FOUNDATION NEWS:

Reserve Your 'Support Cobb Schools' Georgia License Plate By July 31!
You can now support Cobb County schools with purchase of a special Georgia vehicle license plate! Part of the $25.00 fee will benefit the Cobb Schools Foundation, providing scholarships to Cobb students and grants to Cobb teachers. It’s a perfect way to show your pride in Cobb’s excellent schools.

1,000 reservations must be made by July 31 in order for plates to be distributed beginning in January 2008, so reserve yours today!.

ATHLETICS NEWS:

Walton High Baseball Team Wins 5A State Championship Over Kennesaw Mountain
Walton High claimed the 5A state baseball title with a 9-2 win over Kennesaw Mountain on June 2. The all-Cobb County championship began with a Friday night doubleheader. Kennesaw Mountain won the first game 6-5 with Walton taking game two 4-1, forcing a Saturday playoff. Walton came out swinging for the fences, with a five-run third inning.
Congratulations to both teams for putting all eyes on Cobb for the state championship!

DISTRICT NEWS:

More Than 3,000 Attend Cobb Leadership Summit For All-Day Training, Networking
The Kennesaw State University convocation center was packed with more than 3,000 attendees June 4 for the Cobb Leadership Summit. The all-day conference featured leadership expert Dr. John Maxwell and a panel discussion featuring prominent Cobb leaders.

Full coverage of the event is available on the Cobbcast news blog.

DISTRICT NEWS:

Board Approves Attendance Zones for Allatoona High, Pickett's Mill Elementary
The Board approved redistricting maps for Allatoona High School and Pickett’s Mill Elementary School during its June 28 meeting, establishing attendance zones for both schools more than a year ahead of their scheduled openings in August 2008. The Board voted to approve Plan A for Allatoona High and Plan 2 for Pickett’s Mill Elementary. Located in northwest Cobb near the Paulding County line, the new facilities will provide relief for overcrowded schools in this rapidly growing area of the county. Click here to view the approved maps and read supporting documents for the redistricting process.

Board Approves 2007-08 Budget; Includes pay increase for all employees, reduced tax rate
Culminating 13 hours of public discussions and work sessions over two months, the Cobb County Board of Education has approved a balanced Fiscal Year 2008 budget that will improve educational programs while reducing the tax rate for property owners.
The FY2008 general fund budget, approved unanimously at the June 28, 2007 regular board meeting, anticipates $908,820,771 in revenue and the same in expenditures. Budgeted revenues represent an increase of 6.2 percent, while budgeted expenditures represent an increase of 4.7 percent. The budget provides for a 2.5 percent pay increase for teachers and all other district employees, adds 415 teacher positions, sets the District’s reserve fund at $83.9 million, and is based on a predicted enrollment of 106,347 students.
Read the full press release...

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

• Awarded a contract for the installation of HVAC at South Cobb High School to John F. Pennebaker of Buford, GA in the amount of $235,381.

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