Catherine Pozniak, a Sprayberry High School graduate who’s been a teacher and state education administrator, has announced her campaign for Post 4 on the Cobb Board of Education.
Post 4 includes the Sprayberry and Kell and part of the Lassiter High School clusters in a seat that’s been redrawn for the 2022 elections.
The seat is held by third-term Republican David Chastain, currently the Cobb school board chairman.
Earlier this week Pozniak declared her intent to run in the May 24 primary as a Democrat.
Her campaign website can be found by clicking here.
Pozniak, who graduated from Sprayberry in 1997, also attended Kincaid Elementary School and Daniell Middle School.
She said she’s running because the current Cobb school board hasn’t done much planning to help students recover from disruptions caused by COVID-19 closures, including use of more than $250 million in federal relief aid to help students.
She said “it’s been disappointing to see partisanship from our Board’s leaders when our schools need their support the most.
“The Board hasn’t even laid out goals since 2018, before the pandemic,” Pozniak said. “So of course there isn’t a plan for any of this.”
Republicans currently hold a 4-3 edge on the Cobb school board. Chastain, who has indicated he will be seeking a fourth term, is the only GOP member up for re-election this year.
Pozniak earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Sydney in Australia, a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Harvard University.
She taught in a school on a Lakota reservation in South Dakota and was an assistant state superintendent of education for fiscal operations in Louisiana and the head of an educational non-profit in Baton Rouge, La.
Pozniak currently is principal at Watershed Advisors, an educational and workforce consultancy started by the former Louisiana school superintendent.
Tammy Andress, a former Lassiter PTSA co-president who ran for Post 5 on the Cobb school board in 2020, said Thursday on her former campaign page that she was considering a run for Post 4 this year following redistricting.
But Andress, a Democrat, said she’s supporting Pozniak, whom she said has a “wealth of experience, knowledge, passion, empathy and determination she would bring to our School Board. She’s the real deal!!!”
Austin Heller, a Kennesaw State University student, previously announced his campaign as a Democrat for Post 4, but was drawn out in reapportionment.
Primary qualifying takes place next week.
Related posts:
- Cobb schools: 98% of full-time employees returning for 2022-23
- Cobb schools to hold resource fair for students with disabilities
- Cobb students compete in Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl
- Ga. House passes Cobb GOP school board, commission maps
- Cobb schools distributes more bonuses to bus drivers
- Blackwell ES accused of eavesdropping in bathroom
- Cobb Republican legislators file school board redistricting bill
- Cobb schools update COVID cases as protocols change
Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
She’s got my vote!
This is fantastic!!! As I have written here before, school board members should be highly qualified academically, and demonstrate an exceptional understanding of the district’s needs. Here is an individual who has walked the walk and talked the talk, is exceptionally well qualified both by her education and her employment, and has studied the Cobb district and knows exactly what must be done, unlike the incumbent, who after years of service is still clueless. Go to her website and get to know her. Ragsdale will not push her around! We need this person on the school board!!!!