Under the so-called modified calendar school would start a week earlier than normal, Aug. 2, and would provide two weeks of vacation time before the Christmas or winter break. A week off in September would be added, in addition to the week off that students get at Thanksgiving.
For the second semester, Sanderson is proposing the usual spring break in April with another week off in February. School would end on May 27.
School board watchers claim members Holli Cash, Lynnda Crowder-Eagle, David Banks and David Morgan are "giddy" about the so-called modified calendar that neighboring Cherokee County went with several years ago. Many teachers reportedly like the two extra weeks off they get with a modified calendar.
With school calendars constantly contentious in Cobb in recent years, it is believed that board Chairman Dr. John Abraham wants to settle on a new calendar at the December meeting to take the always divisive issue off the radar screen before he, the Rev. Dr. John Crooks and Cash are up for re-election next summer and fall.
SCHOOL BOARD JUNKIES who consider televised board meetings to be "must-see" TV are painfully aware that Holli Cash talks more than all her colleagues combined. But when MDJ reporter Jon Gillooly questioned her at this week's post-board meeting press conference, she could not cite a single agenda item she has authored and successfully passed during her almost three years on the board. Also, she couldn't recall a single vote against any Sanderson recommendation.
Abraham rode to Cash's rescue, claiming that charges that board members are "rubber stamps" for the super are nothing new to school board elections.
WITH JUST MORE THAN TWO WEEKS to go before Marietta's municipal election, front-running mayoral candidate Steve "Thunder" Tumlin continues to build momentum and is expected to win going away. Seasoned city politicos give the other two candidates in that race, Libertarian Chris Neill and perennial gadfly candidate Bill Bolton almost no chance of winning, and say their chances of even forcing Tumlin into a runoff are slim and none. State law says a winning candidate must garner not just a simple majority but 50 percent of the votes plus one, which in a three-way race can often be difficult to achieve. But not this time, the politicos predict for Tumlin.
Libertarian candidates rarely win more than 3 percent or 4 percent of the vote in Georgia races, and Neill, 32, who taught science for seven years at Wheeler High School, is both young and a virtual unknown.
Bolton, 61, on the other hand, is probably too well known by city voters. The self-employed computer consultant ran as a write-in for mayor in 2001 because he couldn't afford the $395 qualifying fee. He came in fourth in a four-person field, with eight votes, or .12 percent.
He ran again for mayor in 2005 and attracted 1,001 votes, or 22.3 percent, against the other candidate, incumbent Bill Dunaway. But many politicos suggested Bolton's showing could be attributed to a "protest vote" against Dunaway. If Bolton attracts significantly fewer votes this time than he did in 2005, that theory would be proved.
Bolton also ran for governor in 2006 and president in 2008. He brings to mind the late Hubert Humphrey's famous saying that "the only cure for political fever is embalming fluid."
WSB'S HERMAN CAIN will host a fundraiser Thursday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the Williams-Payne House in Sandy Springs for State Sen. Judson Hill (R-east Cobb). Hill's most recent fundraiser at the Georgian Club raised more than $40,000 and was attended by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, House Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-north Cobb).
FOR A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT of life in Iraq as war raged, check out the talk by Canon Andrew White of St. George’s Church, the only Anglican Church in Iraq, on Monday in east Cobb. The Rev. White will speak at 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at 1795 Johnson Ferry Road near the intersection of Sewell Mill Road.
A London native, White, 46, has served as the vicar of St. George’s since 2005. His nickname is the “vicar of Baghdad.” The church has 3,700 members, all of whom are Iraqis.
White became an ordained Anglican priest in 1990 after studying medicine at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London and becoming a surgeon and anesthesiologist. He also studied at Cambridge University and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is married with two sons.
White’s work includes heading worship services; religious and sectarianism work; hostage negotiations; overseeing a clinic with four doctors, four dentists, a pharmacy and laboratory; and lots of relief work to provide food and other necessities.
He has also worked to foster reconciliation between Iraqi Shias, Sunnis and Kurds, not necessarily convert them to Christianity.
In 2005, he created the nonprofit Foundation of Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, which promotes and develops conflict resolution and reconciliation in the Middle East. He also serves as a chaplain in the Green Zone, where he leads Anglican, Episcopal and Lutheran services.
Last year, 93 members of his flock were killed. And 11 of the 13 he has baptized this year have already been killed.
“My faith totally sustains me,” he said. “My key inspiration is one verse, ‘Perfect love casts out all fear.’ Here I found perfect love.”
His talk is free and open to the public.
THE MARIETTA ELKS LODGE will host its second annual Charity Chili Cook-off and Kids Festival today from noon to 4 p.m. at 1706 Powder Springs Road, behind Kroger’s at the historic McAdoo House. There will be free hot dogs and jumps for kids with paid $5 admission. The cost is $10 for chili teams. Money raised will help needy families at Christmas. Teams need to be present at 10 a.m. to register. Judging will be at 3 p.m. by Cobb Superior Court Judge Jim Bodiford; his wife, Nancy, of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department; and Rita Haynes, from Cobb Superior Court. Prizes are $50 for first place, $30 for second, and $20 for third. Children can also have a picture with Santa for a $5 donation. There will be a Castle jump and an Octopus’ Maze along with face painting for a $2 donation. Call (770) 337-7256.
EVENTS: The Cobb County Republican Women Veteran’s Day Celebration is Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. at the Marietta Conference Center. Speaker is Brig. Gen. Maria L. Britt, Commanding General of the Georgia Army National Guard, NAS-Marietta. The Cobb GOP representative on the Veterans Committee is first VP Darryl Wilson, designated by Chairman Scott Johnson. For details, contact CCRW Chair Tonya Boga at (678) 923-6939. … Barry McCarthy of First Data will speak at the Cobb Chamber’s Cumberland Area Council on Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. at The Georgian Club. McCarthy will discuss the Mobile Future, the connection between phones and commerce.
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What proof do you have that this will cost more $$ and not benefit the kids.
I again have to ask Vivian what payback are you getting out of the kids not being in school in August? There is too much anger in your blogs not to have another reason.