Austell Primary School, under the direction of Ms. Mamie Pruitt, was awarded the 2009 The Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Inc. (GAHPERD) Award of Excellence in Physical Education. She was honored during the 2009 Convention Banquet in Atlanta on November 1.

Ms. Mamie Pruitt leads a great program that involves many facets of the school family. In her application she made the comment that the community is the right arm of the success of the program at Austell Primary. While this is true, no right arm knows what to do without a visionary brain. Ms. Pruitt does a wonderful job of keeping the parents involved in the program by providing information on expectations, programs that are being offered and how parents can get involved with the programs. Her communication does not end there. She also sends home fitness results at least twice a year and has had her school family complete a survey to assess the value of the program and has certified most of the staff members in CPR/First Aid.

“Coach” Pruitt also offers a fitness walking program, tumbling team, and a jump rope team all as extra curricular activities. The school participates in Jump Rope for Heart as well as provides an annual Family Fun and Fitness Night for the community. All of this is done at a primary school of Kindergarten and first grade with an enrollment of 320.

Entry submitted by Debbie Vassell-Mitchell.

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

Twelve Cobb seniors were named among 1,600 semifinalists in the National Achievement Scholarship Program! The program is designed to recognize academically promising black students throughout the U.S. and to provide approximately 800 scholarships to the most outstanding participants. For additional information, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

Campbell High School
Ademisola M. Ijidakinro
Savanna M. Williams

Harrison High School
Alexander McGill

Hillgrove High School
Kimberly McMillan

Lassiter High School
Gabrielle M. Piper

Walton High School
Cameron B. Green

Wheeler High School
Nowa E. Ajayi
Gabrielle M. Brown
Drew J. Carrington
Uriah Ellis
Brianna N. Jordan
Niya T. McCray

Fifty-nine students from nine Cobb high schools were among the semifinalists for the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program. The number of semifinalists named in each state is in proportion to its percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors and is based on performance on the 2008 Preliminary SAT. The number of semifinalists named in each state is in proportion to its percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors and is based on performance on the 2008 Preliminary SAT. Cobb’s representatives are:

Campbell High School
Nisha R. Bhat
Kirill P. Makarenko
Tanmayi S. Pai
Nuwan D. Perera

Harrison High School
Brian M. Chandler
Caitlin E. Dunnington

Kell High School
Timothy R. Kimbrough
Elena S. Salerno

Kennesaw Mountain High School
Christopher E. Ammerman
David E. Carroll
John B. Clay
Anna E. Willis

Lassiter High School
Kevin D. Ankerholz
Kathryn V. Crane
Emily K. Kehner
Michael C. Wilson

North Cobb High School
Jesse P. Riggs

Pope High School
Ally M. Hangartner
Pierce D. Owen
Andrew S. Payson

Sprayberry High School
Beryl G. Fulmer

Walton High School
Brian T. Blass
Zachary K. Chartash
Catherine H. Cheng
Andrew R. Dalton
Daniel P. Fitzgerald
Jason M. Gerson
Eric A. Graves
Ethan M. Guthman
Jamie Lee
Supum Lee
Dylan S. McClelland
Kayhan A. Nejad
Abhijeeth Ramesh
Courtney B. Sanford
Bailey S. Seitter
Akanksha Sharma
Rebecca L. Siegelman
Taylor L. Sorrel
Andrew S. Taylor
John E. Taylor
Lawton Ross Willingham

Wheeler High School
Brian M. Boda
Holly L. Brackin
Andrew R. Brock
Adam J. Cross
Jennifer Y. Dou
Andrew S. Gaynor
Abigail U. Halim
Aaron J. Kauffman
Christopher M. Leinweber
Noah M. Levine
Mengjie Liu
Jason R. McElrath
Darpan N. Patel
Jeffrey A. Seiden
Faaiqa A. Shaw
Pranay K. Udutha
Maychee M. Zah

Rachel Kelley of Smitha Middle School, was a first-place state winner for the 7th grade in the Young Georgia Authors competition for 2008–2009 and the only student in Cobb to win at the state level. She was recognized by state superintendent Kathy Cox at the September meeting of the Georgia Board of Education.

Two Cobb physical education teachers have been honored by the Georgia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (GAHPERD).

Pete Charrette, physical education teacher at Pickett’s Mill Elementary School, was named 2009-10 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year! In addition to teaching for more than two decades, Charrette plays a proactive role in the field of physical education and health throughout the state.

Pete has developed a unique, standards-based program, geared towards providing students with the optimal environment for movement and skill development in a fun and vibrant setting. He utilizes a spectrum of teaching styles and modifies his instruction to accommodate individual learners. Serving his school community has developed his leadership, and volunteering in his community has focused Pete’s attention on advocating for physical activity outside the school. He has coached countless youth soccer and lacrosse teams and served as a consultant for numerous recreational leagues, camps and churches around the Atlanta area.

Pete received his National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood Physical Education in 2006 and he currently holds a Masters Degree from Georgia State University and a Specialist in Education degree from the State University of West Georgia.

Also honored by GAHPERD is Anna Roberts of Wheeler High School, who was named 2009-10 Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Ms. Roberts has more than 25 years of physical education experience, including service as head gymnastics coach at the middle and high school level, and assistant gead coach at USMA at West Point; head swim coach for summer league, high school, and assistant coach for USS and Special Olympics Georgia.

Ms. Roberts is a national presenter in the area of Adapted Physical Education, promoting creative ways to teach gross motor and perceptual motor development. She holds a education specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University, masters in health studies from the University of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in HPE from Auburn University.

Members of Cobb’s business and education communities came together Oct. 7 for the 21st annual ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ handprint ceremony celebrating Teachers of the Year for Cobb and Marietta. Backed by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ is a month-long celebration of educators that began in 1988. District Teachers of the Year have their handprints permanently displayed along the square sidewalk as a permanent tribute to their impact on students.

Cobb Teacher of the Year Kelly Bramblett and Marietta City Teacher of the Year Marie Sherbondy were the stars of the day, which kicked off at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre. The audience was entertained by the Marietta High School Show Choir, as well as singer/songwriter Alia Christian of Hillgrove High School. Superintendent Fred Sanderson introduced Mrs. Bramblett, who is a special education teacher at Allatoona High School in Acworth. She thanked her family, fellow teachers and students for the honor and emphasized the importance of serving students with special needs.

By the time the ceremony shifted outside to the Teacher Walk of Fame on Marietta Square, the sun broke through the morning clouds! Mrs. Bramblett and Ms. Sherbondy unveiled their handprints to the crowd and media in attendance.

The ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ celebration will continue throughout October, culminating in the Teacher of the Year Pep Rally Oct. 27 at Roswell Street Baptist Church . The pep rally will honor Teachers of the Year from every school in Cobb and Marietta.

Thanks to the community sponsors who help make ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ successful:

Kerry Lance, second grade teacher at Sope Creek Elementary, is the first place winner of the Birney Butler Outstanding Educator Award! Mrs. Lance was honored for her support of the Sope Creek PTA – below is an excerpt from her nomination:

Kerry Lance supports the PTA in a multitude of ways. She is one of the school’s pioneers in the implementation of our local school’s 2008 – 2009 theme “Go Green: We Are What We Grow.” Kerry works to grow stewards who will help take care of the earth. She has partnered with the PTA to further the second grade Georgia Performance Standards and performance based instruction by planting a variety of trees on campus.

One of Kerry’s great strengths is technology utilization. With each PTA Immersion Day, Kerry has included technology-based activities that compliment the themes. She shares the information with her second grade team, allowing students across the grade level to benefit from her teaching strategies. Being one of Lance’s Lizards is an experience that every child should have! Her classroom is a joyful place where students have fun while learning. Emotional safety is a priority for Kerry, and she helps students grow socially and interpersonally as well as academically. This year, she has had an extremely diverse group of learners, and she assures that all are challenged to perform at their personal best. The classroom environment and emotional tone that is set starting even before the first day of school allows for a true sense of inclusion of students who have learning, behavior, or emotional issues. Kerry is able to meet the needs of ALL of these learners, and to challenge all students.

Kerry helps students blossom and to gain self confidence; finding and building upon each student’s strengths in order to help them overcome their weaknesses. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences are a part of her curriculum and are incorporated into each day. Students have opportunities to choose the way they respond based upon their learning style preferences.

She motivates students and allows them to feel the intrinsic value in doing their personal best. Learning is important and relevant for her second grade students, as they actively participate in performance based instruction and are afforded many opportunities to collaborate. Kerry’s second grade students are actively engaged in the highest levels of learning with a purpose. She is creating the “change that we wish to see in the world.”

The Adult Education Center was the recipient of the Golden Opportunity Grant offered through the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development. This grant will make it possible for the Center to offer more students core job skills training by preparing them for the job market. Debra Lyons, director, Governor’s Office of Workforce Development, stated,
“These grants will help Georgians reach their career goals, by helping more people improve their core job skills, we can help them get to work and achieve job success.” Janet Edmunds at the Adult Education Center spearheaded the grant application process.