On May 8, 2010, the Safe America Foundation will hold its 5th annual Teen Driving Academy at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This event allows teens and their parents to experience a fun-filled day that teaches the basics of safe driving through interactive “Pit Stop” classrooms and demonstrations taught by the Safe America Foundation training staff as well as law enforcement, fire fighters, emergency medical personnel and judges.
 

The goal is to give every teen in the metro Atlanta area additional education about safe driving in order to keep the roads safer for everyone. Join us in achieving our goal by attending our event:

Atlanta Motor Speedway
1500 Tara Place, Hampton, GA 30228-1884

May 8, 2010
8:30am to 2:30pm
The cost is $40.

For more information and to register go to http://drivers.safeamerica.org/ams. For groups larger than 5 people, please call 770-973-7233.

What a busy week it has been and will continue as the year continues. CRCT is done, unless you have make-ups, Teacher Appreciation is in full swing, and can you believe May is upon us very soon?!
 
Spring Conference is coming up this Tuesday the 27th. We hope you, your Board, and your Principal are planning to attend. Please see attached flyer. Thank you to all who have stepped up to assist in showing the rest of 9th District how things are done at ECCC PTA! Click Here for Flyer
 
CLT: The Grant Request Form for you to fill out and send to our treasurer if you have financial needs to send your incoming officers to Convention Leadership Training this summer at the Georgia International Convention Center June 25-26th, near the airport. Please see attached form and follow the directions. Deadline for submission is May 1st. You will be notified by May 15th. Click Here for Form
 
School of Information: All Incoming Officers Training will take place Tuesday, May 11th, at Crossview Baptist Church 9am-noon. It is imperative that ALL incoming Officers attend this important Training!
 
We understand that just over 24,000 filled out the CCSD online survey. We heard it had been down for about a 12 hour period but was reinstated and we hope that sometime during the 3 week period you made your feelings be known. Thank you to all who participated. The results from the survey are available at www.cobbk12.org for all to view.
 
PTA is an advocacy organization. We have been doing that for well over 100 years. We have to continue that. Please realize that our Education dollars come from the State Legislature. Since 2003, we have had ~ $196 million dollars that have NOT come to CCSD due to what is called Austerity Cuts. This is our money that the State Legislature has decided is needed elsewhere to fund other school systems throughout the state that don't have the tax base that our county has. We are looking at shortfall of ~$137 million dollars just for this coming year!
 
This is an election year and it is important for you to know how your Legislators voted on issues involving Education and how that has effected CCSD and your students. When the session is over we will get that out. We are working on having some Forums prior to the July Primary so you can ask questions of those running for Public Office. We will get you dates as soon as we have them set. Candidates must "Qualify" by the end of next week, so it is then we will know officially who is running for what office.
 
The budget has yet to be passed by the Legislature, but you need to know that the Senate and the House each have their own version of what the budget should look like. The current House version of the budget has better funding for school nurses and a higher level for QBE (Quality Basic Education) than the Senate version. This is how we, as advocates, do it: Call your Legislator personally and tell them you want them to use the HOUSE $ funding amounts for Education and school nurses in the budget for FY 2011! They need to hear from you! YOU are their constituent and YOU are the one who will either vote For or Against them this year! THEY need to know what is important to you. They are there reperesenting YOU!
 
Please check the Legislative section below to find out contact information for your Legislator and how to find out if you do not know!
 
There are only TWO days left in the Legislative Session for them to vote on the budget. Day 39 is supposed to be Tuesday and Day 40 is proposed to be Thursday of next week. You need to call as soon as you can to make your feelings known! This is how you can advocate for your children!
 
 
Amie Fann & Abby Shiffman, Co-Presidents
ECCC PTA, 2009-2010
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Youth Services:
Please share the attached flyer with your student body, parents and email buds.   There will be a concert by Ludacris at the conclusion of the Fitness Day.  The would like to have youth groups of 20-25 student register and they have scholarship for Youth groups on the G-CAPP website.  Looking to break Genius Book of Records for the most people jumping at one time.  Need families, adults, youth and administrators to sign up and be engaged in this Fitness Day.  For more information you can contact Pat Giuliani, GA PTA/ECCC PTA Youth Services Chair jimpatgiul@aol.com 404-409-9112  Click Here for Flyer
 
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ELEMENTARY PTA PRESIDENTS:
The CCSD Intervention/Prevention Department is presenting "Bullying, the Musical" and are showing it Wednesday, April 28 at Bells Ferry Elementary at 9
a.m. and at Davis Elementary at 12:30. They are asking Elementary School PTA Presidents, Principals and Counselors to come see this and let them know if it is something they would want presented at their specific school! So please let your principal and counselor know and try to attend!!!
 
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Legislation & Advocacy:
Below are most of the Cobb Delegation who cover the ECCC PTA area, not all of the County
Go to  http://www.ciclt.net/sn/pol/pocty_detail.aspx?ClientCode=gapta&O_ID=13067
which will give you the entire Cobb Delegation
 
State Senators:
Judson Hill  404.656.0150
Chip Rogers 404.463.1378
Doug Stoner 404.463.2518
 
State Representatives:
Sharon Cooper  404.656.5069
Matt Dollar 404.656.0254
Rich Golick  404.656.5943
Bobby Franklin 404.656.0152
Don Parsons  404.656.9198
Ed Setzler  404.656.0177
Rob Teilhet  404.656.0568
 
Please go to this link to find out who your legislator is
http://www.ciclt.net/sn/pol/po_districtlookup.aspx?ClientCode=gapta&State=ga&FIPS=13
You put in your address and it will tell you who your legislators are and you can connect to their webpage and get their office number at the capitol to call
 
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CCSD:
The next School Board meetings are as follows:
May 12, 2010 8:30 a.m. Public Comments (30-minute limit), Board Meeting to follow
May 27, 2010 6:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. Executive Session
Public Comments (30-minute limit), Board Meeting to follow

Spring Break is almost upon us and we know many of you are heading out of town….If you can please get out the information that we are including now, if you haven't already, it would be beneficial to all. Important information about a survey the school board wants parents to fill out to get their input regarding cuts our system is facing is included. We do not know how much we will have to cut yet, that will depend on the final budget that passes the State Legislature. The Board wants our input, so it is important we give it. The link is below with information in the CCSD section.
 
We had our General Meeting this past week at the East Cobb MS Theatre, where we had the pleasure of presenting our Margie Hatfield Scholarship winners. Thank you to the ECMS PTSA for hosting. We are proud to announce our winners to those of you who were unable to attend:
    Bryant M – Kell High
    Hannah B – Lassiter High
    Kylie A – Pope High
    Robert B – Sprayberry High
    Catherine C – Walton High
    Pranay U – Wheeler High
 
Please remember to invite your State Legislators to programs at your school. Let them see the great programs you are providing to your students. We have to keep Education in the forefront of their minds! Let them get to know who you are so when issues arise they can put a name with the person who is calling them.
 
Please mark your calendars for District 9 General Meeting, which our Council is hosting, Tuesday, April 27th at Sprayberry High School. There will be a Vendor Fair 5:30pm-7pm with the Sign In & Registration 6-7pm and District Conference and Award Assembly 7-8:30pm. Again, we are the Host Council, so please make sure you attend. We want to have a good showing! This is open to all PTA Members so put it in your e-blasts, announce it in your newsletters. Please look for more information to come.
 
School of Information is a Training for your newly Elected Officers. Make sure your Incoming Officers have May 11, 9-Noon, Crossview Baptist Church on their calendar. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT ALL NEW OFFICERS ATTEND THIS TRAINING!
 
ECCC Officers elected for the 2010-2011 school year are:
Co-Presidents: Abby Shiffman & Irene Barton
Co-Vice Presidents: Pamela Kent & Stephanie Daniels
Secretary: Lynne Cherrington
Treasurer: Laurie Rashidi-Yazd
 
Have a safe & restful spring break!
 
Amie Fann & Abby Shiffman, Co-Presidents
ECCC PTA, 2009-2010
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Honoring Our Heroes: Thanks everyone for all their efforts with the Heroes Essay Contest.
We had 50 winners representing 19 schools and hundreds of people at the Heroes Reception at Mabry Middle School. Certificates will be sent through County Mail right after Spring Break.
 
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YOUTH SERVICES:
***In a time when feature films have brought insight to such major issues as global warming and health care, a major full-length documentary brings to the forefront a growing problem that is responsible for more than 1,700 deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries each year… alcohol misuse and hazing on college campuses.
The “soul” of the film is the story of Gordie Bailey who lost his life in a hazing incident as an 18-year-old freshman. “Gordie’s death was preventable,” says his mother, Leslie Lanahan. “It happened in an environment unknown to many parents and high school students. By shedding light on this environment we hope for parents to have an opportunity to discuss important issues about college life with their children before sending them away from home.
The motion picture is titled “HAZE” and Walton High School PTSA will be presenting this feature film on Tuesday, April 13 in the Walton Media Center starting at 7PM.   We encourage all parents to attend and start the conversation before they start drinking.   http://www.gordie.org/Education/Haze-the-Movie.aspx

*** "TRANSITIONS" Growing up is a roller coaster with extreme ups and downs.  One day a child may be cooperative, neat and quiet.  And the next, they may be just opposite.  Parents must be aware that adolescence is a time of intense development as children move from the helplessness of infancy and childhood to the independence of adulthood.  GA PTA and Ridgeview Institute will be conducting a parenting awareness program titled "The Transition Year" – moving from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school and high school to college.  Each child is unique and may development quite differently from his or her peers.  Growing up is stressful, and often children feel they cannot share the burden with anyone other than young people like themselves who are prey to the shame stresses.  You are invited to attend the workshop at Ridgeview Institute on Wednesday, April 21 from 10:00 – 11:30 to assist you as a parent to understand these transition years and find helpful tips to make these transition years manageable for you, your child and your family. See attached flyer.

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LEGISLATION & ADVOCACY:
Please keep up to date on what is happening down at the Capitol by reading the daily reports on our Capitol Watch section of the Georgia PTA website. http://www.ciclt.net/sn/new/n_main.aspx?ClientCode=gapta   or go to www.georgiapta.org and click on Capitol Watch under Programs & Services on the left column.

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REFLECTIONS: All certificates rec'd from Georgia PTA were distibuted to those schools who attended our General Meeting. If your school did not have a representative then your stuff was sent through County Mail. Congratulations to all. The updated list of who won what place at State is available on our website www.ecccpta.org !

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CCSD: VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!
 
Please pass this along to all in your local units and post on your website. It is VERY important that we have input into the process on the current budget crisis. This will affect all of our children!

Board Seeks Input On Budget

The Cobb County Board of Education is seeking input from stakeholders on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget currently under development. Due to cuts in state funding and declining local property tax collections, the school district is facing a projected financial shortfall of $137 million. To balance the budget, the school board will consider extreme measures to reduce expenses. The online survey provides an opportunity for Cobb County School District stakeholders to indicate their priorities, and offer input and suggestions. The information submitted by stakeholders will play an important role as the Board of Education prepares to approve a new budget on June 9, 2010. The survey will remain open through April 19, 2010 and can be accessed here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/D9HGX8F

You can also watch a film about how to understand the budget, also accessible on  the CCSD website at www.cobbk12.org

ECCC PTA General Meeting with Elections of our 2010-2011 Exec Bd and presentation of our Margie Hatfield Scholarship Winners is Tuesday, March 30th, 9:30am at East Cobb Middle School Auditorium. There are Four Delegates representing each school who should be in attendance. Please bring your Blue ECCC PTA Handbook! That is your Delegate Voting Card. This is an election.
 
Mark your Calendar for your New Executive Board to come to School of Information. A training specifically for all Officers of your PTA (new or old). Please stress the importance of attending so your PTA Exec Bd. can get the proper start to their year! Tuesday, May 11, 9am-noon at Crossview Baptist Church.
Once your Officers are elected, please make sure your Secretary enters the information for each Officer on the Georgia PTA Website under Local Unit Toolkit and submit the new officer names and contact information to Heather Rees at secretary@ecccpta.org. They must also enter in all Chairs when they are appointed.
 
Georgia PTA will be coming online soon with Registration for CLT (Convention Leadership Training) which is June 25-26th at the Georgia International Convention Center, near the airport. Basic Registration with parking will be $85 per person. More info to follow at www.georgiapta.org .
 
Congratulation to all of our Refelctions Winners and our Honoring Our Heroes Essay Winners!!
 
Have a wonderful weekend and we hope to see all of you Tuesday!
 
 
Amie Fann & Abby Shiffman, Co-Presidents
ECCC PTA, 2009-2010
president@ecccpta.org
 
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ENVIRONMENTAL:
Cobb libraries offer residents battery recycling program
Cobb residents may now recycle their old rechargeable and single-use batteries at any county library branch. Keep Cobb Beautiful is partnering with the library system to offer this free recycling program. What is accepted:
• Nickel Cadmium (NI-CD); nickel metal hydride (NI-MH)
• Lithium Ion (LI-Ion) with cobaltate technology
• Cell phones
• Cell phone batteries
• Power tool batteries
• Laptop batteries
• Digital camera batteries
• Video camera batteries
• Any type of Ni-Cd, Ni-MH and Li-Ion rechargeable battery
• Alkaline (household batteries), lithium primary batteries
• Dry sealed-cell and power-pack batteries
No wet cell batteries will be accepted. Battery terminals must be taped over or placed in individual baggies. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/kcb. To find library locations, visit cobbcounty.org/library.

GA Cobb Extension will host the informative workshop "From Your Garden to Your Table" 7 p.m., Thursday, April 1, at the extension office, 678 South Cobb Drive, Suite 200, Marietta. Learn about planting a vegetable garden and safely storing and preserving produce. The class is intended to help novice as well as seasoned gardeners and to review up-to-date food preservation procedures. The cost is $10 at the door and only cash or check will be accepted. To pre-register, contact Emily Harper at 770-528-4070 or emily.harper@cobbcounty.org.

 
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LEGISLATION & ADVOCACY:
Please keep up to date on what is happening down at the Capitol by reading the daily reports on our Capitol Watch section of the Georgia PTA website. http://www.ciclt.net/sn/new/n_main.aspx?ClientCode=gapta   or go to www.georgiapta.org and click on Capitol Watch under Programs & Services on the Left Column.
 
Sen. Chip Rogers Town Hall Meeting, Saturday, March 27th, Mountain View Library, 9-10am
 
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YOUTH SERVICES:
 
THE TRANSITION YEAR: Growing up is a roller coaster with extreme ups and downs.  One day a child may be cooperative, neat and quiet.  And the next, they may be just opposite.  Parents must be aware that adolescence is a time of intense development as children move from the helplessness of infancy and childhood to the independence of adulthood.  GA PTA and Ridgeview Institute will be conducting a parenting awareness program titled "The Transition Year" – moving from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school and high school to college.  Each child is unique and may development quite differently from his or her peers.  Growing up is stressful, and often children feel they cannot share the burden with anyone other than young people like themselves who are prey to the shame stresses.  You are invited to attend the workshop at Ridgeview Institute on Wednesday, April 21 from 10:00 – 11:30 to assist you as a parent to understand these transition years and find helpful tips to make these transition years manageable for you, your child and your family. SEE FLYER
 
Spring Break driver ed training April 5-9th, 9am-3:30pm
30 hours classroom/6hours behind the wheel, Sandy Plains Location
GA PTA discount for this class is $50
Total cost is just $389
Questions, call Safe America at 770-973-7233 ask for Marcia
 
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SCHOOL EVENTS:
 
 WHEELER HS Sr. Projects:    It’s time to mark your calendar for Wheeler High School ’s Spring 2009 Senior Boards.  Many of you have so willingly served as judges for this special night before, and Wheeler is so very thankful.  Without your commitment and participation Wheeler’s Senior Project would not be possible. The Wheeler students and staff continue to be overwhelmed by your generous support. 
     Thursday night, April 23, 2009, is the day to mark on your calendar.  Dinner will be served by Wheeler faculty and students beginning at 4:45 PM in the Wheeler Media Center. We ask that you wear professional business attire as our students are required to dress for business when they make their presentations.  At 5:30 PM there is a brief training session prior to judging at 6:00 PM .  The evening will conclude by 9:00 PM.
     As most of you know this effort requires 150-180 community volunteers to make up the 35 panels that evaluate presentations.  Each panel will hear oral presentations from five or six different seniors with each presentation lasting between eight and ten minutes.  The Senior Project is an established academic program in hundreds of high schools across America .  Among its special features is public participation.  This is a direct personal service of critical value to Wheeler seniors, to Wheeler High School , and your East Cobb community.  Here you step from the role of passive consumer of the education system into the role of participant in the success of Wheeler and its students.   If you have friends, co-workers, or neighbors interested in serving, please forward this email so they can sign up.  All are welcome. More information about Senior Project can be found on the Wheeler website at www.wheelerhigh.com.
     ACTION NEEDED:  Please respond if you are willing to judge on Thursday, April 23, 2009 from 4:45 to 9:00 pm .    
     Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you on April 23, 2009.
Faye Oakley                                                   Patty Morgan
Community Judge Coordinator                   Senior Project Coordinator
Faye.Oakley@cobbk12.org                                     
wheelerseniorproject@yahoo.com  
 
JJ Daniell Middle: SpringFest 2010, featuring our inaugural 5K Race & 1 Mile Fun, taking place Saturday, April 24th at 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.  In addition to Honorary Attendees State Representative Don Parson and Miss Cobb County 2010 Casy Walker, there will be entertainment, a Healthcare & Community Business Expo, an Arts & Crafts Marketplace, and much more!  This grew to be more than just a Fun Run and by the way things are falling into place, it will be a great community event.  MORE INFORMATION LINK!!

Fun Run Registration Form
 
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Congratulations:
Wheeler Magnet Students Grab Both Georgia Spots In Siemens Foundation Award for Advanced Placement
Abigail Halim and Jason McElrath, students at the Wheeler High School Center for Advanced Studies in Science, Math and Technology, were named winners of both Georgia spots in the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement! The honors are awarded each year to two students in each state with the greatest number of scores of 5 on eight AP math and science exams, as well as to one teacher from every state for excellence in teaching AP mathematics, science, and technology courses. Halim and McElrath will receive $2,000 scholarships from the Siemens Foundation.
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Pope High Journalism Adviser Chris Canter Named Honoree For Outstanding Young Educator Award
Chris Canter, English and journalism teacher at Pope High School, was named an honoree for the 2010 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) from the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Design (ASCD).
ASCD, an international educational leadership association, created the OYEA Program in 2002 to recognize creative and committed teachers and administrators under the age of 40 who are making a difference in the lives of children. Mr. Canter received a $500 award, complimentary registration for the ASCD annual conference, membership to the group and professional development opportunities throughout the year.
ASCD’s OYEA program provides winners and a cadre of honorees with opportunities for leadership skill building, professional development, and networking and sharing of best practices with one another and the ASCD community. GlobalScholar, an ASCD Premier Sponsor, is a supporter of the OYEA program.
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News from the 9th District:
National Standards for Family School Partnership Awards – New this year but VERY IMPORTANT – The deadline for these will be April 13th. Local units and councils can write a brief report 150 words or less about how they are currently implementing any or all of the National Standards for Family School Partnerships. Local units and councils will be given awards Gold, Silver and Bronze based on their performance against the standard rather than each other. This will give us a chance to recognize more of the great work our PTA’s are doing. In addition the Best Ideas garnered from these reports will be included in a brochure that is distributed to all of our local units.
 Due to the short turn around time these reports must be submitted electronically. Please send them to Patty Yohn at pattyyohn@bellsouth.net . Council Presidents – we will need you to assist by encouraging your local units to participate in these easy to complete Standards reports. The best ideas generated will help all of us to strengthen our programs going forward. Please see attached form and distribute to your local units.

CCSD:
Public Budget Forum Held 3/23
The CCSD Board of Education hosted a public forum regarding budget development on Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. at Campbell High School. The forum was a general information session to help the public understand the budget development process and the challenges created by the economy. Additional forums will be announced as the FY2011 budget development process continues throughout spring. Please go to www.cobbk12.org where you can View the Budget Forum Video, View the Budget Forum Info Sheet, and get links that will give you updates from the State Capitol from and Education Perspective.
 
3/31 Kindergarten Registration
4/14 CCSD Board Meeting
Public Comments – 8:30 AM
Board Meeting – 9:00 AM
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COUNTY:
The East Cobb Civic Association March general meeting is at 7:00 PM, Wednesday, March 31at the East Cobb Public Library in Parkaire mall at 4880 Lower Roswell RD, Marietta.
The speaker is Bob Ott, Cobb County Commissioner, District 2. The Commissioner will talk about activities impacting East Cobb and the county at large, and will take questions from attendees
 
Cobb County Public Library System – 2010 March / April Events

SPECIAL PROGRAMS   
East Cobb  Saturday 3:00 p.m. March 27 – Wii Games in the Teen Zone
STORYTELLING    
Central Library Saturday 2:00 p.m. March 27 – Cobb Library Foundation Presents the
Third Annual Jean Stromberg Storytelling Hour
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS   
Mountain View
1st Wednesday 10:00 a.m.  April 7
Mountain View
2nd Monday 6:30 p.m. April 12 – Teen Book Group
East Marietta
3rd Wednesday 10:30 a.m. April 21
East Cobb  4th Thursday 10:30 a.m. April 22
FILM PROGRAMS   
East Marietta
Thursday 11:00 a.m. April 1- Great Films
East Marietta
Thursday 11:00 a.m. April 8- Mystery Films
East Cobb Saturday 3:00 p.m. April 10 – Anime Movie (New Release)
East Marietta
Thursday 11:00 a.m. April 15- Independent & Foreign Films
East Cobb Saturday 3:00 p.m. April 17 – October Sky
 
SPECIAL PROGRAMS   
SPRING BREAK ACTIVITES April  5 – April 9  
* East Cobb Monday 3:30 p.m. April 5 – Tween Improv Program
* East Cobb Tuesday 3:30 p.m. April 6 – Family Film:  “UP”
* Mountain View Regional
Tuesday 3:00 p.m. April 6– Spring Fling Flicks:  “The Princess and the Frog”
* East Cobb Wednesday 3:30 p.m. April 7 – Family Make-n-Take: “Going Buggy” bug craft
* Mountain View Regional
Wednesday 1:00 p.m. April 7 – Spring Fling Flicks: “UP”
* East Cobb Thursday 3:30 p.m. April 8 – Family Film:  “BOLT”
* East Marietta
Thursday 6:00 p.m. April 8 – Mad Scientist Program
* East Cobb Friday 4:00 p.m. April 9 – Wii Games in Teen Zone
* Mountain View Regional
Friday 2:30 p.m. April 9 – Spring Fling Family Storytime and Craft
* East Cobb Saturday 3:00 p.m. April 10 – Teen Anime – New Release Movie
 
All Libraries Monday-Saturday  April 19 thru 25 – National TV Turn-Off Week
East Cobb  Saturday 3:00 p.m. April 24 – Wii Games in the Teen Zone