EDUCATION

High Marks During Hard Times

By Katherine Michalak

Early this spring, COVID-19 news reports waylaid the entire country as various statistics trickled into the public domain. The onslaught of data soon alerted school systems about the severity of the illness and the potential for spreading amongst students. At first, the threat of a coronavirus outbreak seemed somewhat nebulous with serious cases clustered overseas, but education professionals watched scientific models intently and heeded early warnings. Here in Cobb County, an educational system known for outstanding commitment to the entire community, rose to the occasion to meet an unprecedented challenge and reveal a resolute fortitude.

Taking Notes

The initial intimation of health concerns in schools elicited a theoretical approach that

could be similar to that taken for extreme weather emergencies — a short physical “Our teachers, school leaders, staff, and break from the classroom while students district leaders did everything they possibly continued with assignments and projects already in progress. But soon, it was apparcould to meet the needs of students and ent that facing a full-blown pandemic called for an entirely unique protocol. families which changed, literally overnight.

“Everything about this situation is compliAnd they continue to do so,” cated and serious,” confirms Cobb County School Superintendent Chris Ragsdale. “The most important [aspect] has been — Chris Ragsdale, Cobb County School Superintendent keeping every plan, scenario, and conversation based on student needs, not based on adult pressures. Our team was definitely prepared to keep students at the center of increasing threat abroad. “We were thinkbecause it’s a smaller school district with a our response and that is the most important ing about the travel aspect and organized network of eight elementary schools feeding part. Certainly, none of us were really prea team within the school to brainstorm into one sixth-grade academy, one middle pared for a public health pandemic to shut about the possible impact,” she said. “Prior and one high school, they’ve been able to down school buildings overnight.” to returning back from spring break was maintain good contact with students after

The idea of tertiary exposure through our first communication with the extended quickly addressing their families’ access global transportation lines presented early school community.” to technology. “Online learning is only as concerns as administrators considered the Evaluation of available at-home resources good as the ability to communicate with wider context of local schools. Honey Branfor students pushed forward as an immethe kid,” Brock said. “Our most immediate non, director of communications and mardiate consideration in transitioning curchallenge was getting kids online — lapketing for Smyrna’s Whitefield Academy riculum out of the classroom. Jen Brock, tops, Chromebooks, tablets, smartphones. recalls that just before their spring break executive director of communications for Comcast started to supply free service, but in early March, they’d heard about the Marietta City Schools, pointed out that we worried about how to get families set up.”

BE PASSI ON ATE. BE EM POWERED. BE I N SPI RED.

Be A P A R T O F

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WHITEFIELDACADEMY.COM A CHRIST-CENTERED COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR PREK - 1 2TH GRADE COBB in focus JULY/AUGUST 2020 19

Study Skills had heard of COVID-19 and before Despite the initial difficulties, schools school buildings in Cobb County were promptly shifted into high gear, finding closed, we had begun implementing solutions to these new problems, getting an education model which is less concreative with versatile approaches to cerned with grades and formulas and instruction, and addressing an unprecmore concerned with what parents care edented catalogue of out-of-classroom about — knowing what your student needs as families quarantined together. knows and supporting what they do not.

“Our teachers, school leaders, We have been committed to supportstaff, and district leaders did everying the transition from ‘education’ to thing they possibly could to meet the ‘learning.’ As a big part of our COVIDneeds of students and families which 19 response, we are more committed changed, literally overnight. And they than ever to learning, which is less concontinue to do so,” explains Ragscerned with where and how, and more dale. “I have been incredibly thankful with if students are learning and what to see our entire community rally … Whitefield third grader, Hayley Brannon, conducts we are doing to support learning.” [Cobb Schools Foundation] raised over a small group learning session from her home. “Some kids did very well and some $200,000 for devices for students who didn’t, which forces all of us to address did not have one at home. …Our comwhether we shift a paradigm of educamunity has helped serve over 300,000 meals for enthusiastic educators: “There are so tion,” Brock added. “It’s showing us that for students whose primary food source is a many, I do not want to highlight one without there are many ways to use technology in a school building. In a way most communities being able to highlight them all. There is a positive way, as well as to value human concannot say, our schools are the backbone of new story of a teacher impacting the lives of nection/conversation. School is often the our community and our community is the our students every day on our social media one constant for the student and now that’s backbone of our schools.” feeds and on our website. Just last month, changed. As we prioritize the education of

Brock agrees, “When our doors close, our over 7,000,000 people saw or read a story our children and the safety of our commukitchens close, and a hungry child cannot about how Cobb teachers get creative and nity, we ask parents for partnership, trust, learn. We sent meals out on our buses with inspire students.” and grace — we will do the best we can with the bus drivers, delivering almost 250,000 At Whitefield, a faith-based, covenant what we know, while fully admitting that we meals to the regular bus stops. Parents were Christian school, establishing a way to impledon’t have all the answers.” happy to get food, but the kids were excited ment a spiritual platform ranked preemiWhitefield acknowledges that the situato wave at their bus driver! We also put nently. Brannon lauds the extensive school tion affects how the school moves forward hotspots on a handful of buses which could involvement, which achieved that goal far academically. Administrators plan to use then travel to certain spots [for students to beyond what they hoped. “Everyone rallies this experience to examine what works use] … Bus drivers could answer questions around a focus of training the students in for individual students. “Because we are a about how to log on correctly and answer an uplifting way,” she said. “Teachers give private school that runs PreK-12, we see the other questions.” morning devotionals through Zoom and issues and have the unique opportunities Google Classroom, a daily email sends a to see the various impacts even within the Progress Reports friendly face with inspiration/motivation to same family,” Brannon contends. “Our new Maintaining connection with students prekeep everyone going, our Whitefield Comlower-school building is scheduled to open sented a potential setback when following munity Journal reaches out to our entire this fall and we hope to celebrate that within safe-distancing guidelines to mitigate the community — faculty, board, staff, students, these new parameters.” spread of the virus, yet remained a crucial parents, grandparents, teachers, alumni — element of effective education. These eduposting stories from individuals.” Final Lessons cation professionals cleared that hurdle Teachable moments surged in torrents durtime and again with novel methods for Homework ing these difficult times, but Cobb educareaching their pupils. Necessity has long been the mother of tors view the deluge as a fount from which

“Teachers and faculty, and even princiinvention, and the educational alternatives students will sip for years to come. “A big pals, have been calling around and making explored during this health crisis preview a lesson in this,” says Brock, “is that we don’t sure that kids were okay,” Brock said. “The possible lead to long-term shifts in instrucalways know what’s going to happen and we ever-changing guidelines seem daunting. tion. When educational support teams need to be agile.” We’re really listening to input, and polling assess measures taken at this juncture, they Ragsdale agrees, “I think students have staff, faculty, parents, and kids to get honest also gauge future strategies for evolving already shown they have learned the lesson answers about what works and what doesn’t.” learning models. Ragsdale clarifies the we all talked about before the pandemic Superintendent Ragsdale expressed praise County’s position saying: “Before anyone and that is resilience. It is important to

learn, but it is more important to be ready and able to use what you know in a world which is rapidly changing … a lesson many adults take a lifetime to learn.”

Brannon repeats the message that her school has been able to convey about the unconditional nature of personal faith: “Even without being able to gather together as a physical group, we’ve sent out loving care to the community — all with the focus of our faith in Jesus Christ. Most of our community knew this, because that is why they chose Whitefield, but they weren’t aware how deep it ran and how fully we would be able to offer that.”

Class Dismissed

As we look to the immediate future with hope for a return to a routine, Cobb students and teachers encourage us all with their irrepressible spirit. Our “new normal’ can be glimpsed through the positivity of dedicated professionals and enterprising youth ready to turn an unexpected predicament into a promising new perspective. n

Campbell High School’s Sakshi Joshi Wins ‘A. Max Bacon Award’

Campbell High School student Sakshi Joshi has won the A. Max Bacon Award for student leadership. The award, named in honor of former Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon, was presented to Joshi for exhibiting leadership and a love of community. “We are excited to present this award to a lady who served in roles for Mayor pro-team for Smyrna Youth Council and a committee chair for Student Government Association,” said Georgia Sangster, financial consultant with Stone & Birch Consulting, and a member of the award nominating committee. “She worked with students across Cobb County in order to learn more about the government that leads this city, its departments, and met with many local leaders. Upon COVID-19, and seeing the impact on the community, the members of Smyrna Youth Council worked to contact local businesses about their available resources. Max Bacon cares deeply for his local business and Smyrna’s ever-growing ambition, which is why Sakshi Joshi has earned her award as someone who demonstrates the spirit of leadership as Max Bacon.”

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Growing Up Acworth

With a revitalization of downtown and rethinking of land use, Acworth is experiencing growth in the business, restaurant, and craft beer landscapes.

By Jennifer Morrell

F

or the last several years, the development taking place in Acworth has been intentional and by design. Mayor Tommy Allegood, the Acworth Board of Aldermen, and the city’s staff had a clear vision of creating connectivity and extending the town’s existing downtown area toward Logan Farm Park. The purpose is to allow for more development and private investment; a newer downtown already is taking shape. New infrastructure includes a pedestrian overpass, Depot Park History Center, new public parking areas, redeveloped roads to create better traffic flow, and a roundabout.

Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood with Kim Wigington (center), chairperson, Acworth Downtown Development Authority; and Malinda Howe, chairperson, Acworth Tourism Bureau Authority. Photos: LaRuche Creative

Kim Watt, tourism director and assistant director, Acworth Parks, Recreation and Community Resource Department, says Acworth’s city website visits have increased an average of 30 percent each year. “When speaking to many of our local businesses, their clientele continues to grow from areas that have heard about Acworth through marketing, events held, or simple word of mouth,” Watt says. “Acworth has become a dining destination over the years, with multiple chef-driven restaurants within our community. Lake Acworth is also a huge tourist draw as the lake is restricted to non-motorized boating. It makes it the perfect location for kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards.”

Depot Park History Center opened in the fall of 2019 and is a free, digital history center that provides information rich in Acworth history. Visitors can hear oral stories from many long-time residents.

A clear game changer has been the flurry of restaurants that continues to make Acworth a dining destination. Watt says foodies are always looking for a new and different experience, and Acworth brings in restaurants that satisfy those requests. Along with the onslaught of new restaurants are new businesses affiliated with the craft beer movement.

“Many people choose a community to visit based on what breweries and tap rooms they can explore, along with restaurants,” Watt says. “We’re excited about the addition of two new businesses coming to Acworth to fulfill this niche, 1885, Red Top Brewhouse, and TapTown.”

Revitalization Acworth’s redevelopment of its downtown area began in the late-1990s, when a plan and focus on the revitalization of the Historic Downtown Commercial Business District was created. “Over the next 20 years, city leadership invested millions of dollars, primarily through SPLOST, in infrastructure, streetscape, and parking in the Historic Downtown,” said Jeff Chase, city of Acworth downtown development director. “Following the successful revitalization of Historic Downtown, the focus has turned to the city’s new Parkside District. The completion of the 14-acre Logan Farm Park Expansion and the 44,000-squarefoot Acworth Community Center has made Parkside a desirable location for new businesses. A [new] mixed-use development will include office, retail, and residential space.”

Acworth’s city team has implemented a vision to revitalize the downtown area to attract business investment and tourism through improvements to Main Street, Cherokee Street, Dallas Street, Academy Street, Carnes Street, Senator Russell Avenue, Southside, School Street, and Taylor Street.

“The city has attracted many businesses, restaurants, and new residential developments by building 500 parking places, preserving 140 acres of dedicated greenspace parks, implementing silent railroad crossings, and connecting our downtown with a pedestrian bridge over our railroad,” says Alex Almodóvar, assistant to the city manager. “In 2016, the city opened the expanded Logan Farm Park on Cherokee

Street with walking trails, 140 acres of contiguous green space, a picnic shelter, and a huge playground. Since September 2017, the city has completed the next phases of the downtown redevelopment.”

Those next phases include the realignment of Lemon Street, a new left-turn lane on Main Street at Lemon, a four-story pedestrian overpass over the railroad tracks, construction of a new public parking lot, conversion of the small public parking lot at Main and Lemon into a park with a replica train depot/history center, renovation of

a historic house into an Arts Center, and construction of the new Community Center. The public investment committed by the city of Acworth is helping spur private investment as well.

“This 15-year journey is the city’s vision to build a great quality of life through the transformation, redevelopment, and extraordinary expansion of our downtown historic district,” Almodóvar says.

Acworth has three distinct business districts, each with its own growth and evolution patterns. The districts are located at the two Interstate 75 exits to the city, located in the downtown historic district and the Cobb Parkway/Highway 41 commercial shopping/dining district.

The Interstate 75 district has many opportunities for mixed-use residential, business, and hotel redevelopment. The downtown historic business district will continue to attract new business and growth, because

of neighborhood-friendly restaurants and boutique shopping. The Cobb Parkway/ Highway 41 district is a four-mile shopping/ dining corridor that has attracted national retailers. Opportunities for commercial growth, health services, and corporate home locations are plentiful.

“The quality of life that Acworth offers through our schools, churches, volunteer and recreational opportunities, combined with the public investment and business friendly attitude, makes Acworth very welcoming to new businesses as well as those businesses who might be looking to relocate,” says Chase. “Downtown Acworth offers a feeling of community and sense of place that many people are looking for today. Walkability and a variety of shops and restaurants create an unique atmosphere that is hard to replicate at strip malls and stand-alone stores or restaurants.”

Almodóvar says Acworth has always been

a recruiter and viable partner for economic development. The economic development team is comprised of representatives from Community Development; Parks, Recreation and Community Resources; and Power and Public Works. “This team has the expansive perspective, experience, and track record in attracting and recruiting new businesses and investments into the community,” he says. “We own our own power utility — Acworth Power — and have a partnership with the Electric Cities of Georgia and their Location Georgia division. The economic development team also works hard to create and maintain relationships with other neighboring resources at local and state levels.”

Funding Chase says Acworth has used many successful funding mechanisms over the years to bring redevelopment to downtown. In 2007, investors purchased and renovated a 10,000-square-foot building adjacent to the two-block Historic District that once housed a grocery store. “The building had no historic significance and was in bad shape,” Chase says. “They invested more than $2 million dollars toward acquisition and rehabilitation, and were able to accomplish this through the assistance of the Acworth Downtown Development Authority acting as a mechanism to apply for and receive loan funds through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund and the Georgia Cities Revolving Loan Fund.”

The two, $250,000, low-interest loans gave a tremendous boost to the efforts of those local businessmen. Today, the

building houses Lacey Drug Co. and the Emory Physicians Group.

Acworth evaluates the needs of each opportunity individually and will work with each prospect individually, says Almodóvar. “Incentives may be offered that can range from discounted permitting costs and specialized power rates to discounted business license fees or other unique possibilities,” he says. “The economic development team also will work to pair the prospective business with any local, state and/or federal programs.”

Open for Business “My partners and I chose Acworth to open TapTown because of the economic potential created by the revitalization efforts and vision from Mayor Tommy Allegood and the city council,” says Bill Dunk, owner of TapTown Taste Emporium and Eatery, a fast-casual restaurant concept with more than 100 self-pour craft beers, wines, ciders, champagnes, and craft sodas. Set to open in early-2021, TapTown also will have a two-story coffee cafe overlooking Logan Farm Park. “We wanted to open our first TapTown in a city that promotes community, and Acworth certainly fits that bill.”

It is important that business owners and entrepreneurs invest in the growth and development of Acworth. “It starts with the local government,” says Rob Hankinson, owner of Red Top Brewhouse, a two-story brewhouse and separate brewery with an attended bar, two automated beer walls, and high-end pub grub and specialty dishes. “Other cities we looked at had limited to no interest in a brew pub or brewery. While some city governments remain skeptical about new ventures, Acworth actively promotes and offers continued support for those willing to invest in their city. It makes life so much easier when you have their full support.”

A Bright Future With a unique and historic downtown, two lakes, four beaches, and a large number of trails and amount of greenspace, Acworth is a destination for anyone interested in outdoor activities, capped off with a great meal and delicious craft brew.

“I feel that the city of Acworth will have a large growth spurt in the next three to five years, and this growth will significantly impact the local businesses and community,” says Dunk. “Acworth will become a destination city that people don’t drive through to get somewhere else; they will drive to Acworth to be somewhere.”

“The Acworth redevelopment story is about a city that has become the most dynamic growth story in the region,” he says. “Our vision for the future is filled with quality growth, employment opportunities, housing diversity, and recreational and cultural experiences.” n