Banks, Sweeney Seek Greatness for Cobb Schools

East Cobb’s two school board members hope to elevate the and the county Board of Education to elite status, recognized across the state and even across the nation.

David Banks, who represents , and high schools, and Scott Sweeney, who represents and high schools, joined their colleagues on the school board in providing a glimpse at their core beliefs and values during Wednesday’s board work session.

South Cobb board member David Morgan opened the discussion of the board’s strategic plan and its priorities and vision.

Although Board Chairwoman Alison Bartlett suggested taking up those issues at the board’s planned summer retreat after a new superintendent is on the job, Morgan asked his fellow board members to reveal their priorities and vision for the board.

Morgan said it is “dire that we, ASAP, establish some priorities and core beliefs, or vision, so that we can have a definitive direction.”

Bartlett agreed with Morgan’s assessment, but she also said it is important early on to be a “team” with the new superintendent.

In response, Banks said: “My vision since the very beginning has been, ‘How can I help this district be the best school district in the nation?’ ”

Sweeney said his goal is “having the board recognized by the Georgia School Boards Association as a Board of Distinction. That is a worthwhile goal for this board to achieve, and the first step in that is the training process that we’re beginning to undertake.”

Also during the meeting, the board briefly took up Banks’ suggestion to use the $11 million saved from SPLOST construction projects this year for purchases of textbooks, technology and transportation. Bartlett asked SPLOST Chief Administrative Officer Doug Shepard to compile information about the budget surplus for the board to go over during its July work session and to get information to the school system’s Facilities & Technology Committee.

Early in the meeting, the Cobb Schools Foundation honored the three Michael Powell Award winners, who each received a certificate and $250; two are from East Cobb. The award honors students in the H.A.V.E.N. Academy program, which provides “comprehensive special education and support to students with severe emotional behavior disorders and autism,” the foundation’s website says.

The winners were Jonathan Roderick Riley and Lindsey Tootle from East Cobb and Sprayberry High’s Cooper Uvena of Northeast Cobb.

After reporting at the board’s April 28 meeting that 10 principals are retiring from the Cobb district and an assistant principal is resigning, Chief Human Resources Officer Donald Dunnigan presented a report Wednesday on contract extensions, promotions, reassignments and other moves.

The board unanimously approved the personnel report, which included extensions for the district’s Executive Cabinet: Chief Financial Officer Mike Addison, Director of Communications Jay Dillon, Dunnigan, Chief Accountability and Resource Officer Judith Jones, Chief Technology Officer Chris Ragsdale, and Shepard. Extensions also were offered to Assistant Superintendents Robert Benson, James Carter, Dale Gaddis, Angela Huff, Cheryl Hungerford, Carol Seay, Alice Stouder and Edward Thayer.

Two other moves involve East Cobb schools:

• assistant administrator Matthew Freedman is being promoted to the school’s assistant principal.
• new assistant principal will be Kemp Elementary teacher Adam Hill.