After a 12-year-old boy was seriously injured this past summer crossing Jamerson Road near Davis Elementary School, a new crosswalk has been installed in that area.
Cobb government and transportation officials were on hand earlier this week as students and their parents traversed Jamerson in a newly constructed crosswalk, along with flashing lights and warning signs for pedestrians and motorists alike.
Cobb commissioners approved spending $146,000 in SPLOST revenues for the safety enhancements, and Commissioner JoAnn Birrell was among those on hand for the debut (see Cobb TV video below).
Preston Veal, a student at Mabry Middle School, has undergone a long recovery after being hit by a van while crossing Jamerson Road near the school in late June. He was hospitalized with numerous broken bones and internal injuries, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for his medical expenses.
Veal, a member of the Lassiter Junior Trojan youth football program, was walking home from Davis on June 28 after shooting basketball at the school. Cobb Police said he was crossing from a sidewalk on Jamerson, east of Turtle Rock Drive, when he was hit by a van.
That’s near the only crosswalk across Jamerson serving the school.
Among those walking her child across the crosswalk was mom Courtney Chiang DiStefano, who told East Cobb News last summer that had begun a petition for a solar flashing light alert, along with crosswalk detectors, a chirping alert for pedestrians and for another crosswalk to be built to cover both sides of the school.
She didn’t get everything she initially asked for, but was pleased with the new safety measures this week.
DiStefano previously said she and her family use the crosswalk often to visit grandparents and to go to classes as Davis, but told us “the lack of a protected crosswalk with sufficient signage and protection puts our children and neighbors at significant risk.”
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Dodgen Middle School families were notified Monday that the school was briefly evacuated after what turned out to be a false fire alarm was triggered during the school day.
A message that went out from Principal Dr. Patricia Alford didn’t say when the incident happened, she but said that everyone was safety evacuated as Cobb Fire crews came to the scene to investigate.
“They discovered that a faulty smoke sensor was the cause, and it was replaced on the spot,” she said. “Once the repair was made, the system worked again and kids were brought back inside. We were able to continue our day with some minor adjustments.”
Alford didn’t give a time frame, but in her message thanked first responders.
East Cobb News has left a message with the Cobb County School District seeking more information.
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The chairman of the Cobb Board of Education said Thursday the body has no authority to act on a court settlement involving vice chairman John Cristadoro of East Cobb related to his private business affairs.
Cristadoro and his marketing company last month settled a lawsuit with a former client in Fulton County in which he was alleged to have misused $250,000 meant for the client’s advertising campaign.
The civil lawsuit alleged fraud, breach of contract and fiduciary duty, civil racketeering and gross negligence. There was no admission of guilt in the final consent judgment, but Cristadoro was ordered by a judge to repay all but $25,000 of that amount.
Reading from a prepared statement during a school board work session Thursday, Chastain said that state law prohibits any actions by school boards into members’ behavior outside of their official duties in elected office.
“This board of education does not exceed the authority that it has been given by exploring the personal lives of our board members in the same way we do not involve ourselves in the personal lives of our students, staff and parents,” said Chastain, a Republican from Post 4 in Northeast Cobb.
Becky Sayler
“If we extend our authority into the past and into board members’ personal lives, where does it stop?” he continued.
“Criminal charges filed years before a member ran for the board? Allegations made at divorces, adoption hearings? Comments on Facebook that a member is not fit or was a bad teacher? Defaulting on student loans or filing bankruptcy? Failing to make credit card payments on time?”
Board member Becky Sayler, a Democrat from Post 2 in Smyrna, had asked for a hearing to determine to determine if Cristadoro could have violated the school board’s code of ethics.
But Chastain—who never referenced Cristadoro by name in his statement—said that “I asked for input from my fellow board members. I was reminded the board had no authority on this, or any other personal matter, particularly personal matters occurring before the member was elected to the board.
“I will repeat this again: No board member has the authority to make any decisions. Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply wrong.”
During Chastain’s remarks, the three Democratic members tried to ask for points of order or clarification to see if the statement was being made on behalf of the whole board.
It was only after he had finished that Chastain allowed Democratic member Nichelle Davis of Post 6 in Smyrna to ask a question.
Laura Judge
When she wanted to know if his remarks spoke for all seven board members, some applause broke out. “The statement stands,” Chastain said, and he immediately continued with the work session agenda.
He said the statement would be the board’s only word on the subject. The board’s three other Republican members, including Cristadoro, said nothing.
Chastain’s statement appears to be the first in an open meeting by a Cobb school board member since 2019, when he and the board’s Republican members voted to ban board member comments during public meetings. Two of their then-Democratic colleagues claimed the move was an act of censorship to silence them.
Chastain, who also was board chairman at that time, did not reference the ban in making his remarks Thursday.
On Friday morning, Sayler said on her board member’s Facebook page that her attempt to pursue a possible ethics violation inquiry “did not have the support of enough board members to move forward. You, the community, deserve board members who are informed, thoughtful, and guided by doing what is best for students. I’m sorry that not enough of my fellow board members saw this situation with the same urgency and morals that so many of us did.”
Democrat Laura Judge of East Cobb, who lost to Cristadoro in the 2024 general election, said during a public comment session at the work session Thursday that Cristadoro’s legal issues are “a blemish on this district’s reputation. This was not a minor error or personal dispute. It involved the admitted misuse of $250,000. And yet, some of our long-standing board members and leaders seem willing to look the other way. That should alarm all of us.”
She also objected to Chastain’s handling of the statement “before even discussing it in executive session with fellow board members” but that “it shows exactly how decisions are being made in this district—without all voices at the table.”
John Cristadoro
Judge added that the matter shouldn’t be a partisan issue (Republicans have a 4-3 school board majority). But Chastain, in his remarks, alleged that’s exactly what was happening with Cristadoro, a Republican in his first year on the board.
“During my 11 years on the board there have been numerous requests to consider actions by board members which allegedly affected their elected positions,” Chastain said.
“Virtually of these allegations were made by members who were not part of the majority’s political party. Without exception and regardless of the board member’s political party we have declined. The board of education will continue its unbroken practice and limit itself to actions occurring within a board member’s term of office and his or her elected service.”
In his only comment on the matter, Cristadoro, right after the settlement, accused his critics of creating “fake outrage” over matters that had nothing to with his public service.
“It’s a personal case from a personal business, both of which have nothing to do with serving students, other than being a target by those who are trying to tear down Cobb schools,” he said.
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Coach Jerry Mahon is honored by Pope High School officials and his family as he marked his retirement in 2025. Photo courtesy CCSD.
Pope’s season-ending win in varsity football was the last game for a longtime coach in the Cobb County School District.
Jerry Mahon, an assistant coach for the Greyhounds the last 10 years, is retiring, bringing to a close a 50-year career in coaching and teaching that included tenures at Lassiter and Wheeler.
He’s been Pope’s offensive line coach, and his players excelled as the Greyhounds won 35–14, rushing for 385 yards against Riverwood.
“His countless hours of hard work and commitment have made Pope Football a better program,” Pope head coach Sean O’Sullivan said in a release issued by the Cobb school district.
“It has been a true pleasure having such a veteran coach on staff. We appreciate all his support and the positive impact he’s had on our team and community.”
Mahon said he had wanted to be a coach since he was in eighth grade, and started in Mississippi in 1976. After also coaching in Alabama, he moved to Georgia in 1997, and was an assistant and head coach at Lassiter.
That’s where he coached his son Jerry, Jr., an offensive lineman for the Trojans in the late 90s, and said “he’s one of the best centers I ever coached, so the opportunity to coach my son was a real thrill.”
In 2005, Mahon moved to Wheeler, where he served for 11 seasons before coming to Pope.
“Coach Mahon’s legacy in coaching will be left with the thousands of players and hundreds of coaches who have encountered his professional, faith-based approach to teaching life lessons,” Pope AD Josh Mathews said.
“I have witnessed a coach who cares for the heart of the athlete significantly more than he cared about the result of a game or match.”
Mahon said his motivational and teaching philosophy came from an adapted rhyme believed to be inspired by the fourth-century Christian priest St. Jerome.
“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best. The key to all that right there is to never let it rest. You’ve got to keep working. Being average is halfway from the top, but also halfway from the bottom. You’ve got to be willing to put in the work. Hopefully, that is what I have passed on to my players and students.”
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Several months after placing specially-trained dogs in some high schools to bolster safety in schools, the Cobb County School District will be adding some more.
During a Cobb Board of Education session Thursday, the school board approved a special request by Superintendent Chris Ragsdale to use up to $2 million in the district’s general fund balance for an additional eight dogs, and costs for their handlers and equipment.
Ragsdale said the funding would enable the district to have a dog and handler at each of the district’s 16 traditional high schools.
The district began the program earlier this yearthrough a state school security grant and $80,000 in district funding to purchase canines to as part of officer-led teams that can identify “person-worn or concealed-carried explosives and firearms.”
Without providing specifics due to security concerns, Ragsdale said that what’s called the Vapor Wake program has been successful thus far, and presence of the dogs and handlers is “so accepted in the schools.”
He did not identify which schools have had the dogs, but said the next phase is for all of the high schools to have them “as soon as possible.”
The dogs are trained to “continuously sample the air for concealed firearms and explosives, tracking potential threats even while in motion. This cutting-edge detection capability provides real-time security monitoring, allowing for a swift response to potential threats,” according to Vapor Wake program literature.
The program includes a partnership with Global K9 Protection Group, a private company based in Opelika, Ala., that provides canine-focused security solutions.
Major universities, sports arenas, theaters and other entities use Vapor Wake.
“It will not be a flip of the switch, and they’ll be here tomorrow,” Ragsdale said Thursday. “But it will get us a lot further down the road than waiting for the budget cycle to come around.”
The vote was 6-1, with Becky Sayler of Post 2 in South Cobb of Smyrna opposed, saying she needed more information since “this is the first I’m hearing of it.”
She made a motion to table a vote, but that motion failed.
Ragsdale said that the cost could come to $2.6 million, with additional funding from SPLOST revenues, for equipment and training. Existing district police personnel will be trained to be handlers, as is being done now.
The district has a general fund balance of $386 million. Ragsdale said the cost of the additional dogs would have to be added permanently each year, unless additional state security grant funding becomes available.
“To have dogs at every high school is a preventative measure,” board member Randy Scamihorn said. “We want to be informed and we want to inform the public. But we want to keep our layered security, where the bad guys don’t know what we’re doing.
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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday will be asked to approve renovations projects at several schools in the East Cobb area.
They include construction contracts at Addison Elementary School and Keheley Elementary School.
The board will hold a work session Thursday at 2 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.
The projects are funded through the current Cobb Ed-SPLOST VI sales tax. The Addison renovations will cost $1.344 million and will include new flooring throughout most of the facility, painting, restroom upgrades, new classroom windows and a new security entry area.
The work is scheduled to be completed by July 2026.
Similar work is planned at Keheley, with a cost of $2.986 million. The school will be getting roof, window and door replacements, new painting, restroom upgrades and new bus canopy. The project also has an expected completion date of July 2026.
The school board also will be asked to approve demolition of existing buildings at Kincaid and Murdock elementary schools for future projects to be scheduled.
Annex buildings will be torn down at both schools to make way for new additions, but estimated costs and construction timetables were not included in the meeting agenda.
Construction contracts will be brought to the board when those projects are ready to proceed.
The school board also will be asked to approve a contract to spend 3o school buses at a cost of $4.965 billion.
At the work session, the Cobb County School District’s 2026 legislative priorities will be presented, as will a school safety item for potential action that was not specified.
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Several public schools at all grade levels in East Cobb have been recognized as literacy and math leaders by the Georgia Department of Education.
These schools “demonstrated exceptional achievement or growth in reading and mathematics during the 2024-2025 school year,” according to the department, and as reflected in “annual end-of-grade or end-of-course assessments.
“The criteria recognize the crucial importance of grade-level reading in third and sixth grades and numeracy skills in fifth and eighth grades, and require higher growth from schools with lower achievement levels.”
More than 400 schools across Georgia have earned the designation, with 21 in East Cobb. Dickerson Middle School was recognized in both literacy and math categories.
Literacy leaders were given “based on the outlined criteriaat the elementary and middle-school levels, and at the high-school level based on the American Literature EOC, which is the state test for ELA in high school. Literacy Leader qualifications use the Georgia Milestones Reading Status indicator, which is based on the Lexile score associated with students’ performance on a subset of questions on the ELA assessment. GaDOE also recognized Literacy Leader schools for the2022-2023 and2023-2024 school years.”
The math leaders “met the qualifications for recognition as 2024-2025 Math Leaders. Awards were given based on theoutlined criteria at the elementary and middle-school levels, and at the high-school level based on the Algebra: Concepts and Connections EOC, which is the state test for mathematics in high school. Math Leader qualifications are based on students achieving the Proficient Learner level or above on the Georgia Milestones mathematics assessments. GaDOE recognized Math Leader schools for the 2023-2024 school year.”
Here’s our report from August on how students at East Cobb schools fared in the latest Georgia Milestones results.
Literacy leaders:
Blackwell ES (3rd Grade Gateway Growth)
Davis ES (3rd Grade Gateway Achievement, 4th Grade Growth)
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East Cobb Middle School Principal Michael Askew served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Submitted information:
The spirit of service runs deep in the Cobb County School District, where military veterans continue their mission by shaping young minds. From principals and teachers to social workers and custodians, these heroes bring lessons of leadership, perseverance, and purpose from the armed forces into Cobb classrooms every day.
At Rocky Mount Elementary, Social Worker Paul Pursell, a former U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant, says persistence learned in the military guides his work with families. “So much of what I learned in training really translates to what we do here,” he shared.
East Cobb Middle School Principal Michael Askew, a U.S. Marine veteran, uses his own story, learning algebra to set tank traps, to show students how classroom lessons can change lives.
At Tritt Elementary, kindergarten teacher Heather Garrett, a former U.S. Army specialist, surprises her students each Veterans Day when they learn she once worked in an Army motor pool. “My kids are always shocked to learn on Veterans Day that I am a veteran of the United States Army,” she said.
Rocky Mount custodian Winston Wilkinson, who served 15 years in the U.S. Navy, and Fair Oaks Elementary Principal Cathie Seibert, a former U.S. Army tank driver, both bring discipline, teamwork, and pride to their roles continuing their commitment to service in new ways.
This Veterans Day, Cobb Schools celebrates all who served and those who continue to serve by educating and inspiring the next generation. Their stories remind us that service doesn’t end with a uniform; it lives on in our schools, hallways, and classrooms.
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Megan Fisher and Maureen McLaughlin are sisters who teach health and physical education at Dickerson Middle School.
Recently they had to rely on their training and their sense of duty to save the life of a student who was in distress in the gym.
The student began to look ill after swallowing from a bottle of water. Fisher noticed he was choking on a plastic bottle cap, and she and Maureen worked to apply the Heimlich maneuver and back blows until the cap came loose.
“It’s one of those moments where you hope your instincts take over,” McLaughlin said in a release by the Cobb County School District. “We’ve trained for emergencies like this, but you never really think you’ll have to do it.”
Fisher added: “It felt longer than it probably was because our adrenaline was pumping. But as soon as I saw what was happening, I knew Maureen was there to help me. It was comforting to have her there.”
Here’s the rest of the story, which explains the sisters’ training with the Dickerson First Responder Team, which has CPR-certified staff and conducts drills throughout the school year to stay sharp.
“Because of their quick actions, they saved a life,” Dickerson principal Bradley Blackman said. “They didn’t panic. They didn’t run away. They jumped right in and did what they were trained to do.”
The sisters also were honored by the Cobb school district in its “Heroes Among Us” award.
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Thanks to Sean Kurkjian, an AP History teacher at Wheeler High School, who passed along to us these photos of his students who took home trophies last week at the first-ever Walton-Wheeler chess tournament.
Wheeler Chess Club members Rajveer Gaikwad and Dwij Bapat took home first place in the tournament, which was held at Walton.
“On October 25, 2025, we teamed up with Wheeler High School’s president and vice president to host our inaugural inter-school chess tournament at Walton High School!
“20 participants battled it out for $105 in prizes ($50 | $30 | $25), showing off incredible strategy and sportsmanship.
“We’re excited to make this a recurring tradition, building stronger collaboration and a thriving chess culture across Cobb County schools.”
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The Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) has partnered with the University System of Georgia (USG), the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), and private institutions to provide application fee waivers to Georgia high school seniors through the Apply to College Month initiative. Over 60 Georgia colleges and universities have agreed to waive their application fees for high school seniors between November 1 and 30.
“As the home of many top-ranking higher education institutions, Georgia has a program for any Georgian looking to advance their education and career,” said Governor Kemp. “Whether at a USG, TCSG, or private institution, we want Georgia students to know that they can receive a great education that will set them up for success without having to leave this state. I’m grateful that so many Georgia colleges and universities are waiving application fees during Apply to College Month, adding to the work of GEORGIA MATCH to make it easier for families to navigate the college admissions process.”
This is the fifth year GSFC has promoted application fee waivers in November. There is no limit on the number of schools a student may apply to using the application fee waivers. While application fees vary by institution, cost savings to high school seniors applying to multiple colleges can be significant.
“Our mission is to make it easy for Georgia seniors to continue their higher education in the Top State for Talent,” said Georgia Student Finance Commission President Chris Green. “Through the incredible support of our postsecondary partners—the University System of Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the Georgia Independent College Association—thousands of high school seniors can now apply to college for free. Apply to College Month empowers students to take full advantage of GEORGIA MATCH, fee waivers, and the more than $1 billion in scholarships and grants available each year to help them succeed.”
Students who apply through the GEORGIA MATCH direct admissions dashboard in November will automatically have their application fees waived. The full list of participating schools and information on how to access the application fee waivers may be found at GAfutures.org.
The mission of the Georgia Student Finance Commission is to help students pursue higher education with the least out-of-pocket costs possible. Students interested in learning more about application fee waivers, GEORGIA MATCH, scholarships, and grants can schedule a meeting with their regional GSFC Outreach representative by visiting gafutures.org/outreach.
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!
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’s fifth through seventh grade chorus students performed Disney’s The Lion King Jr. last weekend. A true community event, the cast was supported by Eastside’s high school theater students who served as stage crew, Jake Dalton, an eighth grade student who designed all 280 light cues, and a myriad of staff and parents who worked behind the scenes. The show, originally cast and scheduled for a Spring 2020 release at Eastside, was cancelled due to COVID-19 safety concerns.
“That 2020 cast, and the stage magic that was left unmade, is a group that I’ve held close to my heart. They left an indelible mark on the show, and I didn’t want to revisit it for years,” said Ashleigh Lucas, Eastside’s Director of Performing Arts. “The time came this fall, and here we are again, with a new group of performers stepping in to bring these characters to life.”
Eastside’s stage was transformed into an African savanna and rainforest in a stunning display of artistry. The large-scale set pieces and light displays were the perfect backdrop for the costuming. Inspired by the vision of Julie Taymor, the director and designer of the Broadway show, Lucas utilized masks and movement to create an imaginative experience. Students transformed into lions, hyenas, and even grasslands with flowing skirts and moving choreography.
The musical theater program at Eastside draws audiences from the community, with alumni of the school regularly returning to experience the magic that Lucas puts on stage and the talent that she brings out of her students each year.
“I am so proud of the excellence that is displayed every time our students take the stage. Mrs. Lucas does a phenomenal job not only teaching songs and dances, but also teaching life skills along the way,” said Dr. Tiffany Stark, Eastside’s Head of School. Eastside’s next musical is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and will be performed December 12-14, 2025. Tickets will be available at EastsideChristianSchool.com.
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John Cristadoro said he’s “a target by those who are trying to tear down Cobb schools” and accused them of “fake outrage.”
Cobb Board of Education vice chairman John Cristadoro has settled a civil lawsuit filed against him, his business and another party by a client on charges of fraud and misusing business funds.
In the consent judgment filed Wednesday, Cristadoro and his advertising, marketing and events company, Alliance Activation LLC, were ordered to repay the client $225,000 plus future interest, most of it in three business days.
The consent judgment noted that the business’ policies included “using client funds to pay Alliance’s own operating expenses at times when Alliance was experiencing a cash flow shortage.” Those policies were crafted by Cristadoro, as the president and CEO, and a bookkeeper, according to Wednesday’s filing.
That filing further states that “Cristadoro, without Plaintiff’s consent, authorized use of Plaintiff’s funds for payment of Alliance’s operating expenses and credit card statements to cover a cash flow shortage.”
Some of those statements, according to the consent judgment, “included non-business transactions for Cristadoro’s personal benefit.”
Cristadoro, an East Cobb resident in his first year on the school board, told East Cobb News in response to a story published Tuesday that the lawsuit, which was filed in Fulton State Court, has no bearing on his duties in public office.
“It’s a personal case from a personal business, both of which have nothing to do with serving students, other than being a target by those who are trying to tear down Cobb schools,” said Cristadoro.
The case came to light Monday at a Fulton court hearing in which Cristadoro and the client, an insurance company, attempted to seal court documents about the settlement.
Four constituents of Cristadoro’s in Cobb school board Post 5 in East Cobb filed a motion before the hearing on Monday to keep the records public, saying it’s a matter of transparency given his status as an elected official.
Sagicor Life Insurance Company said in a March 2024 lawsuit that it paid Cristadoro and Alliance Activation, the company he founded in 2012, a $250,000 sponsorship fee for advertising at sporting venues in Tampa, Fla. (original lawsuit here).
Sagicor said in the suit that Cristadoro, Alliance Activation and the other defendant, named John Doe in the filings, was to have turned the money over to a third-party vendor to provide the sponsorship services.
But that never happened, and the consent judgment states that Sagicor hasn’t been repaid.
(Alliance Activation is located in Sandy Springs, hence the legal action in Fulton County.)
Watching the Funds-Cobb leader Heather Tolley-Bauer.
The charges included fraud, theft, breach of contract and fiduciary duty, civil racketeering and gross negligence, claims that Cristadoro initially denied in court filings.
According to Wednesday’s filing, Alliance Activation will be allowed to keep $25,000 in commission charges.
In his response to East Cobb News, Cristadoro said that “I am proud of the business we built and happy we’ve been able to negotiate a successful next chapter for the partners and employees. I learned a lot about people and serving customers which are lessons I’ll use for the rest of my life—especially in public service.”
Late Wednesday afternoon, he issued a similar response to “members of the press” from a business e-mail address, and asked that they contact him there about the lawsuit, instead of his official school board e-mail address.
Cristadoro also was asked by East Cobb News what he thought about the motion that was filed by the four individuals—including a Cobb schools financial watchdog, Heather Tolley-Bauer of Watching the Funds-Cobb (you can read that here)—and a statement by the Cobb County Democratic Committee on Tuesday that he resign.
“What other individuals do in their search for significance is their decision as they try to survive by creating fake outrage,” Cristadoro said. “Regarding the other nonsense [the CCDC demand], that doesn’t warrant a response.”
Cristadoro, whose two children attend Walton High School, is a Republican and part of a 4-3 GOP majority on the school board, which in recent years has clashed along partisan lines on a number of issues.
Tolley-Bauer and others co-founded Watching the Funds-Cobb in 2021 to scrutinize Cobb County School District finances, budgeting and spending, saying it was a non-partisan organization.
But some of those prominently involved in the group are deeply involved in local Democratic politics.
Co-founder Stacy Efrat is now a Cobb County Democratic Party appointee to the Cobb Board of Elections. Laura Judge, who served in former Democratic Cobb commissioner Jerica Richardson’s “citizen cabinet,” lost to Cristadoro last year in the general election for the Post 5 seat.
Tolley-Bauer has supported Democratic school board candidates in Post 5 in 2020 and Judge last year.
Watching the Funds-Cobb has been critical of spending decisions made by the Cobb school district administration, including a $50 million special events center that was eventually scuttled, but has not previously scrutinized the activities of elected board members.
Tolley-Bauer told East Cobb News Tuesday that neither Efrat nor Judge is currently involved the group. She said she was told last week about the lawsuit against Cristadoro by “a concerned citizen” and as she was looking through the case files, noticed that “they asked to seal something.”
An attorney with an Atlanta law firm drafted a motion in time for Monday’s hearing, at which Fulton State Court Judge Wesley Tailor refused a request to seal court documents, saying the public interest outweighs privacy matters.
“This is an issue of transparency,” Tolley-Bauer said, adding that one of Cristadoro’s primary talking points in his campaign was his background as a businessman.
“He has a fiduciary responsibility to his constituents. We have a right to know whether or not he can be trusted with those responsibilities.”
Tolley-Bauer admitted that she’s aware of how the partisan “optics” might look. She said she’s voted for Republican Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell and also “accidentally” voted for David Banks, a former GOP school board member whom Cristadoro succeeded, “when I first moved here.”
But “this literally was an argument for transparency,” Tolley-Bauer. “If people don’t care to know [about the lawsuit], then I respect that. But the facts are the facts. And the taxpayer deserves to know.”
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UPDATED: The lawsuit has been settled, and Cristadoro has commented on the matter to East Cobb News.
ORIGINAL REPORT:
The vice chairman of the Cobb Board of Education is a defendant in a civil lawsuit in Fulton County, along with his business, for claims of theft, fraud, conspiracy and other charges.
On Monday a Fulton State Court judge declined to seal consent filings in the lawsuit, filed by Sagicor Insurance Co. against Alliance Activation LLC, Cristadoro, and another unnamed defendant.
That decision came after a late motion by four individuals, including a Cobb schools financial watchdog, to keep the court records public. Both parties had asked that the settlement details be kept private.
Cristadoro, of Post 5 in East Cobb, runs Alliance Activation, an advertising, events and marketing firm, which according to the lawsuit was paid a $250,000 sponsorship fee by Sagicor in 2023 for advertising at sporting venues in Tampa, Fla.
The lawsuit claims that the money paid to Cristadoro’s company, in five installments, was not passed on to another vendor, as agreed to in the contract, to perform the advertising services. Sagicor claims in the suit that Cristadoro, Alliance Activation and the other defendant, named John Doe in the filings, kept the money and have not returned it.
Sagicor is alleging that Alliance Activation and Cristadoro also committed breach of contract and fiduciary duty, civil RICO violations and negligence. The suit seeks the full reimbursement of the $250,000, plus legal costs and an unspecified amount in damages.
Cristadoro has denied the claims in court filings. Alliance Activation has offices in Sandy Springs, and still lists Sagicor as a client on its website.
In their motion, filed early Monday morning, the four individuals claimed that they were responding to the parties taking the “extraordinary step of sealing the judgment in a case from public view.”
As Post 5 constituents, they continued, they “have a vested public interest in the terms of this consent judgment, including any admissions made by Cristadoro as to his liability in this case.”
Judge Wesley B. Tailor ruled he would not grant a motion to seal the records, and set another court date for for Dec. 1 unless the parties come to an agreement.
A parent with two children in the Walton High School attendance zone, Cristadoro, a Republican, is in his first year on the school board, after being elected in 2024 to succeed the retiring David Banks.
One of the four individuals making the motion to keep the court records public is Heather Tolley-Bauer, an East Cobb resident and founder of Watching the Funds-Cobb, which has been critical of Cobb County School District financial issues. They’ve hired an attorney with an Atlanta law firm, saying they’re pushing for transparency in a matter involving an elected school official.
Heather Tolley-Bauer
The motion filed Monday by Tolley-Bauer, Stacey Owens, Jennifer Simon and Maggie Dougherty said that “Cristadoro regularly highlights his business acumen and his entrepreneurial experience in campaign materials, Facebook posts, and interviews with the local press.”
As an elected official with a fiduciary responsibility, and “as a practical matter, Cristadoro often serves as the deciding vote on multi-million dollar contracts procured on behalf of the Cobb County taxpayers,” states the motion, which also alleges that “Cristadoro used his client’s money to pay off Alliance’s creditors and, it would appear, Cristadoro’s personal expenses.
“This was not a one-time event. Alliance’s bank statements show that he paid the same credit card company multiple times in the same month. In short, it would appear to be undisputed that Cristadoro, a fiduciary over his client’s funds, misappropriated a significant amount of money from his client.”
Cristadoro’s attorney objected to the late filing of the motion, saying it was politically motivated. Laura Judge, a Democrat who ran against Cristadoro last year, also has been involved with Watching the Funds-Cobb, but is not named in the third-party motion.
Another Watching the Funds-Cobb founder is Stacy Efrat, also an East Cobb resident and member of the Cobb Board of Elections and Registration who was appointed by the Cobb Democratic Committee.
Tolley-Bauer has said that she’s not a political activist and that her group is non-partisan. But in a 2021 East Cobb Newsprofile of Watching the Funds-Cobb, she acknowledged she was involved in a fundraiser for a Democratic Cobb school board candidate challenging Banks in 2020. She also contributed financially to Judge’s campaign.
East Cobb News has left messages with Cristadoro and Tolley-Bauer seeking comment.
Republicans hold a 4-3 majority on the school board, and all three GOP candidates on the 2024 ballot, including Cristadoro, won their races.
On Tuesday the Cobb Democratic Committee called for Cristadoro to resign, saying that the court documents make “him no longer fit to continue serving on the school board. His judgment cannot be trusted when it comes to handling taxpayer funds or transparency with the public.”
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The Dickerson Middle School Percussion Ensemble, based in East Cobb (Marietta, GA), has been selected to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) State Conference in Athens, GA (January 2026) and the Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis, IN (March 2026). These invitations mark an extraordinary achievement — the musical equivalent of winning both a State and National Championship in the same year.
“This is more than just a performance opportunity—it’s a chance for our students to grow, collaborate, and represent the excellence of East Cobb on a national stage,” said Director Scott Brown.
Under the direction of Scott Brown, over 80 student musicians will perform alongside world-renowned percussionist and composer Professor She-e Wu of Northwestern University, premiering an original composition written for the ensemble. To help every student participate fully, the group seeks community partners and sponsors to support travel, meals, and equipment. Sponsors will be recognized on signage, programs, and social media throughout the season.
We got that information from Jacqueline Baron-Lee and Kelly Wilkins, who are the leaders of the ensemble’s parent fundraising them. They’re asking for sponsors to help pay for both of the trips.
They’ve included all the pertinent information on the flyer below, including contact details.
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High schools in East Cobb held steady or did better in the 2025 American College Testing (ACT) results over the past year.
But at Wheeler High School, the improvement was significant, according to ACT results released Wednesday by the Georgia Department of Education.
Wheeler’s average composite score of 28.5 not only led the Cobb County School District, but was the best among traditional high schools in the state of Georgia and second overall.
Only the specialty Gwinnett School for Math Science and Technology had a higher average composite score, of 29.5. That school, whose student body is chosen from a Gwinnett County Public Schools lottery, typically leads the state in most testing results.
The ACT (American College Testing) tests students in four subject areas—English, math, reading and science, and combines those to determine a composite score as well. The maximum score overall and in individual subject areas is 36.
Walton was second in Cobb with a 26.6 average composite score, up from 26.0 in 2025, and that is good for seventh in the state.
Average composite scores were up from 2024 at Kell, Lassiter and Sprayberry, and down slightly at Pope (see chart below).
The Cobb school district said in a release Wednesday that eight students in the Class of 2025 earned perfect scores of 36—three each from Walton and Wheeler, and one each from Lassiter and Pope.
The average composite score boost at Wheeler, home of the Center for Advanced Studies STEM magnet program, was across all subject areas.
Last year, Wheeler’s average composite score was 26.0, which tied Walton for the best in Cobb.
In 2025, Wheeler seniors led Cobb in every subject-area composite score, with a minimum of 28.0. Walton’s best average composite was in reading, at 27.4.
Cobb ACT average composite scores districtwide rose to 23.7, from 22.8 in 2025, and is second among major public school districts in metro Atlanta. Forsyth County schools had an average composite score of 24.7.
In its release, the Cobb school district claimed its average composite score led metro Atlanta, but it does not include Forsyth County.
“Strong results like these don’t happen by accident—they come from teachers, families, and a community all working together to help our students reach their goals,” Cobb Board of Education chairman David Chastain said in the district release.
The statewide average composite ACT score in 2025 is 21.4, which also is an improvement from last year; while the national average is 19.4.
The table below details the ACT scores at East Cobb high schools; the number in parenthesis next to the school name indicates the number of students at that school who took the test.
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The $71.9 million reconstruction project that’s continuing at Sprayberry High School is the subject of a community open house on Wednesday.
The open house takes place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the main gymnasium lobby at the school (2525 Sandy Plains Road).
That’s the first phase of the project that’s expected to be done in the summer of 2026. The new main classroom building will have four stories and 68 classrooms, new administrative and guidance offices and learning commons. The funding comes from the Cobb Education SPLOST VI.
This is the second academic year for the Sprayberry rebuild, which has prompted major disruptions. Parking has been severely restricted due to several dozen portable classrooms.
When the contract was awarded last spring, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said that the three-year duration “not going to be a fun time” for the Sprayberry community.
But most of the exterior of the new building is nearing completion (here’s a time-lapse video of the construction thus far, posted recently on the school’s Instagram page). In addition to classrooms, the building will house administrative and guidance offices and a learning commons.
In the second phase, renovations will be made to existing cafeteria space and other facilities.
All work is expected to be completed by the start of the 2027-28 school year. The contractor is Carroll Daniel Construction of Atlanta, which rebuilt the Osborne High School campus.
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On Wednesday she got to do another one, at the Marietta Square, as part of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s “Give Our Schools a Hand” celebration.
That includes the Cobb and Marietta teachers of the year leaving their handprints in a designated place near the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre.
According to the Chamber, GOSH began in 1988 “not only to show appreciation for teachers in the community, but also to encourage area businesses, parents, and civic groups to take an active role in enhancing the quality of education.”
Dillard also will be driving a vehicle for the next year provided by the Voyles Automotive Group.
Later this month, on Oct. 29, Dillard and other school-level teachers of the year in the Cobb school district will be honored with a pep rally in front of local students.
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The Georgia Department of Education recently recognized 10 Cobb Schools for their work in creating an ideal learning environment for every student and avoiding major disruptions during the day.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support, better known as PBIS, has been a concentrated effort by Cobb Schools to equip schools with the staff and resources needed so classroom lessons are not interrupted for students.
The following Cobb Schools earned the title of Distinguished PBIS Schools for 2024-2025: Austell Elementary School, Barber Middle School, Big Shanty Elementary, School, Campbell Middle School, Compton Elementary School, Dickerson Middle School, Durham Middle School, Floyd Middle School, Mabry Middle School, and Smitha Middle School.
“Each of these schools has shown outstanding leadership and dedication in fostering a culture of positivity, engagement, and student success,” said Positive School Culture Support Supervisor Sara Folk.
To be selected as a Distinguished PBIS School, each of these 10 schools had to meet criteria set by the State, including few thresholds the following:
The percentage of students with 0-1 office discipline referrals must be 90% or higher.
Decreases in ISS and OSS days compared to previous school year. If there is an increase, the percentage of ISS days and OSS days (calculated per 100 students), should be no more than 5% compared to the prior year.
In addition to these criteria, schools are also required to complete fidelity checks to ensure they are consistently monitoring and strengthening their PBIS implementation.
With help from PBIS coaches, these schools have reduced disruptions, and as a result, increased time for learning.
“Just to see the culture change in the hallways, the cafeteria, the common areas, our kids buying into our expectation,” said Dr. Robert Grogan at Barber Middle School.
Some schools have implemented methods that reward good behavior which in return has created a stronger bond between students and staff as well as made learning more fun.
“The kids love being able to use their points so they want to be able to earn points to be able to participate in activities like administration- being principal for the day, having lunch with the principal, and sports with the staff”, said Floyd Middle School science teacher Naasia Dubose.
For more information on PBIS and resources Cobb Schools provides, follow this link.
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