School District Divisions

Communications
Keeping the Community Informed About Education in Cobb

Throughout 2007, the School District continued to implement Superintendent Fred Sanderson’s FOCUS plan, a four-point model for success that encompasses Student Achievement, Leadership Development, Fiscal Responsibility and Building Relationships via Enhanced Communication. Clear and accurate delivery of information to parents/guardians and the entire Cobb community is an essential to the fourth component of the FOCUS plan.

The Board of Education meeting room was equipped with $181,000 in technical improvements to facilitate the live broadcast of Board meetings.

The District utilizes a variety of tools to maximize communication and ensure it can reach parents/guardians quickly and clearly. Those tools include the main School District Web site and local school Web sites, regular e-mail newsletters, printed publications, the Cobb edTV television channel, and the Intouch automated calling system. The District also works closely with both local and national media outlets.

In September 2007, meetings of the Board of Education were broadcast live for the first time on Cobb edTV, including the public comment session that takes place prior to each regular meeting. The shift toward live broadcasts began earlier in 2007 when the Board of Education voted to approve $181,000 in technical improvements to the Board’s meeting room at the District central office.

Also in 2007, the District began expanding and enhancing its use of video as an effective tool to clearly convey information about programs and events throughout the school district. These video vignettes are shown at Board of Education meetings, on Cobb edTV, and on the District web site where an archive of videos is available for viewing.

The District Web site continued to receive ongoing enhancements throughout the year, introducing the on-demand video clips as well as regular updates from schools on the Cobbcast news blog. The Communications office also worked with local schools to train webmasters on updating and maintaining local school Web sites with consistent information.

Community support is a direct result of the District’s openness and clear communication. In 2008, the District will continue to explore improvements in customer service and find new ways of getting the good news about Cobb schools to the county’s citizens.