STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:
Twenty-Five Schools Earn Advanced Placement Certified Schools Honors

Each of the District's 15 high schools, as well as 10 middle schools have met the required criteria for inclusion in the Advanced Placement Certified Schools (APCS) program.
The APCS program began in 2004 as a means of making challenging honors and AP classes accessible to more students and support high achievement in their course work. The 2008 awards are as follows:

Demonstration Level: Harrison, Kennesaw Mountain, Lassiter, Osborne, Pope, Sprayberry, Walton, Wheeler

Certified Level: Campbell, Kell, North Cobb

Affiliate Level: Hillgrove, McEachern, Pebblebrook, South Cobb

Middle School Affiliates:
Several middle schools have met the criteria required to be APCS Affiliates. Each school is working with its feeder high schools to prepare students for the challenge provided by honors and AP courses: Awtrey, Campbell, Daniell, Dickerson, Dodgen, Hightower Trail, Lindley, Lovinggood, Palmer, Simpson

Details about the criteria for each level are available on the District's Web site.

DISTRICT NEWS:
Dr. Donald Dunnigan
Named Chief Human Resources Officer

The Cobb County School District has filled an important administrative vacancy, naming Dr. Donald Dunnigan as Chief Human Resources Officer. A veteran educator who has served in many Georgia school systems, Dr. Dunnigan joins Cobb from Newton County Schools where he served as Associate Superintendent for Human Resources.

Superintendent Fred Sanderson said,
“We went through an extensive interview process to find the right person for this critical position, and Dr. Dunnigan is extremely well-qualified. We’re excited to have him on board, hopefully by the end of the month, and we’re looking forward to him leading the District’s outstanding Human Resources division.”

“I’m excited about accepting this new challenge,” said Dr. Dunnigan. “I know Cobb’s Human Resources Department has so many great things in place already and a terrific staff, so I am looking forward to building on what’s already been established.”

Read more on the District Web site.

Board Unanimously
Supports Asking Public
To Renew SPLOST

The Board of Education met Jan. 24, 2008 to discuss the need to ask Cobb County voters to approve an extension of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that will expire on Dec. 31, 2008. The first two five-year sales taxes have resulted in 21 new schools, more than 2,000 new classrooms, a total refreshment of school technology including a computer for every teacher, access controls and security cameras for school buildings, new roofs, parking lots, electrical systems, air conditioning units, and hundreds of other projects.

Superintendent Fred Sanderson opened the discussion by reviewing the Board’s steps in 2003 when it put forth the referendum for SPLOST II. He also shared with the Board acceptable uses for SPLOST dollars and explained how the current educational environment in Cobb County differs from the environment in 2003. Sanderson pointed out that a 2007 demographic study commissioned by the school system shows enrollment growth slowing throughout the county. That means the District’s future capital expenditures will be directed less toward constructing new schools and more toward enhancing existing school facilities.

He also noted that more than one third (36 percent) of the District’s 115 schools are more than 40 years old and have serious structural and maintenance issues. A panel of local businesspeople appointed by the school board, the Facilities & Technology Review Committee, is currently surveying all of the District’s schools to help determine specific capital needs.

Read more on the District Web site.

SPLOST UPDATE:
The good news story of SPLOST continues for Cobb County taxpayers. In December 2007 and January 2008, the school board:

• Approved the purchase of an upgrade to the District’s CGI AMS Financial Management, Inventory and Procurement software. This upgrade will move the District to the current version, 3.7, of the AMS Financial software. The estimated cost of the software upgrade is $2,722,123. The software upgrade will improve the functionality and reliability of the District’s financial management system.

• Approved a recommendation to purchase eSafe hardware and software products to replace the District’s existing internet content filtering solution. The solution will meet CIPA guidelines. The bid was awarded to RBTi at an estimated annual cost of $275,460.

• Approved the final project closeout for additions at Daniell Middle School and Wheeler High School. By certifying that all accounts for labor, materials and services for the projects’ construction have been paid in full and that there are no claims of any nature outstanding, either liquidated or disputed, the District will be eligible to receive $84,195 in State Capitol Outlay Funds allocated for the project at Daniell Middle School, and $59,346 allocated for the project at Wheeler High School.

These projects were part of the SPLOST II program approved in 2003. To view the agenda items for the projects, click here.