|
Superintendent
Joseph Redden Resigns
Cobb County Superintendent Gen.
Joseph Redden today announced his resignation, effective
August 24, 2005.
“Clearly the best interest of the
District lies in moving forward to serve the children of
Cobb County, and I don’t believe that under current
circumstances we are able to do so effectively,” said
Redden, who was hired by the Board of Education in
November 2000. Recently, the Cobb County School District
has been the focus of extraordinary attention following
the demise of a plan to provide laptop computers to
teachers and some students in the District.
“Cobb County is a great school
district with incredibly talented teachers and
administrators throughout all of its schools,” said Gen.
Redden. “I believe they’ll now find the opportunity to
achieve new levels of success by putting the focus on
the achievement of students without the added
distractions.”
Prior to arriving in Cobb in 2000,
Gen. Redden retired after a 35-year career in the United
States Air Force during which he served as Commandant of
Cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Commander of Air
University, and director of education of the Air
Education and Training Command. As an officer in the Air
Force, he distinguished himself as a leader, a pilot,
trainer and commander, garnering over a dozen major
awards and decorations and serving on 607 combat
missions during the Vietnam War.
“This is a sad day for our schools
because we are losing a leader,” said School Board Chair
Kathie Johnstone. “Joe Redden is a man of integrity
whose biggest concern has always been doing what was
best for the kids of Cobb County.”
During his tenure as
superintendent in Cobb County, Gen. Redden oversaw many
organizational changes that improved efficiency and the
delivery of instruction in schools. In 2004, Cobb County
became one of the first two school systems in the South
to receive district-wide accreditation from the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2003, thanks to
the effective management of the first Special Purpose
Local Option Sales Tax program, Cobb County voters
renewed the one percent tax for education with 79
percent of the vote in favor. Other accomplishments
under Gen. Redden’s leadership include:
• Cobb’s e-High School program was implemented
allowing high school students to
take for credit courses on-line.
• The School-Within-A-School program was
implemented at several elementary
schools, helping to provide students with a more effective learning
environment
with more teachers and administrators allotted to serve the
communities.
• The District administration was realigned to
include six Area Assistant
Superintendents who help to provide localized administrative
support to all of
Cobb’s schools.
• Schools became AP-certified providing advanced
learning programs for all
students.
• SPLOST I was completed in 2003 with 12 new
schools and 1,000 new classrooms
opened on time and $30 million under budget.
• SPLOST II will add nine new schools and another
1,000 new classrooms.
Continuing the successful legacy of the SPLOST I, SPLOST II has
been managed
efficiently, resulting in projects to date being $30 million under
budget.
• In a partnership with Southern Polytechnic State
University and the local cable
operators, COBB ed-TV went live in 2004, expanding communication to
Cobb
County residents with 24/7 educational programming, district
announcements and
public meetings.
• Fourteen elementary schools came off the AYP
Needs Improvement list within a
two-year period.
• In 2004, Cobb attained the highest-ever district
average SAT score of 1040, which
also increased its margin over the national average to 16 points.
• Gains were made in the CRCT tests for example the
latest results showed:
o Overall student performance increased over last year.
o Nearly all grade levels had scores within the “Exceeding” the
standard range of
performance.
o Surpassed state mean scores in every academic area tested.
o Percentage of students meeting (scoring above 300) or exceeding
standards
(scoring higher than 350) was equal to or higher
than the state percentage at
every grade level.
“We all should take great pride in the consistent
academic growth that we have enjoyed in the District,
and the many achievements of our students and staff,”
said Gen Redden. “The foundation of excellence in
leadership and instruction exists in all of our schools.
If it is nurtured, you can expect even better results in
the future – for each and every Cobb County student.”
###
|
