Volunteers from IBM visited Brown Elementary School in Smyrna Nov. 6 to help beautify the school grounds. The group arrived early on both days, pruning bushes, planting shrubs and performing general cleanup work. The volunteers paid special attention to Brown’s courtyard. Brown faculty and staff, as well as parent volunteers, provided snacks for the IBM representatives. Ann Kirk of Keep Smyrna Beautiful helped connect IBM with Brown Elementary.

When students returned to school Nov. 8, they saw a variety of new landscaping and a cleaner school campus!

Work Ready proctor, Marina Morris, assists Osborne High School Student Atiya Turner.

Chattahoochee Technical College and the Cobb County School District are teaming up together to help Cobb become a Certified Work Ready Community by December 31, 2009. As part of the Georgia Work Ready initiative, Cobb, along with the majority of counties in the state have made a commitment to earn the “Certified Work Ready Community” status, a designation showing they have the skilled workforce that business demands and the means to drive economic growth and prosperity.

Cobb County Schools are offering the Work Ready assessments to Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) students this year and plans to have EVERY senior student assessed in the 2010-2011 school year. Chattahoochee Technical College has assisted with proctoring these exams to various schools throughout the Cobb County School system and will continue to support Cobb County Schools during this venture.

Georgia Work Ready was created to ensure Georgia’s workforce has the best skills, easy access to training and world-class job opportunities. The backbone of the initiative is the Georgia Work Ready Certificate, which assess the real world skills in the areas of Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information and Locating Information. If you are interested in learning more about the Georgia Work Ready program, visit www.gaworkready.org or you may contact Kary Gilkeson, Chattahoochee Technical College’s Director of Economic Development.

Cobb County 4-H and South Cobb High School and the Business Department, have collaborated to implement the new Entrepreneurship Program starting January 2010.

This is due to the generous financial donation from Emerson Climate Technologies, primarily through their nonprofit Emerson Charitable Trust. The Emerson Charitable Trust provides financial assistance and other support to encourage development and delivery of sound, innovative programs that improve and enrich human lives, promote volunteerism, and provide services directly to those in need.

Headquartered in Kennesaw, Georgia, Retail Solutions, part of Emerson Climate Technologies, is the world’s leading provider of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration solution for residential, industrial and commercial applications.

Emerson support programs and institutions that give young people an opportunity to recognize their potential, and the confidence and skills to achieve their dreams. Emerson believes their futures as a company and the well-being of the nation as a whole depends in large part on the quality and resourcefulness of our educational systems at all levels.

Emerson’s donation to the Georgia 4-H Foundation supports the Emerson Workforce Preparation and Career Development Project Endowment and support Cobb County 4-H. The objectives of the Workforce Preparation and Career Development Project Endowment is to help prepare youth for employable futures including training in practical skills, leadership abilities, building character, and assist them in exploring career opportunities available to them in today’s workplace.

The Cobb 4-H E.Y.E. (Empowering Young Entrepreneurs) Leadership Academy is designed to that and more. The E.Y.E. Academy is a proactive academy designed to invigorate youth as a committed partner in their own development and future success. The program will provide educational resources that will have youth participants actively engaged in matching their interests and skills with similar career choices. By providing these educational resources and hands-on field experiences, 4-H’ers will turn potential talents to profitable businesses. This experience will educate them in becoming financially aware, prepared, and equipped to manage real-world financial issues. 4-H’ers will understand the relevancy of a high school education as an essential measure in pursuing a post-secondary education and obtaining a satisfying career. In turn, this provides a greater likelihood of graduating, therefore decreasing the drop-out rate.

Ashley Hosey, Principal of South Cobb High School and Lisa Gipson, Business Department Head of South Cobb High have worked closely with Kimberly Taylor, Cobb County 4-H Youth Development Professional in arranging meeting dates and times to implement this Spring Semester program.

Principal Hosey notes that “South Cobb High School is a place with a history of providing top notch “flight training.”

Cobb 4-H feels this program is another tool serving as a “launching pad’ in helping South Cobb students soar!

The metro Atlanta community continues to show its generosity to Cobb County schools affected by the late September flooding. Ed Cahill, Director for Economic Development for GreyStone Power Corporation, dropped by the office of Superintendent Fred Sanderson Oct. 29 to personally deliver a $25,000 donation to the District’s flood relief efforts! In addition, GreyStone Power also gave $5,000 specifically to Clarkdale Elementary School, whose facility was ruined by the floods. The District would like to thank GreyStone Power and all of the individuals and organizations who have contributed to the flood relief efforts.

Roswell Street Baptist Church was packed with cheering students, family members, school district representatives and community supporters.

The Cobb community united at Roswell Street Baptist Church Oct. 27 for the grand finale of the ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ month, the Teacher of the Year pep rally! The day began with a special breakfast for the teachers provided by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Soon after, Teachers of the Year from every school in Cobb marched into the church to the sounds of the McEachern High marching band, cheered on by hundreds of students, staff, and community supporters.

Each teacher was individually honored and awarded a special plaque by Superintendent Fred Sanderson. Partners in Education from the Chamber provided a variety of giveaways for the teachers and the Ed Voyles Automotive Group awarded a one-year lease on a new car to each of the District-level winners, Linda Bonstein, Kelly Bramblett and Dr. Michaele D’Aquanni-Swift!

Thanks to the community sponsors who help make ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ successful! All of these festivities were made possible by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, who continues to fervently support public education in Cobb County.

Project 2400, a strategic partnership between the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and the Cobb County and Marietta City school districts, continues to help Cobb students improve their SAT test performance! Project 2400 was created in 2006 by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, providing an intensive SAT preparation course for students during their junior year of high school.

In 2009, 751 Cobb students participated in Project 2400 at no cost to them or their families. Of the students who took both the initial diagnostic test and the SAT, 90 percent scored higher by 10-750 points. The average score increase from the first diagnostic test to the SAT was 166 points, with an average score for all participants of 1517.

The Board of Education and Cobb Schools Foundation welcomed and recognized some of the program’s most improved students during the Oct. 22 Board meeting, including:

Rebecca Sellmann, Allatoona
Susan Lee, Campbell
Casey Hofmann, Campbell
Caitlin Dunnington, Harrison
Bradley Clements, Harrison
Lauren Bovard, Hillgrove
Ian Ritter, Kell
Jhanna Garcia, Kell
Dianna Nord, Kennesaw Mountain
Rachelle Eljazzar, Lassiter
Alex Kinnebrew, McEachern
Sarahi Zaldumbide, North Cobb
Johanna Blakeslee, North cobb
Cory Spears, Osborne
Ashlee Allen, Osborne
Gloria Oduyoye, Pebblebrook
Kori Burrell, Pebblebrook
Jonathan Klein, Pope
Natalie Bronner, Pope
Chelseay Parks, South Cobb
Rebecca Orfe, Sprayberry
Jinsol Hwang, Sprayberry
Lawton Willingham, Walton
Jonathan Gopel, Wheeler
Nowa Ajayi,Wheeler

WXIA ‘11 Alive’ and The School Box brought truckloads of school supplies donated by the Atlanta-area community to Ewing Road Baptist Church Sept 29. Families in the Austell area displaced by last week’s record rains and flooding were welcomed with smiling faces and brand new folders, backpacks, pencils, paper and other school materials for students. Superintendent Fred Sanderson and WXIA president and general manager Bob Walker were both on hand, greeting parents, students, teachers and volunteers. The outpouring of care and concern for students at Clarkdale Elementary and other Cobb schools has been tremendous, with thousands of pounds of donated supplies collected over the past week.

WXIA had full coverage of the event on their evening broadcast, available for viewing below:

The Cobb Schools Foundation continues to accept monetary and gift card donations to benefit schools affected by the floods. The foundation’s secure donation Web site accepts credit/debit cards. Cash, check or gift card donations may be mailed to: Cobb Schools Foundation, 514 Glover St. Marietta, GA 30060. All contributions are tax-deductible. The biggest needs for Clarkdale classrooms can be met through donations of gift cards from retailers such as:

• The School Box
• Walmart, Target, Kmart
• OfficeMax, Staples, Office Depot

The foundation asks that donations of household goods, clothing bedding, etc. be made at MUST Ministries in Marietta.

Pictured above, L-R: Fitzhugh-Lee teacher Carol Silva, Lowe's representatives Lewis Scruggs and Michelle Reis; HAVEN Academy graduating senior Matthew Linskey, Fitzhugh-Lee assistant principal Debbie Adelman, Lowe's representative Brian Scott and Fitzhugh-Lee secretary Joy Spitznagel.

Representatives from the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Austell paid a visit to the Fitzhugh-Lee Center of HAVEN Academy on May 14 to announce the school as a winner of a $4,250 grant! Part of the company’s Toolbox for Education program, the grant monies will be used to furnish the school’s brand new greenhouse, an outdoor classroom that helps students learn life skills by growing plants, fruits and vegetables. The produce grown will be used in a variety of ways, including food preparation at school and donations to a local food bank. Students will have an active voice in what they would like to grow and have an opportunity to be a part of a student advisory group.

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant program is funded by the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, which has supported thousands of grassroots community and school projects in the communities where Lowe’s does business.

Lowe's associate Brian Scott and HAVEN Academy graduating senior Matthew Linskey tend to the first plants at the new Fitzhugh-Lee greenhouse.

Submitted by Freida Frady, parent liaison

Austell Intermediate School in Powder Springs has been going green during the school year.  Beginning in August, the staff purchased  green cloth bags to provide a means for used paper to be recycled in the classroom. After School Program students empty the bags daily into bins provided by Partner in Education Caraustar Industries.

After school Science and Earth Savers Clubs were organized and sponsored several activities during the school year. The Earth Savers had a bake sale before a PTA meeting in order to adopt an infant gorilla as well as collected used cell phones to send to Zoo Atlanta for gorilla research.  The Earth Savers and Science Clubs have been helping care for an established garden and identifying areas on the school grounds that need beautification.  The Science Club made birdhouses to attract native birds.

Teachers planned and taught environmental lessons to help obtain Green School distinction. Austell Intermediate earned Gold status their first year of participation in Keep Cobb Beautiful’s Green School awards program.

Cobb County Water System presented Water Conservation lessons to second and fourth graders helping them realize even students can help save our county’s water supply.

In March, 102 students, parents, siblings and teachers planted 14 trees to help provide shade for the school’s sunny playgrounds under the direction of Joe Burgess from the Georgia Forestry Commission and the Cobb Tree Program. Classrooms “adopted” a tree to water weekly.

Classrooms participated in different Earth Day activities on April 22 and were encouraged to wear blue or green to celebrate.  In conjunction with ideas from an environment movement “No Child Left Inside” and Earth Day, the science classes spent the week transforming an eroded, rocky portion of the school grounds into an outdoor discovery area.  With the goal of restoring habitats destroyed during the construction of the school, students placed rocks brought from home and cement borders donated by Austell’s GMS company to form pathways over the eroded areas. Planters were also made from cement cap blocks for native plants.  The paths were filled with mulch provided by Greystone EMC with hopes of enriching the soil. The Science Club birdhouses were hung as well as a bat and ladybug house during the week.  This area is now habitat friendly.

Austell Intermediate is very appreciative of the support of county and community organizations and businesses who have enabled students to experience Georgia Performance Standards in true life. Students will now be able to observe habitats, life cycles, water conservation, and the effects of human intervention on the environment.

Students at the Fitzhugh Lee Center of HAVEN Academy have a new way to learn social and job-related life skills – a brand new greenhouse, funded by a special federal grant. The Georgia Learn and Serve “Growing Green” grant is focused on improving students’ voices in the process of learning and enhancement of civic responsibility.

The greenhouse will be an outdoor interactive classroom for students at the Fitzhugh-Lee Center. Activities will include growing plants, fruits and vegetables in the greenhouse, packaging food, and preparing foods from the produce. The produce grown will be used in a variety of ways, including food preparation at school and donations to a local food bank. Students will have an active voice in what they would like to grow and have an opportunity to be a part of a student advisory group.

The Fitzhugh-Lee Center has enlisted its Partners in Education, The Optimist Club and Smyrna Assembly of God, to assist with the project. The volunteer program at CSX transportation of Lithia Springs has also pitched in to help construct the greenhouse.

Before the end of the 2008-09 school year, Fitzhugh-Lee will host an open house for the community and parents to show how the “Growing Green” grant benefits students. For more information about this project, please contact Debbie Adelman, building administrator at Fitzhugh Lee School.