Longtime East Cobb school administrator and prinicipal Alice Stouder has been selected to serve as the Cobb County School District's interim deputy superintendent.

Stouder, whose appointment was approved unanimously Thursday by the Cobb Board of Education, replaces Steven Constantino, who left last week to take a superintendent position in Williamsburg, Va.

Stouder, who for the last six years has been the chief administrator of Area 3 -- the Pope, Walton and Wheeler high school districts of East Cobb -- also was a principal for 17 years. She said she will hold her new position until another person is named.

“I’m looking forward to working with Superintendent (Fred) Sanderson, the board and the leadership to carry the district forward,” said Stouder, a 32-year Cobb County School District employee.

Cobb County Association of Educators President Connie Jackson was among the many people congratulating Stouder after Thursday night's marathon meeting. 

“Teachers are thrilled that she’s been promoted to that position,” Jackson said. “It’s nice to have someone who understands. She’s wonderful. When you see a whole room clapping her appointment that tells you that she’s well liked and respected.”

The board also voted 7-0 to name Jill Kalina, who had retired from the district in 2008, to succeed Stouder. Kalina, a 38-year educator who was Cobb County’s superintendent from Aug. 2005-Jan. 2006, had been working as a senior vice president for Education Planners, an education consulting firm in Marietta.

“Jill’s a great lady and she’ll be a wonderful to assist the Cobb County School District,” said James Wilson, the founder and owner of Education Planners.

In other action at last Thursday's meeting: 

-- The board voted 6-1 (with Post 5 Board member David Banks of Northeast Cobb dissenting) to reunite the Facilities & Technology Committee, which was split last year.

-- Board members named their community representatives for each of their posts at the meeting. Banks selected Chuck Casto and Don Hill while Post 6 Board member Scott Sweeney of East Cobb named Kimberley Euston and Larry Savage. The committee’s first meeting is 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7.

-- The issuance of $62 million in construction notes was also approved through a 5-2 vote, with Banks and Sweeney voting in favor. SPLOST Program Chief Administrative Officer Doug Shepard said 12 companies turned in bids and Barclays Capital was selected after it submitted a 0.38 percent interest rate.

-- The board voted unanimously to purchase 100 72-passenger buses with 79 purchased from $6.6 million in SPLOST III funds and $1.6 from a state grant.

-- In the shortest discussion of the night, the board voted 7-0 to revise the district’s Strategic Plan to include the percentage of students meeting and exceeding targets.

-- The board also unanimously voted 7-0 to adopt the state’s model code-of-ethics and conflict policies.