaint, Carson said that female varsity and junior varsity basketball players were told they could not participate in other sports at the same time, but that male basketball players were not subject to the same policy.

Carson, a Republican who represents District 46 that includes Northeast Cobb, said the policy was implemented in the spring, and that he sent a written complaint to the Cobb County School District in April after hearing from parents.

“This restriction does not apply to their male counterparts, many of whom are allowed to play multiple sports simultaneously and openly without consequence,” Carson said in the release, announcing the complaint, which stems from some of the girls also wanting to play flag football (a sport in which Pope is a current state champion).

“As I said in my letter to the Cobb County School Board, please let the girls play.”

East Cobb News has left a message with the Cobb school district seeking more information, and received this vague response, which didn’t answer any of the issues raised by Carson in his complaint:

“As the school shared with families last year, athletic practices apply to all of our students, both boys and girls.

Schools across the county and metro follow a clear athletic practice: students should finish one sports season before starting another, unless both head coaches and the principal agree to an exception.

This helps protect the health of student athletes by limiting fatigue and preventing injury, especially when sports seasons overlap. Our goal is to support the health, safety, and success of every student-athlete in Cobb.”

Updated: The conservative Cobb Voice website suggested that Carson “may have cried wolf” with his complaint, and included an excerpt from an April message from Pope principal Matthew Bradford saying that female athletes can play basketball and flag football:

 “In the same way, both boys and girls have the same opportunity, schedule permitting, to try out and/or play in two sports simultaneously when seasons overlap.”

The Cobb Voice—whose contributors are not identified, opined that:

“Some are asking whether Rep. Carson is truly defending fairness or simply meddling in matters best left to educators. Local athletic policies are developed by coaches, principals, and administrators who work directly with students. By injecting politics into a process governed by local control, Carson risks overstepping his role as a state legislator.

But Cobb Board of Education member John Cristadoro, whose Post 5 in East Cobb includes the Pope cluster, posted on his Facebook page Tuesday that “Given the seriousness of such an allegation, I hope a thorough review was conducted prior to its filing. If any concerns are found to be valid, I trust the district will take the necessary steps to address and resolve them.”

He also said that “From my experience, I also believe our coaches and athletic directors across Cobb County and across Georgia, recognize the unique challenges faced by multi-sport athletes and strive to make roster decisions with student safety in mind. Pope High School has made clear to families that this commitment applies equally to all students—boys and girls alike.”

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Dodgen MS chamber orchestra to perform at The Midwest Clinic

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Dodgen MS chamber orchestra to perform at The Midwest Clinic

Submitted information and photo:

The Dodgen Middle School Chamber Orchestra recently received one of the highest honors possible—the opportunity to perform at the 2025 Midwest Clinic! The junior high musicians and their chaperones will head to Chicago during December’s Holiday Break.

“An invitation to perform at the Midwest Clinic is the highest honor any orchestra or band can receive in the nation. It is the equivalent of winning the Super Bowl,” said Dodgen Orchestra Director Ashley Culley. “We applied by audition with a recording and a video. A panel of judges chose us from hundreds of applicants based on our performance.”

The Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference offers workshops, exhibits, and performances. Over 18,000 attendees come from all 50 states and more than 40 countries to participate, listen, and learn. The Midwest Clinic offers educators and students a memorable opportunity to network and enjoy all things music.

The Dodgen MS Chamber Orchestra is one of only two middle school orchestras invited to perform at the 2025 Midwest Clinic. They are the only ensemble (band or orchestra) selected from the state of Georgia this year. The Dodgen Chamber Orchestra includes 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students.

“Directors Ashley Culley and Evelyn Champion have led their orchestra programs for many years and have earned many performance honors and accolades, but this is a dream come true for these directors and their students,” said Dodgen Principal Dr. Patricia Alford. “Performing at The Midwest Clinic is a rare privilege, and I am so proud of these teachers and their students! I know they will represent Dodgen and Cobb very well.”

The students have been preparing for this since they held an orchestra minicamp in July. This allowed the students to get to know each other and their music. The entire Midwest Clinic performance has already been planned and approved, and includes a wide variety of styles and difficulty levels. The students rehearse four mornings a week before school with additional after-school rehearsals to prepare for this major performance.  

“They are very excited about their performance in Chicago. They talk about it every day in class. They know what a tremendous honor it is to be selected to perform at the Midwest Clinic. We hope they learn that perseverance and hard work really do pay off,” said Director Culley.

“We are sincerely grateful to all of the families that continually support their young musicians throughout this journey to the Midwest Clinic. We would also like to thank Principal Alford and the Dodgen administration and faculty. We couldn’t accomplish this without the full support of the entire Dodgen community,” Director Culley concluded.

A Midwest Clinic “Preview Concert” will be held on Thursday, December 4, at 7:00 pm in the Walton High School Theater. All are invited to attend.

For more information, visit the Dodgen MS Orchestra website.

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Tommy Nobis Center accepting student advisory applications

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Submited information:Tommy Nobis Center

Tommy Nobis Center is proud to announce the return of its Student Advisory Board, now entering its fourth year of inspiring and empowering the next generation of leaders across Metro Atlanta. This unique, semester-long program offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to make a difference in their communities while gaining valuable real-world experience through leadership, philanthropy, and service.

Student Advisory Board members will contribute valuable perspectives and serve as youth ambassadors, helping to shift mindsets and narratives about people with disabilities. Students will also have opportunities to earn volunteer hours, engage with community leaders, and be considered for one of three college scholarships.

“Our Student Advisory Board continues to be a powerful platform for young leaders who want to make a difference,” said Monica Oliveira, Director of Development. “Not only do they grow as individuals and emerging leaders, but they also play a key role in building a more inclusive future for all.”

Applications are now open through Wednesday, September 10th, 2025. For more information or to apply, visit: https://tommynobiscenter.org/student-advisory-board/.

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Vietnamese Catholic church planned at old Eastvalley ES site

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Vietnamese Catholic school planned at old Eastvalley ES site

Here’s an update to our story on Friday about the sale of the former Eastvalley Elementary School site to the Roman Catholic Archiodecese of Atlanta:

Maureen Smith, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, told East Cobb News on Monday that a church catering to the local Vietnamese community will be opening on the former Eastvalley site.

The Cobb County School District announced last week that it had sold the building and nearly 10 acres of property on Lower Roswell Road at Holt Road for $4.25 million.

Smith said the church will be named after Our Lady of Lavang, an apparition of the Virgin Mary that dates back to the late 1700s, when Catholics in Vietnam were suffering persecution. A basilica named Our Lady of Lavang was dedicated in the village of La Vang, near Hue in central Vietnam, in 1962.

This will be the third Vietnamese church in the Atlanta area run by the archdiocese, joining Our Lady of Vietnam in Riverdale and Holy Vietnamese Martyrs in Norcross.

The former Eastvalley site has been closed since 2023, when the new school campus opened on Holt Road, across from Wheeler High School.

The building opened in the early 1960s and includes 50,000 square feet of space.

Smith said that “there are no plans for major renovations or construction at this time. The church hopes to use the facility as-is for now.”

She didn’t have specific timeline for when the church would open, but said that “it will take some time to finish all the contracts and paperwork before we can start using it.”

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Cobb school district sells former Eastvalley ES properties

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Cobb school district sells former Eastvalley ES properties

UPDATED:

The former Eastvalley ES site is being planned as a church for the Vietnamese Catholic community.

ORIGINAL POST:

The Cobb County School District has sold the former site of Eastvalley Elementary School on Lower Roswell Road.

The Cobb Board of Education announced on Thursday that it approved the sale of two parcels of land where the school once held classes for $4.275 million.

Board member John Cristadoro said after an executive session that the land has been sold to AoA Properties Holding Inc.

That’s a non-profit that handles property and real estate matters for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, which operates a number of private schools in the metro Atlanta area.

They include St. Joseph School in Marietta and Siena of St. Catherine School in Kennesaw. There are no Catholic schools in the East Cobb area other than preschools at the Holy Family, St. Ann and Transfiguration parishes.

East Cobb News has left messages with the Atlanta archdiocese seeking information.

The Cobb school district had been shopping the Eastvalley site since 2023, when the new campus opened on Holt Road on the former site of East Cobb Middle School.

The original Eastvalley building has 50,000 square feet and the property includes athletic facilities and an undeveloped wooded area.

Eastvalley opened on Lower Roswell at the intersection of Holt Road in the early 1960s. In its final years, the school was heavily overcrowded, and operated with trailer classrooms that were the subject of parental complaints.

Cristadoro said that the Cobb school district would be retaining control of two telecommunications leases on the property after closing.

The sale comes amid expansion and relocation of private schools in the East Cobb area. Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is in the process of moving off the campus of Mt. Bethel Church, and Eastside Christian Church, located next to the former Eastvalley site, is adding a high school.

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Cobb schools: ‘No plan’ to revive events center at Marietta site

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Former Cobb schools special events site proposed for parking area
The Cobb school district wants to improve traffic access between its main facilities in Marietta and create additional parking.

The Cobb County School District wants to use property it purchased for a special events center for more parking space and to better connect its central office facilities in Marietta.

During a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said he has “no plans” to revive efforts to build an events center at that location that was canceled last year.

The board voted 5-2 Thursday night to approve a $1.97 million contract to improve 3.42 acres on Glover Street, next to the district’s central office. What remain are concrete slabs from former office buildings that have been torn down.

Marc Smith, the district’s chief technology and operations officer, said during a work session Thursday afternoon that the project would removing the slabs and improve frontage access along Glover Street as well as build the parking space.

He didn’t indicate how many parking spaces would be provided. In addition to the central office building, the district is surrounded by separate buildings for its data recovery center and a maintenance on Glover Street and its human resources building on Glover Street at Fairground Street.

Glover Street is a two-way street with small industrial-type businesses.

The proposed events center, which would have cost $50 million to house graduations and other major activities, was initially approved by the board in 2023. The center would have included an 8,000-seat arena, plus conference space and parking decks.

But Ragsdale cited economic concerns for the cancellation, which came last July, and after critics of the special events center revealed a site plan that had not been previously released by the district.

When board member Becky Sayler asked if “anything new” is to be built on the properties, Ragsdale said “it’ll be parking.

“As far as discussions that have taken place in executive session, I will continue to update the board on any kind of requirements. What I will say is that there is no plan now or moving forward for the multi-purpose facility to be there.

“It will be paved for parking and if anything additional is needed central office-wise the board will be apprised in discussion in executive session about land acquisitions and anything we might be doing in the future,” he said, not ruling out the possibility of eyeing an events center elsewhere.

Sayler was the only vote against the special events center and the purchase of the properties in 2023 for $3 million.

Board member John Cristadoro asked Ragsdale if there was a “super secret, covert mission” to revive the special events center on Glover Street, and the superintendent said simply, “No.”

Board member Randy Scamihorn said the work also will clear out an abandoned rail spur and and relieve traffic congestion on Glover Street that’s used heavily by district employees.

“There’s a considerable amount of work to be done just to get that property appearance acceptable in my opinion,” Scamihorn said.

He compared the site, with the slabs and bumpy asphalt, to “an outdoor house.”

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News site to record public comment stream ended by Cobb school board

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Cobb school board public conduct policy
East Cobb resident Jenny Peterson is a frequent public commenter critical of Cobb school district leadership and a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the district.

UPDATED:

You can watch replays of the public comment sessions at the Cobb school board meetings here and here.

Larry Felton Johnson, editor and publisher of the Cobb County Courier was told could record only from a seat near a wall.

ORIGINAL POST:

After the Cobb Board of Education voted last week not to air public comments at its meetings any longer, a local news website is planning to fill in the gap.

Larry Felton Johnson, editor and publisher of the Cobb County Courier, said he will be recording the public comments on his site’s YouTube and Facebook pages, and that “they’ll be available for viewing after the meetings.”

Johnson won’t be streaming the parts of the meetings that will continue to be aired on the Cobb school district outlets, but said that “I’m going to start livestreaming when public comments start, and stop when they are over.”

The school board will entertain public comments at a work session at 1:30 p.m. Thursday and at a voting meeting at 7 p.m., but the district’s livestream will not be airing them.

District officials cited legal and “efficiency” reasons for ending the public comment broadcasts in a party-line vote, but critics said the changes were made to stifle public dissent.

Georgia law requires public school districts to provide public comment periods at its meetings, but they don’t have to air them to the public.

On Monday, Johnson posted a story about how the Georgia Open Meetings Act enables the public to record public meetings.

The Cobb school district has been airing public comments on its livestream channel and local cable outlets for several years, with up to 30 minutes set aside at each public meeting.

But in recent years the criticisms have become more frequent and sharper on a number of issues, and in some instances speakers and audience members have been removed from the meeting room for being disruptive.

The Courier is an independent all-online news outlet started by Felton, who is based in Mableton and whose news service covers the county.

His outlet has covered Cobb school district developments critically and aggressively, especially before a September 2023 board meeting. The district changed the sign-up procedures for public commenters, and chaos broke out, with some saying they were shoved around.

Some citizens had showed up to protest Ragsdale and accused the district of trying to limit critical comments; the episode led to a federal lawsuit whose plaintiffs include one of the protestors, East Cobb resident Jenny Peterson.

In March 2024, the Courier published reports accusing the Cobb school district’s media staff of acting to silence critics and improperly accessing student files.

The stories were based on e-mails and other materials obtained in an open records request by Jennifer Susko, a former Cobb school counselor and a vocal critic of the district.

Since 2021, the district has declined to comment on stories published by the Courier, citing “ongoing concerns with accuracy in reporting.” But the Courier has said the district has never asked for a correction or retraction.

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Former Cobb schools special events site proposed for parking area

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Former Cobb schools special events site proposed for parking area
The Cobb school district is seeking to add parking space next to its central office on Glover Street in Marietta (in background).

The Cobb County School District wants to build a parking area next to its main administrative offices in Marietta on property that once was proposed for a $50 million special events center.

The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday will hear a request for a $1.97 million contract for “site improvements” at 440 and 460 Glover Street, according to an agenda item.

The board will hold a work session Thursday at 1:30 p.m., followed by possible voting action Thursday at 7 p.m.

All meetings take place in the board room of the CCSD Central Office, at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. An executive session will follow the work session.

You can read through the agenda details for the meetings at this link; and you can watch the public meetings on a livestream on the district’s Boxcast Channel.

The combined 3.42 acres on Glover Street are vacant lots. There was an aging building on the property that has since been torn down, in an area with small industrial-type businesses.

When East Cobb News contacted the Cobb school district Tuesday for more information, a spokeswoman said “we are now clearing its foundation to add additional parking for parents, teachers, and administrators.”

According to bidding information available online, “this project consists of building foundation and existing parking lot demolition. Construction of a new parking area with stormwater infrastructure and landscape per City of Marietta standards.”

The board agenda item said that the recommended contractor is NPSG Built of Woodstock, but didn’t indicate how the project would be funded, which is customary with construction and maintenance contracts. The work is expected to be completed by January.

The Cobb school board purchased the two parcels for $3 million in 2023, following a request from Superintendent Chris Ragsdale to build a special events center for district graduation ceremonies and other major activities.

Although the plans were approved later in 2023, the board canceled the project last year, less than a month after a citizens watchdog group revealed a site plan that the district had previously not made public.

The 190,000-square-foot building would have included 148,000 square feet of space for an 8,000-seat basketball arena, as well as two hospitality suites, but the district never specified some of those details. The facility also would have had 41,000 square feet of space for conferences and banquets and more than 1,500 parking spaces.

In calling for the cancellation of the special events center shortly before the district’s fiscal year 2025 budget was to be approved, Ragsdale cited economic reasons, saying that “this recommendation does not negate the dire need for this facility, but a facility can never take priority over our employees.”

Also on Thursday, the board will hear a proposal to build a $4.589 million school bus depot on Veterans Memorial Drive in Mableton, which has drawn strong opposition in that community.

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Pope HS teacher named 2025 Cobb County Teacher of the Year

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Pope HS teacher named 2025 Cobb County Teacher of the Year
Amanda Dillard, her husband Josh and their sons with Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale. CCSD photos.

As a packed gym began to roar, officials from the Cobb County School District and her own family awaited away from the bleachers.

The rally at Pope High School on Tuesday morning turned into a celebration for one of their own. Amanda Dillard was named Cobb’s teacher of the year for 2025, two weeks after being named the district’s high school teacher of the year.

“It was a huge surprise to be named the District Teacher of the Year for Cobb County. I feel really honored and just really blessed overall for being recognized that way,” said Dillard, whose students also gave testimonials for her impact on their lives.

“My goal is to help my students be successful, not just here at Pope, but when they graduate and later on in life as well,” she said.

Benjamin, a sophomore, said Dillard helped him catch up academically, and wouldn’t let him give up.

“The times that I wasn’t feeling like I could do it, or if my brain just wasn’t clicking on whatever it was, she wouldn’t stop saying, ‘I can do this. You got this. I can help you,’ ” Benjamin said in a release issued by the Cobb school district.

Another Pope student, Landon, a senior, said that Dillard is “…a joy to see. . . . She always manages to find a way to make us want to do our best,” Landon explained.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and Cobb Board of Education members John Cristadoro, David Chastain and Brad Wheeler were in attendance at the pep rally, as were Dillard’s husband Josh, and their three sons.

As the district’s teacher of the year, Dillard will be honored at a special ceremony this fall at the Marietta Square, where her handprints will be cemented on the Walk of Fame.

That’s part of a celebration organized by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce called Give Our Schools a Hand. Her students will also join her for a memorable pep rally that honors Teachers of the Year across Cobb.

“Seeing Ms. Dillard with her students today reminds me why Cobb’s families love our schools. Our teachers really, actually care about our students, and, especially on days like today, it shows,” Chastain said.

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KSU gym to become VyStar Arena in $4M naming-rights deal

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KSU gym to become VyStar Arena in $4M naming-rights deal

The Kennesaw State University Convocation Center, where Cobb County high school graduations take place, will take on additional branding soon.

The KSU Athletics Association and VyStar Credit Union announced a $4 million, 10-year partnership Tuesday to rename the interior of the facility after the financial institution.

“The new VyStar Arena will serve as a symbol of shared values and a space where school pride, progress and connection come together,” KSU said in a release Tuesday.

KSU basketball and volleyball teams compete there in NCAA Division I competitions and Conference USA.

The partnership includes ticket discounts for sporting events for military members and first responders, as well as additional game-day events and experiences for students and other participants.

The KSU Convocation Center, which opened in 2005, seats more than 3,800 people.

VyStar is based in Jacksonville, Fla., and has 78 locations Florida and Ge0rgia including Smyrna, Suwanee and Peachtree Corners.

 

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2025 Milestones test results: East Cobb middle, high schools

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East Cobb high schools AP honors
Georgia Milestone results at Kell High School for 2025 were mixed, as they were at a number of Cobb schools.

On Friday we detailed the 2025 Georgia Milestones test results as they applied to East Cobb elementary schools in certain categories, just a sampling of the broader comprehensive data released by the Georgia Department of Education.

In this post we’ll pull out a subject category at the 8th grade level that’s been the subject of some concern—English Language Arts—and the four subject areas in which high school students are evaluated for Milestones.

The Milestones measuring points are vast—there are 20 different assessments are measured at the end of each semester, as well as the end of the school year.

Students are tested in grades 3-8 in English Language Arts, reading and math, in grades 5-8 in those subjects plus science, and all those subjects plus social studies in grade 8. High school students are tested in American Literature, algebra, biology and U.S. history.

Students are categorized in one of four levels, based on those test scores: Level 1 is Beginning Learner, Level 2 is a Developing Learner, Level 3 is a Proficient Learner and Level 4 is Distinguished Learner.

The results for the five categories we’ve outlined in the tables at the bottom are mixed. In 8th grade English Language Arts, the mean scores as well as the percentage of students at a school deemed a proficient learner or above were down from 2024.

Among East Cobb middle schools, only Daniell’s percentage was higher than last year, and that was up slightly, to 48 percent. The drop at East Cobb Middle School was stark—from 42.6 at proficient and above last year, to only 30.8 percent in 2025. The decline at Hightower Trail and McCleskey were both at nine percent.

At the Cobb County School District level, there were more encouraging signs in 7th grade ELA, which was up 1.7 percent from last year across the district, and where reading at grade-level improved by 2.6 percentage points.

Eighth-grade social studies is where Cobb students stood out in metro Atlanta, topping students in other districts by eight percentage points.

At the high school level, Cobb students led metro Atlanta area school districts in American Literature, biology, algebra and U.S. History.

But results were mixed among East Cobb high schools. For example, Kell High School had dramatic rises in the percentage of proficient learners in biology in algebra—12- and nine-percent gains, respectively) but fell 12 percent in that category in U.S. History.

Conversely, at Pope High School, the percentage of proficient or above learners in algebra fell from 73.8 to 64.1, but students there did marginally better in biology from 2024 to 2025.

High schools in East Cobb continued to lead the Cobb school district in many of those metrics. But Wheeler was an exception, with a 12-percent drop in alegbra, and nearly eight percent lower in American Literature and Composition and U.S. History. In biology, Wheeler students raised their proficiency levels by two percent.

(The Cobb school district’s release can be found here.)

“For the 10th year in a row, Cobb’s return on the taxpayer’s investment can be seen in this year’s Milestones results,” Cobb school board chairman David Chastain said in a district release.

“Providing parents with some of the highest results, at one of the lowest costs, is something we are committed to. The staff is looking at other opportunities to grow and give parents even more options—I am very sure wewill.”

Here’s the link to the Georgia Milestones dashboard, but a warning: There is a massive amount of information and instructions on how to use it.

Broader state education data, including district- and school-level test results, can be found at this link.

That’s also where we referenced spreadsheets to list school-level results for schools in East Cobb (spring 2025 End of Grade and spring 2025 End of Course) that have been detailed in these two posts.

8th Grade English Language Arts

[wptg_comparison_table id=”66″]

High School American Lit/Composition

[wptg_comparison_table id=”67″]

High School Biology

[wptg_comparison_table id=”68″]

High School Algebra

[wptg_comparison_table id=”69″]

High School U.S. History

[wptg_comparison_table id=”70″]

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2025 Milestones test results: East Cobb elementary schools

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Mt. Bethel ES, Cobb CCRPI scores
Students at Mt. Bethel ES in East Cobb tested well in 3rd-grade reading and 5th-grade math.

While students in the Cobb County School District surpassed state averages in a number of categories in the 2025 Georgia Milestones test results, some of those numbers are down from last year, including schools in East Cobb.

The Georgia Department of Education on Friday released its 2025 results, which show some gains in mathematics results after new standards were introduced in 2024.

Fifth-graders at elementary schools in East Cobb turned in some of the best math results in Cobb and across the state, according to data provided by the state (and summarized in the table below).

But third-grade reading scores were down at a number of schools over 2024 (see table below), in one of the key early benchmark educational indicators.

Here’s the link to the Georgia Milestones dashboard, but a warning: There is a massive amount of information and instructions on how to use it.

Broader state education data, including district- and school-level test results, can be found at this link.

That’s where we referenced spreadsheets to list school-level results for schools in East Cobb (spring 2025 End of Grade and spring 2025 End of Course).

Due to the amount of data and explanation involved, we will be breaking out these results in two stories.

In this post, we will detail the results of those two elementary school categories.

In a separate post, will look at middle school and high school results.

For the Georgia Milestones assessments, students are tested in grades 3-8 in English Language Arts, reading and math, in grades 5-8 in those subjects plus science, and all those subjects plus social studies in grade 8. High school students are tested in American Literature, algebra, biology and U.S. history.

A total of 20 different assessments are measured at the end of each semester, as well as the end of the school year.

Students are categorized in one of four levels, based on those test scores: Level 1 is Beginning Learner, Level 2 is a Developing Learner, Level 3 is a Proficient Learner and Level 4 is Distinguished Learner.

The state education department said Friday that the percentage of students achieving the Proficient Learner level or above increased in six of the seven mathematics assessments in 2025.

The Cobb school district’s release (you can read it here) was devoted more to middle- and high school test results that we’ll examine in more detail in a separate post.

While numerous East Cobb schools showed strong results in third-grade reading, only a few of them were improvements over 2024.

Among those schools with higher results this year include Blackwell (a gain of nearly 10 percentage points of students testing with a proficiency at grade level or above, to 74.2 percent).

Seven schools had 90 percent or more of its students reaching that benchmark.

One of them, Mt. Bethel Elementary School, also is one of four schools in East Cobb in which 80 percent or more of the students tested showing reading proficiency at grade level or above.

Mt. Bethel also is one of seven schools in East Cobb in which 40 percent or more of the students tested are considered “distinguished learners,” the highest level of proficiency.

Again, what follows is a sampling of just two of the state’s elementary school assessments. The downloadable spring 2025 End of Grade and spring 2025 End of Course spreadsheets contain all results by school name, grade and subject.

3rd Grade Reading

[wptg_comparison_table id=”64″]

5th Grade Math

[wptg_comparison_table id=”65″]

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Cobb Collaborative concludes Summer Reading Program

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Cobb Collaborative Summer Reading program concludes

Submitted information and photos:

Summer provides a unique opportunity for parents and children to connect, learn, and grow together. That is exactly what Cobb Collaborative aimed to foster through their third annual Summer Reading program.

In partnership with Cobb County Public Library, and McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA, Marietta City Schools and YELLS, Inc. Cobb Collaborative brought weekly literacy programming and free books to children across four multi-family communities in Marietta.

“This summer, we not only brought books—we also brought games, hands-on learning activities, and opportunities for joyful engagement,” said Alison Nyarko, Cobb Collaborative’s Director of Early Childhood Programs. “It was inspiring to see how eager the children were to participate, whether they were solving puzzles, coloring, or exploring new stories. These moments, as simple as they may seem, gave children of all ages the opportunity to learn through play, and showed them that they are seen, valued, and deeply cared for.”The program encouraged participation in Cobb County Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge and engaged 63 active readers.. Children were encouraged to track their reading weekly, resulting in a remarkable 48,633 minutes of reading—a 70% increase from last year and equivalent to more than 33 days of continuous reading.

“The laughter, the dancing, the excitement as kids picked out their own books—it’s all a reminder that reading is fun, social, and deeply meaningful,” Nyarko added. “A single book can spark imagination, strengthen bonds, and plant the seeds for lifelong learning. Our summer events gave families opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together.”

Each week, families also received resources from The Basics Cobb County, an initiative of Cobb Collaborative grounded in five science-based parenting principles that support early brain development. Materials were shared in both English and Spanish, and included videos, printed tools, and playful learning activities.

The summer series concluded with a celebration attended by Dr. Grant Rivera, Superintendent of Marietta City Schools, and Blue from Positive Childhood Alliance Georgia, adding fun and reinforcing the message that safe, connected relationships are key to every child’s success. Dr. Rivera emphasized how the school district is there to support every student, every classroom, and every family.

As the school year begins, Cobb Collaborative continues its literacy efforts through Basics Playground Paloozas, Little Free Library restocks, family reading kits, and community book distributions throughout the county.

Cobb Collaborative concludes Summer Reading Program

Cobb Collaborative concludes Summer Reading Program

Cobb Collaborative concludes Summer Reading Program

Cobb Collaborative concludes Summer Reading Program

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Ga. to distribute $6.5M in federal funds to Cobb schools

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After being held up for weeks by the U.S. government, the Georgia Board of Education on Wednesday approved the allocation of federal funding to local school districts to provide literacy services for migrant students, teacher and professional development, English learning programs and other educational grants.Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Scholars East Cobb

The Cobb County School District will be allocated $6.547 million in funding under federal Title II, Title III and Title IV provisions that have been on hold.

Nearly $7 billion in federal education spending and grants were frozen by the Trump Administration, despite being approved by Congress and signed into law.

White House officials said they were to to conduct a review to see if those programs align with “the president’s priorities.”

In particular, programs and services targeting migrant students was coming under scrutiny by the Trump Administration.

As a result, a number of states sued the administration, and some state school superintendents, including Richard Woods of Georgia, urged the release of the funds as the budgets for most school districts began on July 1.

Georgia schools will receive $145 million in those funds, and Woods said the following on Wednesday in a statement released by the Georgia Department of Education:

“As I’ve said before, I support both fiscal responsibility and the principle of returning control of education to states and local communities. That work is only possible when states have timely access to the resources already authorized at the federal level. I’m glad Georgia districts will now have these funds in hand as we get our school year started.”

According to the state, Cobb schools will be receiving the following amounts of federal funding that had been frozen:

  • “Title II, Part A aims to improve student outcomes by enhancing teacher and leader effectiveness through professional development, recruitment, and retention” ($3.357 million)

  • “Title III, Part A supports English learners in achieving English proficiency and academic success through language instruction, educator training, and community engagement” ($1.677 million)

  • “Title IV, Part A promotes a well-rounded education, safe and healthy school environments, and effective technology use to enhance learning and digital literacy” ($1.511 million)

Cobb isn’t receiving any funding for Title I, Part C, which according to the state “focuses on addressing the unique needs of migratory children through services like tutoring, summer programs, and parent outreach.”

Previously, the U.S. Department of Education released $1.3 billion in after-school and summer learning funding.

The Cobb school district fiscal year 2026 budget of $1.8 billion went into effect on July 1. Of that amount, around $117 million comes from federal sources (budget chart here).

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Cobb Chamber’s 2025-26 youth leadership class announced

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The Cobb Youth Leadership (CYL), a development program sponsored by the Leadership Cobb Alumni Association and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta that focuses on developing leadership skills through interactive participation, has announced the members of its 2025-2026 class.Cobb Chamber annual golf tournament

They include a number of students from high schools in East Cobb.

Here’s more about CYL from the Chamber:

“Created in 1989, the program provides students a unique opportunity to learn about their community as well as meet and interact with students from other high schools. Students attending public or private high schools or home-school students in Cobb County must complete and submit an application for CYL in the spring of their sophomore year. Students participate in the program during their junior year of high school.”

The Presenting Sponsor is Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and other sponsors include Six Flags Over Georgia, Walton Communities, and Kennesaw State University.

  • Johnson Ferry Christian Academy: Abby West
  • Lassiter High School: Julia Curtis
  • Mt. Bethel Christian Academy: Asher Adams
  • Pope High School: Abby Harsch
  • Sprayberry High School: Mary McGee
  • Walton High School: Gabi Angryk, Aashray Arun, Safah Patel, Young Kirkland, Jordyn Rubin, Emerson Webb
  • Wheeler High School: Takara Cannon, Jolie Charles, Raleigh Rhoden

According to the Chamber, orientation for the 60-member class begins on Aug. 11, with a fall retreat in September and several program evenings scheduled until graduation next April.

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Cobb students go back to school: 2025-26 year begins

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Cobb school bus safety

The Cobb County School District’s 2025-26 academic year begins on Monday, serving more than 105,000 students across the county.

Teachers returned to their classes for final preparations, and school buses were making their practice runs in the last week as Georgia’s second-largest school district revs back into action after a two-month summer break.

There will be more traffic on the roads in the early morning rush hour and after mid-afternoon school release times.

Cobb DOT posted a social media message this week reminding motorists about new state laws pertaining to penalties for illegally passing stopped school buses.

A law went into effect July 1 making such an offense an aggravated misdemeanor, with offenders facing a $1,000 fine, up to 12 months in jail or both.

“If the violation is recorded by cameras mounted on school buses, it results in a civil fine starting at $1,000,” according to the Cobb DOT.

School bus traffic and student pedestrian safety issues to keep in mind:
  • Yellow flashing lights mean the school bus is slowing down and about to stop.
  • Red flashing lights and the extended stop arm mean children are boarding or exiting the bus. Motorists must come to a complete stop a safe distance from the bus. They must wait until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm is retracted, and the bus starts moving again.
  • Children along the road might dart into traffic without looking. Motorists are responsible for driving slowly, yielding to crossing children and coming to a complete stop to protect children on the road.
  • Please drive slowly in your neighborhoods as school buses conduct pick-ups and drop-offs in subdivisions too.
  • Remember to use your headlights if it is dark outside to ensure visibility of pedestrians.

The Cobb school district’s transportation page includes links to finding bus routes, using its bus mobile app and following bus safety tips.

The distict’s Cobb Shield page includes school safety information, including links on the alert tip line, emergency management procedures and the district’ police officers.

Parents, teachers and students actively communicate via the district’s CTLS online portal about academic progress, student outcomes, assessments and learning resources.

Here’s more district information on student meals at school and health care services.

The school district calendar includes a number of breaks and digital learning days, as well as early-release days.

For other general information, including the student code of conduct guide, click here.

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Pope special education teacher named Cobb HS teacher of year

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Pope special education teacher named Cobb HS teacher of year
From L-R: Pope HS principal Matthew Bradford; Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale; Amanda Dillard; Cobb school board member John Cristadoro. Cobb County School District photos and video.

As teachers returned to their classrooms Monday to get ready for another academic year, three of them were in for a big surprise.

The first day back also coincides with the Cobb County School District’s announcement of grade-level 2025 Teacher of the Year honors, and one of them works at a school in East Cobb.

Amanda Dillard of Pope High School, a special education teacher, was named the district’s High School Teacher of the Year during an assembly visited by Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, who made the announcement.

“Every day when I come into work, I hope that I can make a difference in at least one student’s life,” Dillard said in a district release, describing her daily perspective. “Each day, I hope I can connect one-on-one with at least one student to make their day better. I bring a lot of positive energy and positive vibes to our environment here. I try to bring the fun!”

She said she enjoys the family atmosphere at Pope and that “I feel very supported in my work. I don’t think there’s anywhere else that supports their employees the way Cobb does.”

Dillard, who also is Pope’s e-sports coach, is among the hundreds of Cobb teachers in the Georgia’s BEST program, which provides Cobb teachers with free graduate degree programs through the State University of West Georgia.

She will be a finalist for the 2025 Cobb Teacher of the Year, which will be announced this fall. The other candidates are Caleb Garrett of Compton Elementary School and Lakeisha Grange, a math teacher at Betty Gray Middle School.

Teachers are selected by their colleagues as their individual school’s teacher of the year, before being considered for grade-level recognition.

“The Teachers of the Year are the ‘superstars,’ but it takes the entire team to make our District successful,” Ragsdale said. “It is always so great to see all the other teachers at a school gather around and support the winner. You get to really see the team approach.”

The first day of the 2025-26 school year is Monday.

Pope special education teacher named Cobb HS teacher of year

Pope special education teacher named Cobb HS teacher of year

Pope special education teacher named Cobb HS teacher of year

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