The East Cobb County Council of PTAs extends best wishes to all families of students attending the 35 schools that are members of our council. Our students and our families attend Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Sprayberry, Walton, or Wheeler High Schools and the feeder elementary and middle schools. We look forward to a wonderful year of learning!

Those of you who are members of our PTAs understand that our students and our schools are our responsibility! Our students and families contribute time and treasure to some of Georgia’s most active and passionate PTAs. The Council offers its deepest thanks to all of you who have worked with your school PTA/PTSA to ensure that the education provided to your children and the children of your neighbors and friends is a quality education. The Council encourages new families to join their school PTA and see the value that our members find through the many PTA activities and services that make East Cobb one of the most pleasant places to live.

Your PTA provides and supports efforts to offer a variety of educational programming, communication tools, family-fun activities, and events to thank our teachers and school staff. Your PTA also has the tools to amplify your voice to advocate on behalf of all our children. We encourage you to sign up for training to communicate with elected officials and urge them to provide the resources required to provide all of our children with a quality education that will in turn provide them with a chance to achieve their wildest dreams.

The Council also thanks the many partners who work very hard to support our teachers, our principals, and you as we work to give our children and opportunity to prepare for careers in the not so distant future.

We are especially excited to watch our local businesses, through the efforts of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, partner with Cobb and Marietta schools, Kennesaw State, Chattahoochee Technical College, Life University, and Georgia Highlands College to create the Cobb Workforce Partnership. The partnership is committed to establishing a pipeline of talented workers by aligning the needs of high demand careers with the education efforts at our schools.

We have a lot of work to do this school year. In November, you will have an opportunity to decide whether the state constitution should be amended to allow a state agency to take control of local schools. As an advocate of quality schools, your attention to this issue is important. In January, a new General Assembly will tackle tough budget issues as they consider how to fund healthcare, education, transportation, and other necessary services. We will be examining issues with the Milestone testing program, the question of whether standardized testing is emphasized at the cost of quality learning, and other policies that have both positive and negative impacts on our children’s future.

Our success is due to your hard work which empowers your children, your family, and your community. Our children and our schools are our responsibility! Your continued involvement will maintain the quality of living that all East Cobbers now enjoy!

This article was written by Kristy Flowers,  President of the East Cobb County Council of PTAs. She resides in Fox Hills subdivision with her husband, Jim, and two sons who attend Sope Creek Elementary and East Cobb Middle School. This article was originally published in the August 2016 issue.