East Cobb Schools

Cobb school board Post 5 candidates receive endorsements

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Cobb school board candidate reports nearly $30K in fundraising

The two hopefuls for the open Post 5 seat on the Cobb Board of Education don’t have opponents in the upcoming primaries, but they’re picking up endorsements.

Last week the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Action Fund endorsed Democrat Laura Judge as part of a slate of endorsements in metro Atlanta school board and county commission races.

And on Tuesday, Republican John Cristadoro announced he had received the endorsement of Educators First, a teachers’ organization.

Post 5, which includes the Walton and Pope and some of the Wheeler attendance zones, is being vacated by four-term Republican David Banks.

According to its website, the SPLC Action Fund “is focused on lifting up communities of color, particularly in the Deep South, who face systemic oppression, poverty and structural racism. To overcome these injustices, the organization is committed to reimagining the political, economic and social systems that sustain them to create a world where all people can thrive. ”

Judge, a Walton-area parent, noted in a social media posting that she got the endorsement “on a day that I spoke out at the school board meeting for a student in my Post who had to deal with racial discrimination in one of our schools.

“I will continue to advocate for the safety of our students, stand up against hate within our district, and empower our community to use their voice.”

Judge also has received endorsements from Cobb school board member Becky Sayler of Post 2 in Smyrna, Democratic State Rep. Lisa Campbell of Cobb, the Georgia Working Families Party, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and the 3.14 Action Fund, which supports Democratic female candidates with science backgrounds.

Educators First represents professional teachers as an alternative to older organizations such as the Georgia Association of Educators.

Educators First says it offers “all the advantages of a traditional union, but without the high costs and partisan politics.”

Based in Kennesaw, Educators First was founded in 2011 and its CEO and co-founder is John Adams, a former Cobb County School District deputy superintendent.

“I am honored to have received the Educators First endorsement,” Cristadoro said in a statement Tuesday. “Educators First’s endorsement in my campaign clearly demonstrates the wide appeal and local grassroots support of our campaign.”

According to his latest campaign disclosure report in February, Cristadoro has raised more than $33,000 and has more than $28,000 in cash on hand.

Judge also filed a financial disclosure report in February listing more than $18,000 in contributions and more than $2,000 in cash on hand.

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Sprayberry HS rebuild project ‘not going to be a fun time’

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Sprayberry rebuild

Replacing the main campus building at Sprayberry High School has long been in the works, after vocal advocacy from the community.

On Thursday, the Cobb Board of Education approved in a 7-0 vote a $71.9 million construction contract to get the project underway starting this summer.

The contract went to Carroll Daniel Construction of Atlanta, and the work is expected to take three years. 

The current campus at 2525 Sandy Plains Road opened in 1973. Sprayberry was the first high school in the East Cobb area, opening in 1952 at what is now Cobb Parkway and Allgood Road and occupied by The Walker School.

The group pushing for a new Sprayberry facility includes a hashtag on its Facebook page declaring that “NowTheRealWorkBegins.”

Rebuild Sprayberry rally
Sprayberry parents and community leaders sold a special T-shirt as they lobbied for a new main campus building.

At a school board work session Thursday before the vote, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale didn’t mince words about what that will entail.

A total of 37 portable classroom buildings will be placed in the parking lot, similar to a rebuild a decade ago at Wheeler High School, whose leaders gave that school community ample warning about the scale and length of the disruptions. 

By comparison, a multi-phased rebuilding at Walton High School didn’t require portables. 

Classes continued in the original classroom building until the replacement opened nearby in 2017.

The only displacements were varsity softball, baseball and tennis teams, which now have new facilities on or near campus.

The new Sprayberry facility (signified in the rendering above with beige roofs) will have four stories with 68 classrooms, new administrative and guidance offices and learning commons. Renovations also will be made to existing cafeteria space and other facilities.

But, Ragsdale said, “it’s going to be a very difficult construction. It’s not going to be a fun time. It will be an awesome campus once it’s complete.”

The Sprayberry rebuild is the first of the major projects in the current Cobb Education SPLOST VI collection period, primarily to continue the momentum of previous renovations.

A new gymnasium and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education space (at the right, indicated with a turquoise roof) was recently completed.

“We need everybody’s grace and patience with this one,” Ragsdale said.

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Pope student earns Delta Community Credit Union scholarship

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Submitted information and photo:Pope student earns Delta Community Credit Union scholarship

Delta Community Credit Union is proud to announce its 2024 Scholarship Award recipients who were selected based on their academic achievement, community involvement and essay submission. As Georgia’s largest credit union with more than $8.5 billion in assets, Delta Community is proud to provide financial support to well-deserving students for the 19th consecutive year. The following five students will each receive a $5,000 award to assist with college-related expenses:

  • Jalen Johnson, a senior in the Westlake High School Magnet Program in Atlanta, who plans to attend Georgia State University to major in chemistry and physics;
  • Maximus Stetter, a senior at Dunwoody High School in Dunwoody, Georgia, who plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology to major in aerospace engineering;
  • Gargi Telang, a senior at Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia, who plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology to major in mechanical engineering;
  • Simone Walker, a senior at Dutchtown High School in Hampton, Georgia, who plans to attend Spelman College to major in biology; and
  • Joshua Zyzak, a senior at Beechwood High School in Lakeside Park, Kentucky, who plans to attend Harvard University to major in mechanical engineering.

“This year’s recipients embody our Credit Union’s values through their service to others as well as their interest in financial and social responsibility,” said Hank Halter, Delta Community’s CEO. “Their contest essays demonstrated a clear understanding of the role financial literacy can play in both personal and community prosperity. It is an honor to invest in each of them so they can pursue higher education, unlock their full potential and contribute to the future of their local communities.”

Delta Community also supports community education through quarterly scholarships for students attending historically Black colleges and universities as well as by offering free classes and workshops to the public through its award-winning Financial Education Center.

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Cobb schools remove 4 more library books for explicit content

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Four more sexually explicit books have been removed from Cobb County School District library shelves.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale made the announcement Thursday as he delivered lengthy prepared remarks similar to those he made with the removal of books last September that generated a noisy controversy.

As then, he said the books recently removed contained lewd, vulgar and sexually graphic content, and that “the sexualization of children can never be allowed to become normalized.”

He identified the four books by title (see below for more) and reiterated previous comments that the district would protect children from materials that are not age-appropriate and that this is “a battle between good and evil.”

Ragsdale didn’t say if the books were the subject of parental complaints or what schools had them in their libraries.

The four books removed are as follows:

  • Novelist Alice Sebold’s 1999 memoir “Lucky” has won awards in the children’s literature category, but also was pulled by its publisher in 2021 after a man she accused in the book of raping her was exonerated in court. The book’s graphic depiction of the alleged assault prompted a number of school removals across the country.
  • Best-selling author Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” is aimed at adult readers, and includes sexual content and depictions of an abusive relationship.
  • “Thirteen Reasons Why” is a 2007 young adult novel by Jay Asher about a high school freshman who commits suicide, and includes sexually explicit content. It’s been widely challenged on the grounds of not being age-appropriate.
  • “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky, addresses themes like teen sex, drug use, sexual abuse and abortion, and has been subject to a number of school library removals.

Ragsdale has come under fire from critics alleging a book ban, but he took umbrage in his remarks Thursday.

“We are no more ‘banning books’ than we are banning rated R and NC17 movies,” he said. “What we are doing is not forcing taxpayers to fund students having unrestricted access to materials that are so sexually explicit and graphic they could not be read aloud in the board meeting without violating FCC regulations.

“What we are doing is giving parents peace of mind in knowing their children will not have unrestricted access to this content while at school.

“What we are doing is assuring Cobb County educators will not be forced to assume the heavy burden of incorporating lewd, vulgar, and sexually explicit materials into instruction and student conversations.

“What we are doing is refusing to force Cobb County taxpayers and educators to facilitate and advance the sexualization of children.”

(The Cobb school district later Thursday sent out a full release with a transcript and video of his comments that you can read and watch by clicking here.)

Micheal Garza of East Cobb, parent of a first-grader and a frequent critic of Ragsdale, issued a lengthy response on social media Friday, insisting that “not a single book has ever sexualized a child in Cobb schools,” nor has one endangered a student in school.

“You know what has? Guns. Weapons. Racism. Antisemitism. Islamophobia,” Garza wrote. “Yet the Superintendent spent more time last night talking about porn than he has talked about school safety or bigotry collectively in the past two years.”

Others on a Facebook group page devoted to school matters suggested starting a loose book club to read the books removed from Cobb schools, and discuss there.

Also on Friday, Cobb school board chairman Randy Scamihorn responsed to the latest book in his “Just the Facts” column, backing Ragsdale’s insistence that books aren’t being banned.

“The School Board doesn’t have the authority to decide what you and your family read, and the majority of us believe those are choices you should make at home,” he said. “On the other hand, the Board is responsible for doing everything we can to keep your children safe.”

The Cobb school district also sent out Scamihorn’s comments Friday afternoon in a separate press release.

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New principals named at East Cobb MS, Garrison Mill ES

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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday approved the appointment of new principals at schools in East Cobb for the 2024-25 academic year.

New principals named at East Cobb MS, Garrison Mill ES
Mitchell Askew

Dr. Mitchell Askew, an 8th grade administrator at Pearson Middle School in South Cobb, is the new principal at East Cobb Middle School.

He has been a teacher in the Savannah-Chatham and Cobb school districts in a 20-year career. Askew had been an assistant principal at Hillgrove High School and Campbell High School before coming to Pearson in 2021.

A former teacher at Cooper Middle School, Askew was in charge of academies, transportation and the AVID program at Pearson. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Kennesaw State University and a doctorate in education from Piedmont College.

Askew will succeed Leetonia Young, who is retiring.

Ruth Martin, an assistant principal at Garrison Mill Elementary School, has been named the principal there.

She has been there since 2021, and also served as an assistant principal at Sedalia Park Elementary School and was a teacher at Brumby Elementary School and Nicholson Elementary School.

Martin earned degrees from Brigham Young University and Kennesaw State and hold’s an education specialist degree from the University of West Georgia.

She succeeds Kyle Giesler.

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Lassiter student named Atlanta Falcons’ HS ‘Man of the Year’

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Shaw Mixon, a varsity football player at Lassiter High School, has been honored by the Atlanta Falcons for his dedication to the game on the field and his service to the community.Lassiter student named Atlanta Falcons' HS 'Man of the Year'

He’s been named the Falcons’  “High School Man of the Year.” It’s similar to a National Football League honor for professional players that’s named after the late Chicago Bears’ Hall of Famer Walter Payton.

A three-year starter in football as well as a basketball player, Mixon is vice president of Sources of Strength, an organization that works with schools to provide crisis intervention services for teens and their families in such areas as mental health, suicide, bullying and substance abuse.

“Despite personal challenges, including the loss of his father and a season-ending injury, Shaw’s resilience and dedication inspire those around him, leaving an enduring impact on both his school and local community,” the Falcons said in explaining Mixon’s honor.

He received an award at the Falcons’ team banquet in February.

The Cobb County School District said in a release that Lassiter High School’s SOS program is a flagship effort in the county, having trained more than 200 students and a third of the teaching staff has been trained as trusted adults.

“It’s nice to get recognition and validation that you’re doing something right,” Shaw in the CCSD release. “I wasn’t expecting an award or anything, but obviously, whatever I have been doing is working, and I will keep giving back to the community in whatever ways I can.”

Mixon was nominated by Lassiter head football coach Sean Thom, who said “he is the type of kid who makes everyone around him better. He made me a better husband, father, coach, and teacher. He is an uncommon man in today’s society and has great things in his future.”

Lassiter AP teacher Lizz Etter, who oversees the SOS program, said Mixon not only is a bright student and excels in sports, but “as a friend, Shaw is loyal, genuine, and kind. Above all, he is humble and gracious. Shaw Mixon is an excellent choice for any award.”

Mixon also is involved in a program at Lassiter called The Joy Mission Club, in which high school students visit elementary- and middle schools to support kids who have lost a family member.

Having lost his father a little over two years ago, Shaw knows what these kids are going through. While his own network of family and friends was strong and helped support him during a very tough time in his life, he wants to be a support for other kids experiencing something similar.

“It can be easy to think about yourself and how difficult your situation is, but sharing what you think and feel with someone else is so necessary and important,” Mixon said. “I don’t want anyone to have to go through that time alone.”

 

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Cobb school board tentatively adopts FY 2025 budget

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Cobb schools FY 2025 budget proposes 4.4-9 percent pay raises

UPDATED:

The school board voted 7-0 Thursday night to tentatively adopt the budget, meaning it can be advertised publicly and receive public feedback before a final vote is scheduled for May 16.

Proposed FY 2025 budget documents can be found by clicking here.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

The Cobb County School District’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget includes staff pay raises that average 6 percent.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said at a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday that teachers, administrators and other full-time employees will receive raises ranging from 4.4 percent to 9 percent.

The proposed $1.85 billion spending is “an employee-centric” budget, Ragsdale said during a presentation.

The budget would maintain a property tax rate of 18.7 mills, holding from last year, when the school board reduced that rate by 0.2 percent to offset rising assessments.

Brad Johnson, the district’s chief financial officer, told board members that the projected Cobb tax digest growth in 2024 is 7.5 percent, compared to 14.6 percent in 2023.

“We need to be aware of a drop like that and keep it in mind” when making budget decisions, he said.

The board also was scheduled to hold a public forum on the budget proposal and to tentatively approve it Thursday night.

Another budget forum will take place on May 16, the date the board is scheduled to finalize the budget.

This story will be updated.

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Cobb schools FY2025 proposed budget, Sprayberry contract on agenda

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Cobb schools FY2025 proposed budget

The Cobb Board of Education will hear details of the Cobb County School District’s proposed fiscal year 2025 operating budget on Thursday, and hold a public forum on the matter.

According to an agenda preview, the budget presentation will be made at a 1:30 p.m. work session and at the public forum, which starts at 6:30 p.m.

The board’s monthly business meeting will take place at 7 p.m.

Also on the agenda is a recommendation to approve setting a $71.9 million maximum construction price for the replacement of the main classroom building at Sprayberry High School.

All meetings are scheduled for the board room of the Cobb school district’s central office at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. The work session, public forum and business meeting can be seen live on the district’s Boxcast streaming channel and CobbEdTV (channel 24 on Comcast cable and channel 182 on Charter cable).

You can read through the full agenda by clicking here; an executive session will take place after the work session.

An agenda item states the proposed Cobb school budget for FY 2025 is $1.85 billion in expenses, compared to the $1.448 current fiscal year 2024 budget.

No details have been released. The Cobb school district’s fiscal year begins on July 1. Current budget documents can be found by clicking here; that link eventually will include FY 2025 spending details.

Another budget forum will take place on May 16, the date the board is scheduled to finalize the budget.

Watching the Funds-Cobb, a citizens watchdog group that scrutinizes Cobb school district finances, posted a social media message Tuesday asking for an earlier release of budget details before the meeting day.

“Assuming the Board members have been given the budget docs by now, there is no reason to keep them from us so we have a few days to do our due diligence, rather than a few hours,” the message said.

“If they truly respect the taxpayers and are as concerned about our money as [current chairman] Randy Scamihorn recently stated (regarding a fee the County Commissioners are considering), then surely he and the others (especially those up for re-election) can compel the district leaders to honor our request.”

The message urged followers to write to school board members, saying “Let’s make our budget process more transparent and inclusive by giving the public the time they need to engage meaningfully.”

Last year, the Cobb school board lowered the property tax millage rate for the first time in 15 years, from 18.9 mills to 18.7 mills.

That was done in part to offset sharply-increasing property tax assessments. The FY 2024 budget called for full-time employees to receive salary increases between 7.5 percent and 12.1 percent, and the addition of 11 police officers.

The board will hear a recommendation by district staff to award a $71.9 million construction contract to Carroll Daniel Construction of Atlanta for the Sprayberry project.

It’s on the project list of the current Cobb Education SPLOST VI and work is expected to get underway this summer, with the installation of portable classrooms.

Estimated completion is July 2027.

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East Cobb high school students named 2024 Georgia Scholars

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Students from Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler high schools in East Cobb were named to the 2024 class of Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education.Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Scholars East Cobb

The Georgia Scholar program is coordinated by the department in partnership with local districts and schools.

This year they are 177 seniors from across the state “who have achieved excellence in school and community life through the Georgia Scholar program,” according to a release.

The criteria (click here) are set in state law, and includes rigorous academic standards, including course credits, as well as grade-point averages and test scores.

Georgia Scholars also participate in interscholastic activities “and assumed leadership roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools.”

Sprayberry

  • Isabella Sternagle

Walton

  • Emily Baker
  • Omer Inan
  • Daniel Lee
  • Collin Marbutt
  • Olivia Packer
  • Lydia Zang
  • Stephen Zhu

Wheeler

  • Haya Fatmi
  • Venya Gunjal
  • Aashna Kshirsagar
  • Romil Mehta
  • Misha Patel
  • Sameeh Pottayil
  • Shreya Prakash
  • Suchita Vanguri
  • Lilian Tow

“These 177 Georgia students have made our state proud through their stellar efforts in the classroom and in their communities,” Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a release.

“The Georgia Scholar designation is a recognition of their leadership and diligence. I wish them great success as they continue into their futures, and know they will continue to contribute to their communities and to our state.”

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Wheeler students to perform at Woodruff Arts Center concert

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Two students at Wheeler High School will be performing in the Fall Into Spring Finale Concert, which features chamber music selections played by young musicians, at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta later this month.Wheeler students to perform at Woodruff Arts Center concert

The concert is a collaboration of Franklin Pond Chamber Music and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and takes place on Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m.

The Wheeler students, sophomore Angelina Lu, a violinist, and senior Christian Phanhthourath, a cellist, are part of the Eucalyptus Trio, and will be performing Henrietta Renié’s Trio for Harp, Violin, and Cello.

Here’s more from a Franklin Pond release about the event:

Twenty talented middle and high school musicians from six ensembles representing 13 schools from six counties will present some of classical music’s most beloved chamber works, including compositions by Dvořák, Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Shubert, Prokofiev, Henrietta Renié and Paul Schoenfield.

The performances by these inspiring young musicians celebrate the ongoing collaboration between FPCM and the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra (AYSO). Several students also play with the Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO) and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO). All these organizations provide students with comprehensive and collegiate-level music education to prepare students for success in college and beyond.

“This event showcases the dedication and incredible work of these talented young musicians, and each year they raise the bar, delivering truly inspiring performances,” said Ginny Fairchild, Franklin Pond program coordinator.

This year there are seven graduating seniors and 12 of the 20 overall participating students are in both FPCM and the ASYO. Two FPCM members are also members of the EYSO and two FPCM members are also in MYSO.

The young musicians are coached and mentored by Franklin Pond’s elite faculty, all members of the Atlanta Symphony or Atlanta Opera Orchestras. They also perform in masterclasses led by internationally renowned guest artists such as the award-winning violinist and chamber player, Itamar Zorman.

The Fall into Spring Finale Concert takes place April 28 at 3 p.m. in the Rich Theatre of Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta. Admission is free and open to the public with no ticket required. Visit FranklinPond.org or call 404-252-3479 for more information.

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Cobb schools releasing early Monday due to solar eclipse

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solar eclipse, East Cobb Park
East Cobb Park drew a crowd for the last solar eclipse in 2017.

Most school districts in metro Atlanta will be in session on Monday afternoon, when the solar eclipse will be visible across North America.

But the Cobb County School District will be releasing early at all three grade levels before the eclipse window begins.

The district will have a shortened first day following the past week’s spring break, and has cited parental discretion and student safety issues.

High schools will release at 11:30 a.m., followed by elementary schools at 12:30 p.m. and middle schools at 1:30 p.m.

All after-school activities will take place as regularly scheduled.

The district extended the school day during the last solar eclipse in August 2017. Many students were seen with friends and parents at East Cobb Park for that event.

But last July, the Cobb school district sent a message to parents notifying them of an early release, stating that “while experiencing a solar eclipse can be memorable and educational, looking directly at an eclipse can seriously damage a student’s eyes. We are providing Cobb families as much time, information, and flexibility as possible so they can make the best health decisions for their children.”

DeKalb schools will be having an “independent learning day” on Monday, but most other local school districts, including Marietta, will be in session in person as usual.

According to forecasts, the rolling path of the eclipse across North America will take place between 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday, with between 80-85 percent of the sun being blocked in the Atlanta area.

The projected path of the eclipse stretches from Mexico and Texas to the Midwest, and into the Northeast.

Several Cobb library branches will be having special eclipse watch events, including East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) from 2-4 p.m.

The event will include a live stream of NASA’s official live broadcast.

The next solar eclipse takes place in 2044.

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Cobb school board chairman blasts stormwater fee proposal

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Days after the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to delay imposing a stormwater fee, the chairman of the Cobb Board of Education blasted the proposed changes, saying they would they would be “grossly unfair” to taxpaying school parents.

Cobb school board chairman blasts stormwater fee proposal
Randy Scamihorn

Republican Randy Scamihorn said  in “Just the Facts,” his occasional column, that the fee would “add to the monthly bills of hardworking parents and, again, apparently, schools across our county.”

The Cobb Water Sytem’s proposal would switch how customers are charged for stormwater services.

Currently, the charges are based on the amount of water consumption. The county wants to charge according to the amount of impervious surfaces of a building and property.

While homeowners have been most vocal in protesting what they call a “rain tax,” the impervious surface change would mean that commercial and institutional customers would be paying a larger share than they do now.

That prompted protests from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce last week.

Scamihorn wrote that “for our families who already live on a tight budget, this additional ‘fee’ on their already strained finances is grossly unfair.

“I’ve raised the impact this fee would have on our schools a number of times with district leaders,” Scamihorn wrote.

“Unfortunately, our staff does not have enough information from the Commissioners to know how much money would be taken from classrooms, but they know it would mean fewer dollars for teachers and students. We also know our schools could have been made legally exempt, but they weren’t.”

(You can read Scamihorn’s full remarks by clicking here.)

The Cobb County School District posted the message on social media channels and sent out a separate e-mail with Scamihorn’s remarks Friday.

Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt told East Cobb News Friday that as far as he knows, any specifics of the financial impact to the Cobb County School District haven’t been discussed, including a fee exemption.

Cavitt added it “that it is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars to allow an elected official to express a personal opinion through taxpayer-funded communications channels.”

After a contentious, hours-long hearing on Tuesday, Cobb commissioners voted to delay taking up a stormwater vote, and called for more public hearings to take place in August.

Among the issues is the uncertainty over how much more commercial and institutional customers would be charged for stormwater services.

Cobb Water System Director Judy Jones has indicated in various presentations that a majority of residential customers would pay between $2 to $4 a month for a dedicated stormwater utility fee and the commercial and institutional customers would pay up to $21 a month.

Those institutional customers include churches, schools and other non-profit organizations.

“After consulting with our legal team, we believe this bizarre ‘stormwater fee’ will be imposed upon schools, as well as the thousands of acres on which your schools are built,” Scamihorn wrote.

“The reality is that every school dollar taken for stormwater management is a dollar taken away from our children’s futures. . . . I know I speak for the majority of the Board when I point out that the latest proposal being brought forward by Cobb Commission Chair Lisa Cupid is fraught with problems for our schools and our parents. 

“I’m not telling you how to vote; I’m telling you what is and isn’t good for our schools and Cobb’s children.”

On the Cobb school district’s Facebook page, some citizens pushed back against Scamihorn’s comments.

Laura Judge of East Cobb, a Democratic candidate for the Post 5 school board seat, noted that talks with commissioners about the stormwater fee have been “bipartisan, heated and long. That’s why one of my hopes as a future board member is to work with the other layers of government. Not start a blog bashing them.”

“I hope that as a possible member I can say that if our board chair is concerned, now the commission vote has been delayed, he’ll reach out to our commissioners and the school community to set up an education townhall about this rainfall fee.”

Another commenter found it ironic that Scamihorn was complaining of “yet another threat to dollars that belong in the classroom” when he signed off on spending $50 million for special events center for the school district, amid an “ongoing staffing and maintenance budget burden. . . . What a joke, Mr. Scamihorn. What an absolute joke.”

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Tickets on sale for Wheeler Theatre’s ‘Mamma Mia!’

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Submitted information:Tickets on sale for Wheeler Theatre's 'Mamma Mia!'

Wheeler High School Theatre rocks to ABBA’s timeless hits in the hilarious feel-good musical, Mamma Mia! April 18, 19 & 20 at 7 pm and April 20 & 21 at 2 pm. 

Told through Swedish pop group ABBA’s timeless music and inspiring the 2008 hit movie starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia! tells the uplifting story of a young woman’s search for her birth father on the eve of her own wedding. Non-stop laughs, explosive dance numbers, the magical backdrop of a Greek island paradise, and infectious hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Super Trouper,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “The Winner Takes It All” make Mamma Mia! a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! 

Mamma Mia! is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Rated PG -13. Take a chance on Wheeler Theatre for an ABBA-solutely amazing evening and see why people all around the world have fallen in love with this sunny, funny feel-good show! 

ADVANCE TICKETS are $12 at WHEELERHS.BOOKTIX.COM. Tickets at the door: $20 for adults; $15 for students with ID; $12 for kids 12 and under. CCSD Faculty/Staff receive one free ticket at the door with ID.

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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy appoints new theater director

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Submitted information:

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is thrilled to announce new leadership to further develop its theater program. Mrs. Brittany Leazer will be joining the Academy’s faculty as Theater Director, overseeing our drama program schoolwide. Mrs. Leazer is the owner/artistic director of Brittany Leazer Productions, the leading student theater organization in the region.Mt. Bethel Christian Academy appoints new theater director

Mrs. Leazer will be teaching Upper and Middle School drama classes, producing theatrical performances, and leading a Lower School after-school program. Mr. David Coheley, the school’s current Band Director, with his superlative career as a band instructor, will be focusing on building the band program schoolwide as well, developing new opportunities to accommodate school growth.  

“As a lower, middle, and upper school parent, I am excited about the future of MBCA,” said Mrs. Leazer. I hope to bring my many years of experience in acting, directing, and teaching theater to propel our school to excellence in Performing Arts.”

Mrs. Leazer and her husband, Mike, are parents of three MBCA students. She is an award-winning professional who has produced and directed over 60 children’s and young adult productions and is passionate about doing so from a Christ-centered approach. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Acting and a Master’s Degree in Playwriting. Passion for theater and teaching drives Brittany to help students reach their goals and shine on stage; she is excited about the future of MBCA and is committed to excellence in the performing arts. 

“We know the potential of these kids,” said Mrs. Leazer. “Our family has been, and will continue to be, a part of MBCA for a really long time, and I’m so excited to see the Performing Arts grow.”

Founded in 1998, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy is an independent, Christian preparatory school serving 700 students in Junior Kindergarten – twelfth grade. The school has two campuses in east Cobb County. Both campuses provide an extraordinary, Christ-centered environment where students are academically challenged, nurtured, and loved. 

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Cobb school board approves special events facility contract

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The Cobb Board of Education approved the hiring of a construction manager for the Cobb County School District’s new special events facility Thursday, but the vote wasn’t unanimous.

Cobb school board approves special events facility contract
Becky Sayler

By a 5-2 vote, the board signed off on the district’s recommendation to hire Winter Construction Co. of Atlanta to oversee construction of the facility, which will be located next to the district’s central office on Glover Street.

The price for the project is estimated to be $50 million, and Winter will be paid 0.8 percent of that amount—around $400,000. The school board in December approved spending $3 million for the property.

A separate vote on the construction project itself will take place later. Funding will come from Cobb Education-IV SPLOST.

The facility, which will seat 8,000, will have graduations and other district-related special events. Estimated project completion is 2026.

But during a board work session Thursday afternoon, school board member Becky Sayler of Post 2 in the Smyrna area said she wasn’t satisfied the board was getting enough details.

The advance meeting agenda did not include the recommended construction manager and included the word “placeholder” in large bold print.

When Sayler asked Chief Technology and Operations Officer Marc Smith for more details, including a final cost, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale interjected to say that won’t be known until construction bids come in.

She pressed for other information–feasibility, cost savings, budget impact, maintenance and staffing costs–and Ragsdale said that “all that information was covered” when the board approved the decision to build a special events center in 2023.

“I remember getting big-picture ideas, but I still have not seen details for an expense of this magnitude,” said Sayler, who was the only board member to cast dissenting vote last year.

“Once the project was approved, we started moving down the path of getting the project in plan and that’s where we are today.”

Sayler and Post 6 board member Nichelle Davis, also of the Smyrna area, were the votes against the construction manager recommendation on Thursday.

In other action Thursday night, the school board voted along partisan lines to make changes to the district’s fiscal management possibilities, removing language requiring board approval of budget transfers.

The vote was 4-3, with the four Republicans voting in favor and the three Democrats voting against. Critics said that move would give the superintendent too much power over financial matters.

Ragsdale and district officials claimed otherwise, and a motion by Sayler to subject financial transfers to board approval failed, along the same party lines.

The board also voted to award a $6 million construction contract to R.K. Redding Construction, Inc. of Bremen for HVAC, door hardware, and plumbing improvements and restroom renovations at Shallowford Falls Elementary School in East Cobb.

The project is expected to be completed in July 2025.

Also on Thursday, the district announced several staff retirements, including East Cobb Middle School principal Leetonia Young, effective June 30.

She has been a teacher and administrator in Cobb since 2004.

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Eastside Christian School hires Wheeler magnet teacher

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Submitted information:Eastside Christian School hires Wheeler magnet teacher

Eastside Christian School, a K-10th school that launched a high school this year, has announced their first full-time hire as they execute their plans to add a grade each year through 12th grade. Dr. John Cody will be joining the ECS team as the research and internship coordinator and science teacher.

Dr. Cody is coming from Wheeler High School, where he spent the last 17 years as a teacher in the Magnet Program. Dr. Cody brings experience in writing curriculum and has taught Magnet Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Advanced Scientific Research (part of the Wheeler Magnet internship and research program). Dr. Cody earned his PhD in Chemistry at Georgia Tech in 2006.

Eastside Christian’s Head of School, Dr. Tiffany Stark, worked with Dr. Cody for over 10 years during their time together at Wheeler. “I am thrilled that Dr. Cody is going to be joining the Eastside team as we continue to build our high school. He brings a level of excellence to the classroom and delivers challenging content while helping students learn to think and apply at a high level. Dr. Cody is loved by his students and colleagues, and he will be a great addition at Eastside,” said Dr. Stark.

“The idea of being part of a team that is building something from the ground up excites me and, as a matter of fact, was a major contributing factor in this move,” said Dr. Cody. “My time at Wheeler was spent teaching some of the brightest minds in the district, and I always tried to set the achievement bar high for those students. I love the idea of coming alongside an already great team of educators to work toward offering their students excellent educational opportunities as well.”

Dr. Cody will be teaching Honors Chemistry and Honors Biology in the 2024-25 school year, while preparing to launch the internship program at Eastside in the fall of 2025.

For more information about Eastside Christian School, visit www.eastsidechristianschool.com.

 

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Student arrested after Sprayberry HS stabbing incident

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Sprayberry High School, Cobb Education SPLOST

Sprayberry High School

UPDATED, MARCH 21:

Cobb Police identified the suspect as Aedan Smith, 17, who was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Wednesday night.

Sgt. Eric Smith, a Cobb P0lice spokesman, said the victim, Earl Nichols, 18, is in critical condition at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

Police said Nichols was found with several puncture wounds, likely from a knife, when Cobb Police were called to the scene by Cobb school district police.

Police said that based on witness interviews, they identified Smith as the suspect, and that the two boys had had a physical altercation.

Aedan Smith was charged with aggravated assault and possessing a weapon on a school campus.

According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office booking reports, he was being held on $10,000 bond, but the Cobb Magistrate Court Clerk’s office said Thursday morning that bond has been revoked.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

A student stabbed another student at Sprayberry High School Wednesday morning, prompting a code red alert.

The suspected assailant was later arrested, the Cobb school district said.

A message went out to the school community said that the assailant fled the scene and the victim was being treated for injuries, but didn’t provide more details.

“Earlier today, a student used a knife to injure another student. The victim has been treated for their injuries,” a Cobb County School District spokeswoman said in a statement.

“The campus is secure, and thanks to the quick response of police the suspect is custody. Learn how we keep Cobb schools safe by visiting  www.cobbshield.com and learn about Cobb’s shield of protection in this podcast.”

Wednesday’s attack at Sprayberry is the second at a Cobb high school in recent weeks. 

On Feb. 1, two former McEachern High School students were shot in the school’s parking lot during an altercation and four suspects—all of them teens—have been arrested.

The situation prompted two community town halls in that area by Cobb school board member Tre’ Hutchins. 

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Cobb school board Post 5 candidates qualify for primary

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Cobb school board candidate reports nearly $30K in fundraising

Two candidates who announced their campaigns for the Cobb Board of Education from East Cobb nearly a year ago qualified for the 2024 primary elections on Monday.

Republican John Cristadoro and Democrat Laura Judge filed qualifying paperwork and fees at their local party offices on Monday.

They’re both parents in the Walton attendance zones, and are seeking the Post 5 seat on the school board being vacated by David Banks, a four-term Republican who is not seeking re-election.

The primary election is on May 21.

Post 5, which includes the Walton, Pope and some of the Wheeler attendance zones, is one of four school board posts on the ballot this year.

Three of those seats are held by Republicans, who have a 4-3 majority on a Cobb school board that has been strongly divided along partisan lines in recent years.

In a statement released by his campaign, Cristadoro said that “I am honored to have the opportunity to represent Walton, Wheeler, and Pope High Schools. I believe that maintaining common sense leadership for Cobb schools is paramount to the continued success of all Cobb students.”

After qualifying, Judge announced that she will be holding a fundraiser Thursday hosted by Dr. Dahlia Levine of Dentistry at East Piedmont.

Here are the respective campaign websites for Cristadoro and Judge; and you can find our at-length interviews with both candidates from last spring here and here.

They are the only announced candidates to have qualified thus far. Qualifying continues through noon Friday for Congressional, legislative and local offices across Georgia.

In Cobb, there are three seats on the Board of Commissioners on the ballot—all three currently held by Democrats.

That includes District 2, where first-term Democrat Jerica Richardson has announced her candidacy for the 6th Congressional District.

The Cobb Board of Elections announced Friday it would be honoring “home rule” maps that include some of East Cobb in District 2 while a legal dispute is played out before the Georgia Supreme Court.

The legislature included most of East Cobb in District 3, represented by GOP member JoAnn Birrell. But the county is appealing a ruling by a Cobb judge that said the “home rule” maps preferred by Democrats violates the Georgia Constitution.

Oral arguments before the court are scheduled for April 17, but on Monday Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger blasted the Cobb Elections map decision.

“The Cobb County Commission’s irresponsible decision to proceed with commission-drawn maps jeopardizes candidate qualifying and puts Cobb County voters at risk for disenfranchisement,” Raffensperger said in a release. “The court has already ruled that the commission must use the maps enacted by the General Assembly. Their unilateral decision will add confusion, likely errors, and unnecessary burdens on election officials at the 11th hour. This decision does not serve the people of Georgia.”

On Monday, two previously announced Democratic candidates for District 2 qualified. They are former State Rep. Erick Allen, who drew up the home rule maps that the county is using, and former Cobb school board member Jaha Howard.

William Costa of the Kennesaw area also qualified as a Democrat for District 2.

The other seats up this year include District 4 in South Cobb and the countywide-elected chair.

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Cobb school board extends Ragsdale’s contract along party lines

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Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale received a one-year extension to his current contract Thursday to run through Feb. 28, 2027.

Cobb school board extends Ragsdale's contract
Cobb Superintendent Chris Ragsdale told his critics: “Do not come after my teachers, my principals or my team.”

The Cobb Board of Education voted 4-3 along party lines to offer the extension to a contract that will continue to pay Ragsdale, who has been superintendent since 2015, a salary of $350,000 a year.

The board’s four Republicans voted in favor, the three Democrats against, following an executive session, but didn’t discuss the matter at the voting meeting Thursday night.

Ragsdale thanked the board for the “vote of confidence” but didn’t elaborate. He later launched into scathing remarks against those critical of the district’s handling of a Feb. 1 shooting in the parking lot of McEachern High School that prompted two town hall meetings.

Two former students were shot and two current students were arrested during the incident, which didn’t extend into the school buildings.

Some citizens called for public meetings to be held on school safety plans, and others wanted the removal of McEachern principal Regina Montgomery.

But Ragsdale said that the details of those plans are discussed in executive session and are not allowed to be made public. He stood by Montgomery, and said there’s a safety plan for every school, including McEachern, and that it was followed on that day.

“I find it disturbing, but not surprising, that the same people and political groups who spoke against increased security measures in our schools . . . are now the very same people screaming the loudest about not having enough resource officers.”

At that point, some in the audience began interrupting, and one person was removed from the room.

“Please sit down and quit being rude and let us conduct our business,” board chairman Randy Scamihorn said.

Cobb school board extends Ragsdale's contract
Melissa Marten of the Cobb Community Care Coalition has been a vocal critic of Ragsdale’s leadership.

Ragsdale continued that “you can continue to come at me with all of your lies, but do not come after my teachers, my principals or my team. They’re all too far and work too high to stoop to your level.”

Before the vote, some critics—wearing shirts that read “No Confidence in Ragsdale”—spoke out against him, complaining mostly about the McEachern situation and efforts they allege the district made to restrict public commenters at the September board meetings and that created what they said was a chaotic situation.

“This was dangerous, and they are lucky no one was seriously injured,” said Melissa Marten, leader of a group called the Cobb Community Care Coalition, which has been critical of the district on a number of issues, including what it contends is an “acceleration of racism, bigotry, and censorship in Cobb County School District.”

“We demand accountability for putting our safety at risk and for district employees wasting our tax dollars and spending their time orchestrating potential violence.

“How can we have safe schools when our schools are run by people like this?” Marten said. “The problem is right here in this room looking at you right now.”

Also on Thursday, the Cobb school board voted to approve a “guaranteed maximum price” of $14.5 million for the Sprayberry High School main campus building replacement project, and to spend $9.328 million for renovations at Blackwell Elementary School on Canton Road.

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Cobb school board to set cap on Sprayberry HS rebuild

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Sprayberry High School

After approving a contractor for the replacement of the main campus building at Sprayberry High School, the Cobb Board of Education will be asked Thursday to set a maximum construction cost for the project.

The board will be asked to approve a “guaranteed maximum price” of $14.5 million at a voting session Thursday night. The item will be introduced at a work session Thursday afternoon.

The board previously approved hiring Carroll Daniel Construction of Gainesville as the construction manager for the project, which is expected to get underway this summer and take around two years to complete.

The Sprayberry rebuild is one of the first major projects of the Cobb Education-VI Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax period that began collections in January.

Setting a maximum price now, according to an agenda item, will enable the contractor “to move forward procuring long-lead time equipment, sitework/utility relocation, and other enabling work” to meet the anticipated completion deadline of July 2026.

The Cobb County School District is taking out a $100 million loan from future collections in short-term tax anticipation notes (TANS) to get early projects started. The loan has to be repaid by the end of the year.

The Sprayberry main campus building that opened in 1973 will be torn down and replaced with a main classroom and office facility, the latest in a comprehensive overhaul of the Northeast Cobb campus.

A new gymnasium recently opened at Sprayberry, which also has undergone renovations to its CTAE (Career, Technology and Agricultural Education) facility.

Also on Thursday, the board will be presented with an agenda item to spend $9.328 million for renovations at Blackwell Elementary School on Canton Road.

Among the work includes roof, door, window and HVAC replacements, telephone and technology upgrades and maintenance and replacement of computing devices and equipment.

The agenda item states a recommendation for the contract is for Ward Humphrey Inc. of Marietta with an estimated completion date of July 2025.

The board is meeting in public at a 1:30 p.m. work session Thursday and a 7 p.m. business session at the Cobb County School District Central Office (514 Glover St., Marietta).

The agendas for both meetings can be found here; an executive session will take place in between and action is indicated for the voting session for personnel, land and legal matters.

The public meetings also will be live-streamed on the district’s BoxCast channel and on CobbEdTV, Comcast Channel 24.

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