Cobb County School District | 2004 Annual Report

Our Supportive Community

SPOTLIGHT ON
SACS Accreditation

In Oct., 2004, The Cobb County School District was awarded district-wide accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Until now, SACS had offered accreditation only for individual schools, but recently began offering the opportunity for entire school districts to achieve the same recognition following a comprehensive evaluation process. Cobb County and Fulton County are the first two districts
under SACS to attain district-wide accreditation.

A three-day visit from SACS representatives involved interviews with more than 200 parents, students, teachers, principals, administrators
and others was the last step in an application process that began in May 2003.

The SACS team praised Cobb’s leadership from the school board through the administration, as well as the high level of parent and community involvement in all 106 schools. In short, said SACS representative Mark Elgart, “Cobb is truly a community with a passion for learning.”

The Cobb County School District is proud of its high level of involvement by its community members. From local business leaders to parents and other community leaders, the Cobb County community consistently demonstrates its commitment to promoting quality education in Cobb County. Various groups and organizations support the District’s goal of excellence in education.

As required by The A+ Education Reform Act of 2000 (House Bill 1187), all regular Cobb schools have now installed school councils. These school councils are intended to provide advice and recommendations to the principal, the superintendent and potentially, the Cobb County Board of Education. An advisory body, the council is made up of the principal, two certified teacher members, two parents/guardians, and two members of the business community. Council members may study a wide range of issues, including student achievement, the school improvement plan, curriculum and instruction, school and community communications, and local school board policies.

Each school council publicizes its annual meeting schedule and shares meeting minutes and information about its deliberations with the broader school community. Parents or members of the school community may visit school council meetings to hear the discussion. Cobb County Board of Education policy permits councils in an Area or feeder pattern to meet at least once annually to consider items of mutual interest and concern.

Before the implementation of councils, each school maintained a citizens advisory council, and the District operated a similar representative group. With the advent of school councils, local schools have discontinued their Citizens Advisory Councils. School councils represent yet another phase in the District tradition of community collaboration and involvement.

Cobb County boasts nearly 100 percent participation at each school in the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs). Cobb’s PTA groups provide leadership, support and guidance to every school through volunteerism, program support, legislative advocacy and fund-raising.

Cobb PTAs actively support programs to increase parental/family involvement in education and endorse community efforts in critical areas such as driver education and underage drinking. Ninth District PTA leaders, representing four Cobb councils, meet with the superintendent to encourage communication and understanding of common projects and concerns.

In addition, Cobb PTAs have worked with the United Way and other community agencies to introduce Building Successful Partnerships (BSP), a national PTA program featuring training for school/parent teams, into a number of Cobb schools. Local PTA leadership also works to support the Georgia PTA’s efforts to endorse legislative endeavors that support education, both at the state and local levels.

Partners in Education

Through the Partners in Education program, the Cobb County School District receives a tremendous amount of support from businesses and business leaders within the county.

A partnership among the Cobb County School District, Marietta City Schools and the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, the Partners in Education program boasts more than 800 business partners. With retention as high as 90 percent, business leaders throughout the county demonstrate their support of education.

Partners provide a variety of support for Cobb schools. Many partners make substantial monetary donations to schools for scholarships and materials schools may need. Additional assistance includes hands-on support such as mentoring, tutoring, assisting with school facility projects such as grounds clean-ups, and other volunteer activities. Each school has at least one business partner, with many schools establishing partnerships with several businesses.

The Cobb County Character Education program was formed to support parents' efforts in developing good character in their children. The schools, parents and communities identified a list of character words and definitions deemed important regardless of a person's political leanings, race, gender or religious convictions.

The character traits associated with each character word of the week are imbedded throughout the curriculum and are a daily focus of both students and school staff members. These words and definitions focus on the attitudes and personal qualities that build a foundation for success in life and work.

Parents and school Partners in Education are encouraged to participate in the Character Education program by focusing on the associated traits and demonstrating the qualities of the weekly character words at home and in school-sponsored activities.

In addition to the Character Education program that exists in every school in Cobb County, a positive leadership development class exists in each high school. These classes, called Principled Thinking, focus on development of positive student leadership skills. The purpose of the Principled Thinking class is to establish and promote character driven student leaders for the community and school.