School Calendar Options Presented For Public Review

District administrators presented three school calendar scenarios to the Board of Education during the Oct. 18 meeting that are now available for public review. The calendars present options for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 school years.

In September, the Board voted to request that any calendar proposals submitted by the administration for consideration by the Board feature a first semester that concludes prior to the winter holiday break.

View calendar options (PDF)

View calendar options at-a-glance (PDF)

View presentation and key points of consideration for school year calendar development (PDF)

Please e-mail your comments or preferences regarding these future calendar options by clicking here. The Board will consider the options during the Nov. 14 meeting.

Board Hears Presentation
On Middle Schools

On Oct. 10, 2007 the Board of Education heard a report from Michelle L. Matthews regarding the state of the District’s middle school program. Ms. Matthews' report can be viewed by clicking here (PDF).

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

• Approved a performance audit of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) II projects and expenditures conducted by Moore & Cubbedge, LLP. The purpose of the performance audit is to determine whether: 1) the sales tax proceeds are being disbursed in compliance with the SPLOST II resolution approved by the Board on May 7, 2003; 2) sales tax proceeds are disbursed in a fiscally responsible manner; 3) adequate controls have been established to ensure proper management of the sales tax proceeds received; 4) the District's construction project expenditures are comparable to other school system building construction program expenditures in the metro Atlanta area; 5) the District's technological expenditures are reasonable considering the volatile market environment for these products; and 6) investment of the sales tax proceeds received by the District has been conducted in a sound fiscal manner. The audit must be performed in accordance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards and must conform to the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 20-2-491. A copy of the report is available on the District Web site.

• Approved the final project closeout for Campbell Middle School and LaBelle Elementary School additions. 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 $60,531.20 for Russell Elementary and $60,028.00 for Norton Park Elementary in State Capitol Outlay Funds allocated for the projects.

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

Board Expands Project 2400 SAT Preparation Program

The District is proud to announce an expansion of the Project 2400 SAT preparation program, a partnership with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. During a press conference Oct. 11 at the Chamber offices, Board of Education chairman Lindsey Tippins announced the Board’s approval of up to $250,000 in matching funds for SAT preparation courses in each Cobb high school during calendar year 2008. Mr. Tippins was joined by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, Chamber Chairman Fred Bentley, Jr. and Chairman-elect Sam Kelly, vice president of Cobb Energy, for the announcement.

The Chamber launched and funded Project 2400 in 2006 to to help Cobb students better prepare for the challenge of the SAT through a rigorous preparation course and diagnostic test. The Chamber sponsored 273 students in the program in 2007. Of the 205 students who took both the post-test and the SAT this year, 74 percent scored higher on their SAT than on the diagnostic test. The average score increase from the pre-test to the SAT was 95 points.

The District will develop an implementation plan for the SAT preparation classes and present the plan to the Board during the December meeting. For more information about Project 2400, visit the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Web site.

District Teacher of the Year
Gina Coss Honored at Handprint Ceremony

District Teacher of the Year Gina Coss of Sedalia Park Elementary was honored by the business community as part of the annual Teacher of the Year Walk of Fame ceremony Oct. 3 at Marietta Square.

Mrs. Coss and Marietta City Teacher of the Year Tezella McQueen unveiled their marble hand imprints during the event, with a crowd of community supporters on hand. The handprint ceremony precedes the Cobb Chamber of Commerce's 'Give Our Schools A Hand' week, Oct. 29 - Nov. 2.

Now in its 19th year, the weeklong celebration honors teachers of the year from every school in Cobb and Marietta. The annual Teacher of the Year Pep Rally and luncheon takes place at Roswell Street Baptist Church Oct. 30.

Click here for more information about the Partners in Education program and 'Give Our Schools A Hand' week.

James Arrowood Named Cobb Public Safety Employee of the Year

Congratulations to CCSD Director of Public Safety James Arrowood, who was named Cobb’s 2007 Public Safety Employee of the Year by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Director Arrowood received the honor from Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle during the Chamber’s annual public safety appreciation breakfast at the Cobb Galleria Centre on Oct. 1. A 35-year law enforcement veteran, Arrowood joined the school district in 2003 and supervises more than 40 public safety officers keeping Cobb's schools and facilities secure.

Read more about Director Arrowood's honor on the District Web site.