An all-star chorus of more than 50 Cobb fifth graders will join Atlanta entertainers Banks & Shane for “A Very Special Christmas Concert” Dec. 14 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. A benefit for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the concert will feature a variety of holiday classics. The Cobb choral students include students from each elementary school in Cobb and are led by Dr. Melissa Arasi, District Supervisor of the Performing Arts.

‘A Very Special Christmas Concert’ will take place Sunday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling (404) 249-6400.

The inspiring story of Cobb teacher Brad Cohen is the subject of TV movie Front of the Class, premiering Sunday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. on CBS. The film depicts Cohen’s struggle with Tourette Syndrome and how he overcame obstacles to become an award-winning educator right here in Cobb. Jim Ovbey, former principal of Mountain View Elementary and Hilarie Straka, assistant principal at Tritt Elementary, are also depicted in the movie.

The film stars Jimmy Wolk as the adult Cohen, Dominic Scott Kay as a young Brad and also features Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Treat Williams (Everwood) as his parents.

The real Brad Cohen serves as Area 3 Lead Teacher for the District, providing training and support for fellow educators in northeast Cobb. He previously taught second and third grades at Mountain View and Tritt elementary schools and was a technology lab instructor in Gwinnett County. Brad is also active as a motivational speaker, telling others about how they can maximize their own potential to succeed. More information about Brad Cohen is available on his Web site at www.classperformance.com.

Front of the Class will premiere locally Dec. 7 on WGCL TV, CBS-46 at 9 p.m.

Marching bands from Hillgrove, McEachern, Osborne and Pope high schools honored Cobb veterans in the county’s annual Veteran’s Day parade Nov. 11. Supporters lined the streets of Marietta Square, waving American flags and cheering on local heroes from more than seven decades of service to the U.S. military branches

Wheeler’s AFJROTC Color Guard was selected to participate in an Immigration and Naturalization Ceremony at the Richard Russell Federal Bldg in Atlanta. One hundred forty-four new American citizens from 62 countries completed the long process for citizenship and were sworn in Friday, Nov. 7.  One of the event coordinators said Wheeler’s Color Guard was the best they’ve worked with. Following the ceremony, the cadets congratulated all 144 new American citizens.

Cobb students in 70 schools participated in recent mock elections and the results are in: 41% voted for Senator John McCain, 56% voted for Senator Barack Obama, and 2% voted for other candidates.

43,339 students at elementary, middle, and high school levels cast their votes in elections held in the past several weeks. For details by school, see the Social Studies blogs:
Elementary: http://cicobb.typepad.com/es_socst
Middle/High: http://cicobb.typepad.com/socstudies

Thanks to students and teachers who participated as well as to the community members of the Cobb/Marietta Youth Leadership Committee. These individuals are very interested in citizenship education and exemplify what good citizenship is all about.

The Cobb community descended upon the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Nov. 5 for the 20th annual ‘Give Our Schools A Hand’ Pep Rally. The event caps a month-long celebration of the county’s best educators from the Cobb County School District, Marietta City Schools and the county’s local higher education institutions. Teachers of the Year from every school in Cobb were on hand, cheered on by more than 2,000 students, staff, and community supporters.

The North Cobb High School marching band led the Teachers of the Year into the Cobb Energy Centre, where they were given a deafening welcome from the packed crowd.

Honorees’ family members, fellow staff and students were amongst the supporters.

Entertainment was provided by students from Pebblebrook High School’s Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts, opening with “It’s Raining Men.”

The Company troupe finished with a performance of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” made popular by pop group The Backstreet Boys.

Cobb Teachers of the Year Angela Fenton, Karen Stargel and Scott Stephens cheered The Company’s performance.  The Ed Voyles Automotive Group awarded a one-year lease on a new car to each of these District-level winners.

Superintendent Fred Sanderson greeted each school’s Teacher of the Year as they accepted honorary plaques from the Chamber of Commerce. Harmony-Leland Elementary winner Shunta Williams is pictured with the Superintendent.

Fazeela Hoosasainy of Sedalia Park Elementary is greeted by Mr. Sanderson.

The honorees were all smiles as they soaked in the energy and emotion of the event.

All of the Teachers of the Year remained after the pep rally for a luncheon in their honor. All of these festivities were made possible by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, who continues to fervently support public education in Cobb County.

Students at the Lindley Sixth Grade Academy celebrated Red Ribbon Week Oct. 27-31, making a concerted stand against drug use. The Red Ribbon Campaign is now the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation reaching millions of young people. Hundreds of Lindley students signed a bold red banner pledging to be drug-free and wore red in support of the campaign.