Should Spring Breaks Be Staggered?

Depending on whom you ask, spring break just ended or happened weeks ago. Are the staggered spring breaks a good thing, or should schools aim to schedule their breaks at the same time?

It’s back to school today for students in Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties. Spring break for the three county school districts was held last week, and pupils are returning to the classroom for the last remaining weeks of school. But students in these three districts didn’t get to enjoy their time off along with all their peers from other school systems. For instance, nearby Bartow County held its spring break the first week of April. Spring break also varies for students at local colleges. While those attending Chattahoochee Technical College got their break from classes last week, students at Kennesaw State University and Georgia Highlands College took their break the first week of March—no classes were held at KSU March 2-8 while …

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East Cobb Food Scores, Sept. 29-Oct. 5

The latest inspection reports include visits to Cafe de Paris, Capozzi's and a few public schools.

The following East Cobb establishments serving food were inspected recently by Cobb and Douglas Public Health:  

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East Cobb Food Scores, Sept. 22-28

The most recent inspections included visits to Aurelio's, Chili's, Folia and Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.

The following East Cobb businesses serving food were inspected from Sept. 22-28 by Cobb and Douglas Public Health:  

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East Cobb Food Scores, Sept. 15-21

The latest health inspections include visits to Red Sky, Bagelicious and Hong Kong Star.

The following East Cobb food establishments were inspected recently by Cobb and Douglas Public Health:  

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Early Release Schedule for Schools

Students will be dismissed early today and Thursday, the last two days of the 2011-12 school year.

The Cobb County School District is releasing students early today and Thursday, the final two days of the school year. The early release schedule for each academic level is as follows: Buses will begin their normal routes at the early dismissal times for each level. These early release times have been added to the Cobb County School District master calendar. Click here to view and sync with your smartphone.

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REPLAY: School Board Passes Budget

The Cobb County Board of Education approves the same three-furlough-day plan it rejected Thursday as three members change their votes.

We covered the furlough days—the debate and the outcome—in the live blog and the comments, but let's lay it all out here as well. Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's recommendation for the three-furlough-day budget included a calendar placing the furlough days Dec. 21, Feb. 15 and May 30. The logic of those days: David Banks, who represents East and Northeast Cobb, first proposed switching all the furlough days to Feb. 20 to 22, then cutting a day off the end of winter break and moving that vacation day to Feb. 19, creating a weeklong February break just like the former balanced calendar. After a break in the meeting for the staff to work out the alternatives, Banks adjusted his proposal to use two of the furlough days in February, on the …

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Fred Farkel

11:52 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013

Anyone who claims to be an educator in this state is most likely shamed anyway. This entire system has been exposed for what it is. A political experiment on kids and a fleecing of the taxpayer. These people have no shame. Thats one of the biggest problems we face in society today. No morals, no values.   more ›

Schools Budget Number: One Speaker

Only one person spoke during the only public hearing scheduled on the Cobb County School District's proposed $841.9 million spending plan for fiscal 2013.

So only one person, Educators First head Tana Page, spoke during the public hearing, although to be fair, at least four teachers spoke during the teacher salary hearing at 6:30. You can recap the brief meeting in the CoverItLive blog above. But I'll reiterate the questions from that blog right here. What does the lack of turnout from the public and, for that matter, the board members mean? Do Cobb County residents not care about the schools budget? Are they happy with the proposed spending plan? Do they think the school board doesn't care what they have to say? Let us know what you think in the comment space below. The Cobb County Board of Education is holding its only public hearing on the fiscal 2013 budget for the Cobb County School …

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Rufus Wienerhammer

11:30 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

I find Cobb county's education budget excessive and would like to see more of that money relocated and used to build additional jails and penitentiaries. Spending money on education is worthless while children are still being subverted by criminal elements.   more ›

Preliminary Cobb Schools Budget OK'd

The 6-1 vote keeps the school district moving toward final budget approval May 17, but no Board of Education members seem happy with the plan to close a $62.5 million deficit.

The Cobb County Board of Education voted 6-1 Thursday night to give preliminary approval to an $851 million budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. But school board members made it clear that their action was procedural and they are not prepared to give the current plan final approval May 17 without seeing other options. The preliminary budget closes a projected $62.5 million deficit by increasing class size, reducing the number of teachers by 350, furloughing employees for five days, cutting the school year to 175 days, making media center paraprofessionals part-timers, delaying step raises by half a year and spending $21 million of reserve funds, among other actions. The district needs 75 more teachers to decide in the next month …

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Cobb Schools May Cut 350 Jobs

The Cobb school board heard budget-cutting options and refused to revisit the school calendar issue this week.

The Cobb County School District's projected fiscal year 2013 deficit is less than originally suggested, but the district could lay off as many as 350 employees, tag on more furlough days and increase class sizes according to The Marietta Daily Journal. This week Chief Financial Officer Mike Addison reported to the school board that the $73 million deficit he told them about in October has been reduced to $62.4 million. But in an effort to further reduce the budget shortfall, Addison suggested several cost-cutting measures. Among those, increasing class sizes by two; adding three more furlough days for a total of five; delaying a salary step increase; eliminating 50 media professional jobs and more. The budget report can be viewed here.  …

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It's Back to School in Cobb

That also means restarting routines for parents after the winter break, so we've included some tips that will hopefully help them stay on top of being organized.