Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recognitions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cobb County school board honors student champions and dozens of teachers
Summary
The Cobb County School District recognized state‑champion athletes, arts educators and support staff March 19, 2026, including multiple GHSA swim and dive champions, district music and theater teachers of the year, and the district school social worker of the year.
The Cobb County School District recognized students, coaches and dozens of educators at its March 19, 2026 voting session, honoring state athletic champions and district teachers and staff for the 2025–26 school year. Mr. Hill, who led the recognition presentation, named teams and individuals from multiple high schools and several district‑level honorees.
Among athletic recognitions, Lassiter High School’s girls and boys swim and dive teams were celebrated as GHSA state champions, with the girls claiming their seventh consecutive title. Individual state champions named included Ashlyn Lofton (100‑yard breaststroke) and Gavin Halisek (50‑yard freestyle), with several relay teams also noted for breaking school and county records. Presenter Mr. Hill said the Lassiter boys’ championship was the school’s first boys’ state title and that all 17 members of the boys team scored points.
The board also honored individual student champions from other schools: Isaiah Tucker of Kennesaw Mountain High School (state titles in the 100‑yard butterfly and 100‑yard backstroke and a state record in the 100‑yard butterfly) and Carolyn Hughes of Wheeler High School (100‑yard breaststroke state champion). Mr. Hill said Tucker will attend Princeton University on a swimming scholarship.
District staff recognitions included Bethany Miller as the district’s 2025–26 school social worker of the year and multiple performing‑arts teachers of the year at elementary, middle and high‑school levels. Among those named were Nikki Peters (Powder Springs Elementary), Jay Champion (Lost Mountain Middle School), Emily Cannon (Allatoona High School), Tracy Woody Kemp (Allatoona High School theater) and Ashley Culley (Dodgen Middle School). Mr. Hill described selection criteria as including innovative instruction, collaboration and leadership in professional learning.
The recognitions segment closed with the announcement that Dr. Kathleen Peca of Walton High School was named the Georgia Art Education Association Youth Art Month Art Educator of the Year. The board and superintendent invited honorees forward to be congratulated and applauded for their achievements.
The recognition presentations concluded before the meeting moved to public comment procedures and action items.
