It’s roughly five months later than expected, but the Cobb School Board is on tap to approve a contract for the after-school and summer programs at Osborne High and Campbell Middle schools.

One of three items the board will vote on during Wednesday’s work session is a $100,000 contract with the Georgia Department of Human Services.

If approved, Project LEAP (Learn and Earn After-school Program), which was started in 2006, will continue funding for Osborne and Campbell’s programs through the remainder of this school year and summer.

“The LEAP program provides additional experiences for our students who often have limited opportunities,” said Cobb Chief Academic Officer Amy Krause. “(It) is a wonderful example of a strong partnership between agencies that benefits students directly.”

Project LEAP is available to students Mondays through Thursdays, 3:45-5:30 p.m. at Osborne, and 4:30-6 p.m. at Campbell. The summer program goes through June.

Terry Watson, a retired school social worker from Cobb Schools, helped start the program in Cobb and continues to be its director.

“(The state department’s) aim is for us to provide services and programs that kind of keep kids out of a life of poverty,” he said. “Things that tend to keep people in poverty are health issues, lack of job skills and career awareness and education.”

Watson and his program coordinator John Williams bring in local professionals to work with students and talk to them about career opportunities.

Last summer they worked with a local contractor who taught students how to make a chicken coop and aviary for two programs at Osborne High School.

“We like to do things that the kids like to do rather than just make them do things,” Watson said.

He also said funding for the program was supposed to begin Oct. 1 and run through Sept. 30, the typical cycle of the program, but it was delayed this school year.

They have continued to offer some type of after-school services for students at Osborne, with teachers volunteering their time to help.

“It’s been on hold,” he said. “Sometimes things just happen that way due to bureaucratic stuff.”

In order to avoid the delay, Watson said they are working with Communities in Schools to coordinate Project LEAP funding in the future.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” he said. “Getting a contract through the Department of Human Services and the Cobb County School District just takes months. With the funding going through an agency instead, we won’t have to wait on a board vote.”

He said the district seems to be OK with that approach.

The board will also consider Wednesday the retirement requests of the district’s executive director of student support, leadership and learning and an area assistant superintendent of leadership and learning.

The district is not releasing the names until the meeting tomorrow.



Contracts up for consideration



In other business, the board will talk about six SPLOST III contracts and a change to the benefits contract:

- A $230,300 contract with Atlantic South Construction Inc. of Marietta for renovations at Murdock Elementary School in Marietta. The project is 24 percent, or $73,693, under budget.

- A $404,238 contract with Mid-Atlanta Renovation Inc. of Norcross for renovations at Shallowford Falls and Timber Ridge elementary schools, both in Marietta. The projects are 9 percent, or $39,762, under budget.

n A $645,000 contract with SouthCore Construction Inc. of Kennesaw for renovations at Compton Elementary School in Powder Springs. The project is 24 percent, or $207,206, under budget.

- A $419,900 contract with Classic Plains Construction of Marietta for renovations at Dowell Elementary School in Marietta. The project is 21 percent, or $108,482, under budget.

- A contract, which has not completed the bid process, for renovations at Lewis Elementary School in Kennesaw. The project is estimated to cost $692,640.

- A contract, which has not completed the bid process, for flooring and painting at Awtrey Middle School in Kennesaw. The project is estimated to cost $646,214.

These projects will all be funded by SPLOST III and estimated to be complete sometime before the end of July.

- Amend the employee benefits contract with Delta Dental Plans Association of Alpharetta through ShawHankins of Cartersville by increasing employee premiums for 2014 to a maximum of 11.4 percent.