CLASS ACT
Dear CCSD Families,
The start of a new school year just never gets old for me.
As a child, I counted down the days to meet my new teacher and see my teachers from years past again. I loved every detail of getting prepared, anticipating the bus arriving, and reuniting with classmates on that first day.
As a teacher, the new school year brought even more joy, as I looked forward to meeting the new students who would fill my chemistry lab. I loved preparing lessons for them, reading over the roster of students who I soon would teach, and thinking about all the ways we would start a new community in Room 114 on the science hall.
As a Superintendent, my excitement at the start of a new school year is overflowing, as freshly prepared school facilities are revealed, updated and sparkly clean buses get ready to roll, teachers and support professionals fill the schools, and every last detail is perfectly thought through for every student and family to have the best first day possible.
As a mom, it comes full circle seeing the fresh beginning through the eyes of my own children. This school year is even more special for us, as we all begin our first day in our new school district in our new home of Cherokee County.
Our focus this year is centered on Elevating the Excellence. This is a commitment to ensuring that CCSD remains the best possible place to learn. With a focus on high quality instruction aligned to clearly defined teaching and learning standards, building strong readers and writers, and raising academic ownership for students at all levels – we will be on pace to being the highest performing school district in Georgia where all kids thrive and succeed.
As a child, a teacher, a Superintendent and a mom, one thing never changes – I am too
MESSAGE FROM THE Superintendent
excited to sleep the night before school starts. Join me in the excitement of this new year and throughout the school year as we elevate the excellence every day.
You can read more about this work in this, the fifth edition of our Class Act magazine. All of the content comes from us, and we hope the information is useful to you now and all year. We’re grateful to Enjoy Cherokee Magazine for publishing our magazine and thankful to all of the businesses that purchased advertising to pay for its printing. In addition to printing copies for all of our students’ families and our employees, Enjoy Cherokee Magazine also publishes a digital version that’s available on our website at www.cherokeek12.net.
I can’t wait to Elevate the Excellence with you this year!
Mary Elizabeth Davis, PhD Superintendent of Schools
County Board
Cherokee
of Education
(left to right) Erin Ragsdale, Kelly Poole, Vice Chair Patsy Jordan, Chair Kyla Cromer, Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis, Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison, John Harmon, Rick Steiner
Students at Hickory Flat Elementary School teach Superintendent Davis all they know about the #BeKind movement.
Mary Elizabeth Davis
Superintendent of Schools P.O. Box 769, Canton, GA 30169
Class Act is published annually by the Cherokee County School District’s Office of Communications.
Barbara Jacoby Chief Communications Officer
Carrie McGowan
Director, Strategic Planning, Community Relations and Publications
Suggestions for content can be submitted to publicinformation@cherokeek12.net
Thank you to Enjoy Cherokee Magazine for its assistance in producing this publication.
©2024 Cherokee County School District. All rights reserved. Every effort is made to ensure the contents of this publication are true and accurate. The Cherokee County School District assumes no responsibility for misinformation. Correction requests are always welcome at publicinformation@cherokeek12.net.
Getting Excellence
DOWN TO A SCIENCE
School
Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis shares her plans to ELEVATE THE EXCELLENCE in Cherokee County Schools.
AA new school year is a fresh start for every student, with new teachers, new schedules, new classmates and new learning.
For the Cherokee County School District, the new school year offers another important opportunity: to Elevate the Excellence.
Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis unveiled this theme in the spring when she shared her Entry Plan Summative Analysis and 2024-25 Key Priorities Report (posted on the CCSD website at https://www.cherokeek12.net/ first-100-days) with the community.
The report is based on Superintendent Davis’s entry plan, which outlined a series of activities through which she listened to the community in small group meetings and via a community survey, and she reviewed and analyzed financial, operational and student performance reports.
Over her first two months in the role, she met more than 2,000 stakeholders, including students, families, CCSD employees and business and community partners, and received more than 4,500 meeting feedback comments and more than 3,000 survey responses.
“I have seen a depth of expert skill and breadth of personal effort that is unparalleled in public education today. Coupled with the extraordinary team of professionals at every level, students in CCSD are impressive. I have met so many young people who remind me of why we can have so much confidence in our future as a community, a state and a nation,” Superintendent Davis said, as she presented the report. “I have also interacted with so many families who are proud of their child’s school and see evidence of a quality education, positive relationships and opportunities to be involved. This tradition of excellence is nestled in a beautiful community that champions public education and is eager to see sustained success for generations to come.
Superintendent Davis revisits her roots as a chemistry teacher with a visit to a lab at Cherokee High School.
“Woven through the fabric of this excellent school district, I also discovered insights and perspectives that pave the path for us to get even better,” she continued. “There is a pervasive readiness from classroom to classroom, school to school and throughout every corner of the county that CCSD be the highest performing district in the state of Georgia where students thrive, families are connected, and the community remains confident and proud.”
Four Key Priorities informed by this feedback now are driving CCSD’s work as an organization and will continue to do so for the next 16 months to two years, with regular progress reports to the community, followed by the future development of a long-range strategic plan.
THESE KEY PRIORITIES ARE:
◖ Elevate the Excellence in academics and achievement for all students.
◖ Elevate the Excellence in effective School Board-Superintendent Governance.
◖ Elevate the Excellence in the district’s coordination and alignment of goals, systems and processes.
◖ Elevate the Excellence by embracing a pervasive high-quality school environment defined by high standards, effective supports, and consistent practices.
For each Key Priority, Superintendent Davis has set specific Action Steps, which are detailed within the report. For each Action Step, underlying activities will be followed to ensure measurable success. During her presentation, she reviewed the Action Steps and shared several examples of activities.
Some of the many activities in this arena include creating a cohesive literacy instruction model; sunsetting RCD (Rigorous Course Design) and EDT (English Design Team) lesson plans, misaligned instructional resources and redundant assessment tools; investing in instructional support for Special Education; and defining commitments to improve the communication of student learning to parents.
The three other Key Priorities each include four Action Steps. Examples of some of the activities for “Elevate the Excellence by embracing a pervasive high-quality school environment defined by high standards, effective supports and consistent practices” include developing and implementing standards with consistency at schools for school appropriate attire for students; implementing cell phone procedures for students to maximize instructional time and student participation; and thoroughly reviewing current facilities and maintenance processes.
The Key Priority for “Elevate the Excellence in academics and achievement for all students” includes the most Action Steps with seven, following a common theme of narrowing the focus for educators’ work to ensure student mastery of core academics is at the forefront.
Over the summer, Superintendent Davis worked with district and school leaders —informed by student, parent, teacher and community feedback collected in the spring –to develop clear expectations for school appropriate attire as well as cell phone procedures for students. These guidelines have been incorporated into the Code of Conduct, which is posted on the CCSD website.
continued on page 10
From PTA and volunteer meetings to small group living room conversations, Superintendent Davis has sought out parent input as she has shaped her vision for CCSD.
Talking with students of all ages helps keep Superintendent Davis focused on her mission as leader of the state’s ninth largest school system.
SCAN ME
continued from page 9
Superintenent Davis also collaborated with district and school leaders this summer, again using stakeholder feedback, to set higher standards for student completion of timely work for classes. These standards will be shared with parents early in the new school year.
Examples of some of the activities for “Elevate the Excellence in the district’s coordination and alignment of goals, systems and processes” include conducting a competitive compensation assessment, protecting teacher planning time, reorganizing the district office to ensure resources are as close to the classroom as possible and establishing performance indicators to focus central office divisions’ work on amplifying the effectiveness of schools.
The district office reorganization focused on improving staff alignment to reduce duplication and enhance collaboration to better deliver on expected outcomes.
One change shifts staff to create an accountability team to the curriculum office, now known as Academics and Accountability, to ensure school leaders and teachers are provided with student achievement scores and resources to leverage that information to improve teaching and learning.
Another change moves the transportation department, which includes bus drivers, monitors, technicians and operations staff, from the school operations office to Support Services, which also includes the district’s facilities construction and maintenance teams and CCSD’s newly restored in-house custodial team.
Examples of some of the activities for “Elevate the Excellence in effective School Board-Superintendent Governance” include holding monthly work sessions in conjunction with regular board meetings to promote meaningful discussion and public transparency, regularly delivering board reports, and providing a live-streamed and archived collection of board work sessions and board meetings.
These work sessions begin at 5:15 p.m. prior to every 7 p.m. regular board meeting; board meetings will continue to be held on the third Thursday of each month, with the exception of when the date shifts to the second Thursday due to school breaks.
20 2426
Key Priorities
◖ Elevate the Excellence in academics and achievement for all students.
◖ Elevate the Excellence in effective School Board- Superintendent Governance.
◖ Elevate the Excellence in the district’s coordination and alignment of goals, systems, and processes.
◖ Elevate the Excellence by embracing a pervasive high-quality school envrionment defined by high standards, effective supports, and consistent practices.
Getting feedback from teachers was a key piece of Superintendent Davis’ 100 Day Entry Plan — and she promises the listening is not over.
What’s for Lunch?!
CCSD’S award-winning meal program plans to KEEP KIDS FUELED UP and ready to learn.
TThe menu reads like an exciting new restaurant with a dedication to farmto-table dining and world cuisines … but with really affordable prices.
The award-winning Cherokee County School District’s School Nutrition program serves up millions of meals every year in our 40 schools and centers, with more fresh ingredients and choices than ever planned for this coming school year.
While quality continues to rise, meal prices will not increase. Breakfast is $1.60 for all grades. Lunch is $2.45 for elementary school, and $2.70 for middle and high school. The high school grill line with additional entrée choices is $3.75.
Every day, CCSD students choose from a selection of breakfast and lunch entrées –
with more than 30-plus different entrée choices monthly, as well as daily fresh fruit and vegetable side choices and a selection of low-fat milks and 100% fruit juices.
CCSD’s entrée choices rotate regularly through healthier versions of kids’ favorites like pizza and chicken nuggets and new options introduced after student taste-tests.
Last school year’s improvements to continue this year include switching to grass-fed, grass-finished shaved ribeye from Hunter Cattle Company for favorite recipes including Philly Cheesesteaks and Beef Nachos; adding new choices such as Spicy
Ramen Bowl, Pollo Loco and Pico de Gallo Salad and Buffalo Chicken Mac-n-Cheese, all using Georgiagrown chicken; and expanding vegetarian options such as Cheese Tortellini Florentine. Middle and high school cafeteria “grab-n-go” options continue to grow with new additions coming this school year of vegetarian Tortellini Pasta Salad and Asian Pork Wrap.
The LINQ Connect system, accessible by website and mobile app, offers parents online meal menus, meal account online payments and the ability to apply online for free or reduced price meals. The system will be live for this school year by mid-July. To set up an account, visit https://linqconnect.com, select Register and follow the easy steps. Parents can electronically add funds to LINQ Connect meal accounts or send in checks or cash to the school to be added to their child’s account. ◗
CAREER
TODAY’S STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLIMB TO NEW HEIGHTS— WHETHER ON A FIRE TRUCK LADDER OR A FLIGHT SIMULATOR
Students in the Fire Services pathway (offered at Woodstock HS) have the opportunity to train with Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services
FFrom healthcare to cybersecurity, from teaching as a profession to filmmaking, from automotive technology to aviation —the sky is the limit for students to learn about career options and begin training for success.
The Cherokee County School District’s career education offerings are expanding this school year to a record 44 unique Career Pathway programs, with classroom learning complemented by opportunities for paid work-based learning and internships and after-school co-curricular teams and clubs.
The school district long has offered an outstanding Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program. Over the last six years, we’ve taken important steps to balance traditional programs like “wood shop” (today known as carpentry and construction) and “home ec” (today known as family and consumer sciences (FACS) and nutrition and food science), with classes focused on newer career paths such as web development and video game design. We’ve also worked to align more middle school connections classes and elementary school specials classes to engage students earlier in pathway programs.
This successful continued expansion to add more than a dozen new programs and improve existing pathways has been supported by the school district’s participation in the Cherokee County Workforce Collaborative, made up of business and industry, economic development, technical college and school leaders.
Through this collaboration, CCSD has better aligned its programs with local employer needs as well as opportunities for continuing education at technical colleges. Recent examples include CCSD’s launch two years ago of the Career Pathway for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Flight Operations and the continuing expansion of the Healthcare Science pathways. The latter will receive a boost with the construction project underway at Woodstock High School, which will allow lab classroom space for the start of the healthcare program there that already is popular at CCSD’s other five traditional high schools.
The flight program is one of two that CCSD offers at the Cherokee College & Career Academy (C3), which was established three years ago with a Pathway for Cybersecurity. Career programs offered at C3, which is
housed on the ACTIVE Academies campus in Canton, are open to all CCSD high school students who choose to leave their campus to come to C3 for the electives. They can attend academic classes at their home high school in the morning or afternoon and travel, by school bus or their own vehicle, to C3 for career classes.
Another highlight of the collaboration is the development of the annual Skilled Professions Signing Day, which celebrates graduating seniors who are entering the skilled workforce. The most recent event in May celebrated 52 graduating seniors beginning careers in skilled professions —up from 36 the previous year.
The collaborative also led to the establishment of the statewide Georgia Be Pro Be Proud initiative. It brings a mobile classroom to high schools and middle schools across Georgia, including in CCSD, to teach students about careers through hands-on activities. Due to the program’s popularity, Georgia Be Pro Be Proud this spring unveiled an expanded mobile classroom with more capacity for learning.
This school year, CCSD will offer 44 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives – up from 41 last school year.
The programs offer students opportunities to learn specific job skills and overall beneficial workplace skills, as well as valuable individual industry certifications, such as Carpentry Skills Connect for Construction and Carpentry students, ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) for Automotive and Transportation students and Certified Nursing Assistant for Healthcare Science - Therapeutic Services and Patient Care.
continued on page 16
Game Design is a new pathway added in 2023-24, offered at Etowah HS.
Through partnerships with local employers, students also have the choice to leave school early or work after school through a paid work-based learning job or internship aligned with their pathway program. Innovating partnerships with employers offer students exciting real-world experiences, such as clinical rotation internships at Northside Hospital Cherokee and suiting up for firefighting live-burn exercises with Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services.
In addition to the new programs offered at C3, the school district recently began offering Energy and Power: Generation, Transmission and Distribution at Cherokee High School with the support of a $25,000 Workforce for Georgia Grant Program grant funded by Georgia Power and the Georgia Foundation for Public Education. Other recent program additions include two new agriculture Career Pathways at Creekview High School: Agricultural Mechanics/Electrical Systems and Veterinary Science, which complement the popular Equine Science program.
New for this school year, Sequoyah High School and Woodstock High School will begin the Web Development pathway, a program already popular at River Ridge High School; and Woodstock High School will begin Engineering and Drafting and Design, a program already popular at Etowah and Sequoyah High Schools.
State industry certification is considered an additional “stamp of excellence” for a Career Pathway program. To earn the honor, programs must demonstrate the highest levels of excellence for curriculum and instruction; facilities and equipment; extra-curricular programs aligned with the Pathway, such as SkillsUSA for construction; and partnerships with industry professionals.
A growing number of CCSD’s Career Pathway programs have earned state industry certification including Construction and Carpentry at Etowah HS; Architectural Drawing and Design at Etowah HS and Sequoyah HS; Audio/Video Technology and Film Industry at Sequoyah HS; and Automotive Technology at Cherokee HS.
CCSD’s Career Pathway programs are complemented by after-school co-curricular career programs that provide students with career skill competitions and leadership opportunities. Last school year, CCSD students earned top honors in international, national and state career skill competitions in fields ranging from marketing skills to welding to video production to architecture, and CCSD students were elected to state leadership roles with cocurricular organizations including president of the Georgia Technology Student Association (TSA).
To raise awareness about its career education programs, we’ve expanded our website to include Pathway Profile posts about each of our Career Pathways. These brief stories share information about each program, including potential industry certifications, extra-curricular opportunities, jobs the courses prepare students for, salary ranges and local and area employers. You can read them on CCSD’s website at:
We also now annually publish a course catalog solely focused on Career Pathways. The Focus on the Future guide is distributed every winter to all eighth-graders to use with their parents as they review elective options for high school. The guide also is posted on the CCSD website so all students and parents can review — it can be found on the same webpage noted above.
Audio/Video Technology & Film is a Career Pathway offered at all CCSD high schools.
CAREER PATHWAYS
IN CCSD HIGH SCHOOLS
• Agricultural Leadership
• Agricultural Mechanics
• Architectural Drawing & Design
• Audio/Video Technology & Film
• Business & Technology
• Carpentry
• Cloud Computing
• Collision Repair
• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Diagnostics/Clinical Lab
• Early Childhood Care & Education
• Electrical
• Energy & Power
• Engineering & Technology
• Engineering Drafting & Design
• Equine/Veterinary Science
• Fire Services/Firefighting
• Flight Operations
• Game Design/Communications
• General Automotive Technology
• Graphic Design
• JROTC—Air Force
• JROTC-Army
• JROTC—Navy
• Law Enforcement Services/Criminal Investigations
• Law Enforcement Services/Forensic Science
• Marketing & Management
• Metal Fabrication
• Nutrition & Food Science
• Plant & Floral Design Systems
• Plant & Floriculture Systems
• Security & Protective Services
• Sports Marketing & Entertainment
• Teaching as a Profession
• Therapeutic Services/ Exercise Physiology
• Therapeutic Services/ Sports Medicine
• Therapeutic Services/Patient Care
• Therapeutic Services/Allied Health & Medicine
• Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• Veterinary Science/Companion Animal Systems
• Web Development
• Welding
• Workforce Based Learning
TEACHERS’ BRIGHT IDEAS
come to life in their classrooms thanks to funding from a special organization.
Cherokee County Educational is a charitable, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Cherokee County School District’s students and teachers by promoting public education and celebrating achievements.
The Foundation seeks funding and resources to enrich CCSD schools in areas not fully funded in the regular school program. Since its establishment in 2012, CCEF has awarded more than $1 Million in grants to CCSD students, teachers and schools. All money raised by CCEF is returned to CCSD through teacher grant opportunities, program donations and other support.
The Foundation is governed by a board of directors that conducts business according to bylaws established by the organization. In 2023,
CCEF earned the Gold Seal of Transparency for its public financial reporting from Guidestar. Learn more at CherokeeCountyEducationalFoundation.org
The Foundation’s next fundraiser is the annual Chickfil-A Cherokee 5K on Saturday, August 17, at Etowah River Park in Canton. The event benefits CCEF and the Cherokee County Special Olympics. More than 1,500 runners will participate in the race and one-mile fun run presented by all Cherokee County Chick-fil-A locations, with music, facepainting, family fun, and of course, chicken biscuits for registered runners! Learn more at CherokeeCounty5k.com. ◗
2023-24 National Accolades
• Microsoft Education recognized 40 CCSD teachers, staff and school and school district leaders as among the world’s top instructional technology experts.
• 575 CCSD students earned national AP Scholar awards.
• Etowah HS Air Force JROTC program lead instructor Lt. Col. (Retired) Stephen Bergey and instructor Technical Sgt. (Retired) Ciarra Malto earned 2023 AFJROTC Outstanding Instructor Awards.
• Five CCSD Class of 2024 seniors earned prestigious U.S. military scholarships. More than 70 graduates planned military enlistment.
• Three CCSD graduating seniors earned the prestigious 2024 National Merit Scholarship. Laura Hand of Creekview HS and Livana Lekas and Valor Lekas of Sequoyah HS were among the top 2,500 seniors in the U.S. awarded the $2,500 scholarship by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
• Jessica Emmett, CCSD’s School Nutrition culinary specialist, was named a national Tray Blazer winner by General Mills.
• The Etowah HS chapter of the FFA agricultural education program was named a 2023 3-Star Chapter by the National FFA Organization.
• The College Board honored 146 CCSD students through its National Recognition Programs awards.
• Cherokee HS students placed fourth in the Skills USA national welding contest in Atlanta. Students from Creekview HS and Creekland MS placed in the National Technology Student Association (TSA) conference.
• Common Sense School Certification for digital citizenship was earned or renewed for Arnold Mill ES, Free Home ES, Bascomb ES, Hasty ES, and Holly Springs ES.
• CCSD earned a national grant to add rowing to its middle school PE program. The Concept2, Inc. Erg Ed grant, valued at $45,000, was awarded to CCSD by the George Pocock Rowing Foundation.
• Woodstock HS sophomore Jax Singleton was named one of 20 national Army Educational Outreach Program Veterans Appreciation Challenge finalists by Future Engineers.
• Clark Creek ES STEM Academy, Free Home ES and Mill Creek MS were named winners of the National PTA School of Excellence award.
• Four CCSD high schools made the new honor roll for the College Board. Woodstock HS earned the award at the overall Silver level, with a Silver ranking for College Culture, Gold for College Credit and Platinum for College Optimization. Creekview, Etowah and Sequoyah HS earned the award at the overall Bronze level, with all three also earning the same category rankings: Bronze for College Culture, Gold for College Credit and Platinum for College Optimization. Etowah HS also earned the AP Access Award, which honors their commitment to providing all students access to advanced coursework
• Dr. Chad Flatt, principal at Freedom MS, was named a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
• Two CCSD teams were named national Junior ROTC Raiders champions. The Etowah HS Air Force JROTC team won the Master Division Mixed Team National Championship and the River Ridge HS Air Force JROTC team won the Challenge Division Male Team National Championship.
• CCSD earned national honors for its School Nutrition summer meals program for the fifth time, winning the USDA’s Silver Turnip the Beet Award.
• Indian Knoll ES technology lab teacher Kristen Brooks was recognized by the International Society for Technology in Education as an ISTE 20 to Watch winner.
• A CCSD student team earned third place in an international engineering competition, the Real World Design Challenge. Woodstock HS seniors Carson Bove, Camden Browning and Mary Hogrefe designed an award-winning Unmanned Aircraft System to help mitigate wildfire.
• The Woodstock HS Navy JROTC Drone Team placed fourth in the Area Championships.
• Indian Knoll ES was selected by Microsoft as a 2023-24 Microsoft Showcase School in honor of its successful use of educational technology to benefit students and teachers. Only 30 U.S. schools were selected as Showcase Schools, and Indian Knoll ES is the only Georgia school named to the list.
Safety is the priority when transporting students millions of miles each year.
Did you know our community’s most precious cargo is carried 27,500 miles daily by Cherokee County’s largest transportation fleet?
One hint about that fleet: IT’S BRIGHT YELLOW.
The Cherokee County School District’s Transportation department is made up of 451 school bus drivers and attendants, as well as 42 maintenance technicians, routing specialists and other critically important support staff, all dedicated to providing safe and timely transportation to every student.
Each CCSD bus driver is trained in best practices for vehicle operation, as well as first-aid, bus behavior management and other important tools for success. Students must follow the same code of conduct on school buses as they do in the classroom — and face the same levels of repercussions for misbehavior.
CCSD exceeds the state’s requirements (12 hours of instruction, six hours of driving without students, and six hours of driving with students) by providing 50 hours of training to each driver. Jim Georges, the department’s executive director, is one of only 200 National Association for Pupil Transportation certified directors in the country.
Transportation routing staff plan and manage the 1,836 routes the drivers follow each day. Every summer, the department’s maintenance team prepares the fleet to travel 4.9 million miles in the coming school year. The team
holds the prestigious National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Blue Seal of Excellence, which requires skill retesting every five years.
Every bus is inspected by its driver daily and, at least once every 20 days, it’s inspected by CCSD technicians and undergoes maintenance. As an additional level of safety, state inspectors each summer check every bus in the fleet.
CCSD school buses are replaced more frequently than state requirements, with 30 new school buses to be added to the fleet this school year. Starting this past school year, all new buses joining CCSD’s fleet now feature illuminated signs on the front and back of the bus, as well back up cameras, collision avoidance systems and stability control to prevent rollovers.
A week before school begins, parents can find their child’s bus number and schedule on the CCSD website. The Versatrans My Stop Bus Tracking System allows parents to track their child’s school bus on its way to the bus stop each morning and afternoon.
CCSD Transportation offers outstanding driver and monitor job opportunities popular among parents and grandparents. Scan the QR code here to visit the website for more information about their calendar, schedule and full benefits. Don’t have a commercial driver’s license for school buses? CCSD Transportation will train you to earn one!
1,836
4.9
LEAD ELECTED
TO OUR COMMUNITY
meet the school board
Three retired educators. An accountant. A speech language pathologist. A businessperson. A professional wrestler turned Realtor.
Kyla Cromer School Board Chair
Who are your seven elected members of the Cherokee SCHOOL BOARD and what experience do they bring to their roles?
WWhile they bring different professional experiences to the role, all Cherokee County School Board members are dedicated to serving our 42,000 students.
Made up of six members elected by specific voting districts and a chair who is elected countywide, the board meets monthly to take actions including approving policy changes, annual budgets, construction projects and curriculum adoption.
New this school year, the board will meet for a work session prior to every regular meeting. This new structure is designed to promote more meaningful discussion and greater transparency and public awareness around the business of the board.
School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, who lives in BridgeMill, is a former elementary and middle school teacher and learning center director who served as a school, county and state PTA leader before beginning her service on the School Board. She now is in her 11th year on the School Board and her seventh year as the countywide-elected Chair. Both of her daughters are CCSD graduates.
Ms. Cromer did not seek re-election, and her term will end Dec. 31. In January, a familiar face will return to the School Board. Longtime former board member and chair, Janet Read Welch, who works as a community development officer for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, won the seat in an unopposed election. After 10 years on the board, she resigned in 2015 due to work requirements, which since have changed.
Patsy Jordan
School Board Vice Chair
Vice Chair Patsy Jordan of the Yellow Creek community has been a part of CCSD all of her life and career, which included serving as a school custodian, school bus driver and teacher, for which she earned the honor of Teacher of the Year. After retiring, Ms. Jordan continued to serve by joining the School Board in 2012. She is elected by District 2, which includes Creekview High School and northeast Cherokee.
Robert Rechsteiner District 4
Robert Rechsteiner of southwest Cherokee, known by his nickname Rick Steiner from his professional wrestling career, has served for 19 years on the School Board. A Realtor and longtime youth sports volunteer and supporter, he is elected by District 4, which includes Etowah High School and southwest Cherokee. His three sons are CCSD graduates.
Kelly Poole District 1
Kelly Poole of BridgeMill, who is elected by District 1, which includes Holly Springs and the Sixes community, is an accountant with experience in government and nonprofits and their audits and joined the School Board in 2015 to expand upon her longtime service to local schools through the PTA. Her daughter and son are CCSD graduates.
Erin Ragsdale District 5
Erin Ragsdale of Towne Lake joined the School Board in 2023, bringing to the role experience as a teacher, speech language pathologist and school and community volunteer. She is elected by District 5, which includes Woodstock High School, Towne Lake and downtown Woodstock. Both of her children are CCSD students.
John Harmon District 3
John Harmon built upon his service to youth through coaching baseball and basketball and serving on the Hickory Flat ES School Council by joining the School Board in 2014. A Hickory Flat businessman, Mr. Harmon is elected by District 3 that includes River Ridge High School, Sequoyah High School and southeast Cherokee. He and his wife share five children, and two are CCSD students.
Dr . Susan Padgett-Harrison District 6
District 6 member Dr. Susan PadgettHarrison of Canton, who took office in 2023, served as an educator with CCSD for 30 years in roles including teacher, assistant principal, Cherokee High School principal and district curriculum supervisor and assessment director. An adjunct Kennesaw State University professor and longtime community volunteer, her family includes three CCSD graduates, including two who now serve as CCSD educators, and 12 grandchildren.
CCSD School Police focus on training, prevention to keep campuses safe
PProviding a safe and secure educational environment is the mission of the Cherokee County School District Police Department and drives its dedication to continuous improvement.
Led by longtime local law enforcement leader Chief Buster Cushing, CCSD’s Police Department is one of only five school police departments statewide to achieve Joint Review Committee of the State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification.
CCSD’s police officers all are Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council certified, deputized by the Cherokee County Sheriff and undergo regular training to ensure their skills stay sharp and current with new practices and technology.
Over the past school year, CCSD completed the expansion to all elementary schools of the Centegix alert badge system, previously installed in all middle and high schools. The Centegix system is an upgrade from the past panic button system, as it provides a badge to every employee
that they can use to trigger various alarms and 911 alerts based on the level of emergency.
A new visitor management system, which better screens adults coming into the school by checking sex offender registries, also was added to all schools. This school year, new security window film will be installed at schools as another safety measure.
CCSD’s Vector Alert (formerly SafeSchools Alert) system allows students, parents, school staff and everyone in the community to anonymously report safety concerns by text, email, online message, phone call or through a smartphone app. The system can be used to report information about threats to school safety, bullying, harassment, drugs, vandalism or any other safety issue, including to report if you believe a student is experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis.
CCSD School Police and School Operations administrators are notified of every tip, so they can investigate and take appropriate action. This system is closely monitored, but does not replace 911. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. ◗
VECTOR ALERT
1 BY PHONE 470.315.9171
2 BY TEXT 470.315.9171
3 BY EMAIL 1695@alert1.us
SUBMIT SAFETY CONCERNS WAYS
4 BY ONLINE MESSAGE https://Cherokee-GA. SafeSchoolsAlert.com
5 BY MOBILE APP
Download the Vector Alert app for free from the iPhone App Store and Google Play for Android phones. Enter 1695 for the ID and confirm your District is the Cherokee County School District.
THERE’S AN App FOR THAT!
Smart phone applications make it easier to keep up with all things CCSD
STUDENT CANVAS
This app allows your student to access CCSD’s online Learning Management System (LMS), called Canvas. Students will access assignments, submit work, and view their grades within Canvas.
PARENT CANVAS
This app allows parents to set up an account to view the academic progress of each child they have enrolled in CCSD schools. Grades are posted here, and Canvas also provides messaging capability with teachers.
PARENT SQUARE
This app provides a messaging platform for school adminstrators to parents. If you do not use the app, you can get these messages via email (or both). Some teachers also may use Parent Square.
VECTOR ALERTS
This app, formerly SafeSchools, can be used by parents and students alike and allows users to report tips to school district administration and school police about concerns, bullying, threats and other information.
LINQ CONNECT
Online meal payments, menus and application for free/reduced price meals from CCSD School Nutrition have consolidated into ONE location with the addition of LinQ Connect.
MY STOP
Parents can track their child’s school bus using this app.
The GPS-based system shows parents the location of their child’s bus on a map of its route for 15 minutes prior to its scheduled arrival at the bus stop.
choose FREEDOMTO
CCSD offers school choice options for different learning paths
It’s easier than ever for Cherokee County families to choose a unique path for their child’s education.
The Cherokee County School District’s nationally recognized school choice program offers numerous options, as well as an annual reassignment window for choosing a school other than your neighborhood school.
CCSD annually publishes Education Choices: A Parent Guide to School Choice on our website, with more information. Use the QR code/link to access more information.
CHEROKEE ACADEMIES
CCSD is home to five STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academies at Ball Ground, Clark Creek, Holly Springs, Knox and R.M. Moore Elementary, one Fine Arts Academy at Hasty Elementary and one STEAM (STEM + Arts) Academy at Oak Grove Elementary. These schools use integrated curriculum focused on STEM, fine arts or both. As capacity allows, these schools all are open for reassignments.
HIGH SCHOOL CHOICE
Cherokee College & Career Academy (C3): Housed at ACTIVE Academies, C3 offers unique high school Career Pathway programs. Courses currently are offered in cybersecurity and aviation. Students
attend core classes at their high school and travel to C3 for morning or afternoon career classes; transportation is available.
Dual Enrollment: High school students can earn high school and college credit simultaneously on a local college campus through the Dual Enrollment program. Application deadlines are in mid-October and late March.
i-Grad Virtual Academy: CCSD’s online high school program is open to students in Grades 9-12. Enrollment is application based. Most classes are remote, with in-person assessments at ACTIVE Academies.
Mountain Education Charter High School: CCSD partners with Mountain Ed to offer an evening high school program at Etowah High School. The program offers mentors and nightly meals among supports.
REASSIGNMENT
Families can apply for reassignment Feb. 1 to March 1. Information is posted on CCSD’s website on Feb. 1, including the list of schools with capacity for additional students (18 schools were open for this school year). More than 2,000 students use school choice options annually within CCSD.
Teachers Share Advice for Supporting Learning SECRETS TO SUCCESS
Getting a good night’s rest each night. Designating a quiet space for homework. Celebrating the value of education as a family.
These are just three tried and true approaches to supporting your student’s success in school. Every Monday during the school year on CCSD social media, we share advice for school success from one of our top teachers. Here is some of their advice to help you and your children get the new school year off to a great start:
THINK & LISTEN
Parents can help prepare their students by encouraging them to be flexible thinkers, active listeners and to communicate effectively. This can be accomplished through encouraging words and by showing respect for others.
Scott Dubee, Career Pathway: Flight Operations and Unmanned Aircraft Systems teacher
Cherokee College & Career Academy
STUDY SKILLS
Parents can help students prepare by teaching study skills at home. If children create habits of organization and time management, it will help them be successful at school and in their future work lives.
Adriana Strougo, computer science teacher
Woodstock Middle School
READING
Parents should read each day to their child, starting from early infancy. Reading aloud to children benefits them in countless and immeasurable ways, and the impact of hearing stories at an early age lasts a lifetime. Reading aloud exposes children to language and vocabulary, boosts listening skills and attention span, as well as promotes increased cognitive development.
Cameron Johnston,first-grade teacher, Johnston Elementary School
FACE TO FACE
For parents of middle schoolers, a key factor in academic success is creating time for daily communication. In a world of social media and constant digital interaction, it is important to sit down face to face. Communication creates knowledge, and knowledge encourages success.
EXPLORE
Parents can really enhance their child’s learning by reading to them. Also, exhibit good learning habits yourself. Show them you are interested in the world. Watch a documentary. Talk to them about an interesting idea. Incorporate a museum visit on your next vacation.
Greg Ross, Latin teacher
Sequoyah High School
Lindsay Loden, STEM Connections teacher
Freedom Middle School
CONVERSATION
It is important for parents to have conversations with their child and give their child experiences, such as playing outside and exploring the world around them. Building up a child’s oral language development, vocabulary and real-world learning experiences will help them accelerate in the classroom.
Sarah Cagle, first-grade teacher
Boston Elementary School
CITIZENSHIP
Parents benefit their children when they demonstrate what it takes to be a successful part of society. This includes understanding deadlines and having consequences.
Melanie Salas, Career Pathway: Engineering teacher Woodstock High School
CHALLENGE
Parents can help their child grow in the classroom by allowing them to tackle challenges on their own. This helps them build problem-solving skills and independence.
Sarah McGilvray, third-grade teacher
Free Home Elementary School
CONNECTION
Having a strong home to school connection is so vital for children to be successful. Parents can prepare their child by building a close relationship with the teacher. It is important to keep consistent home to school communication. When parents stay informed about content and curriculum being taught in the classroom, it can foster positive and productive discussions between the parent and student.
Melissa Freedman, STEAM lab teacher
Liberty Elementary School
SELF-ADVOCATE
Encourage your child to ask questions, take risks, push themselves and self- advocate. Display a positive attitude toward learning and, most importantly, spend time with them.
Farran Cheatwood, eighth-grade Georgia studies teacher Creekland Middle School
BREAKING NEWGROUND C
New school construction sites are marked by RISING STEEL against the sky, as CCSD builds new schools and additions for the future.
Cranes and forklifts will be familiar sights on sites for new school campuses and at major construction projects to expand existing schools this school year. Construction is continuing on two significant building projects, with work also underway on additional expansions and renovations.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
It’s hard to miss the new Cherokee High School rising from the hill overlooking the Riverstone Plaza shopping district.
Within budget and on track to open in August 2026, the new campus adjacent to Teasley Middle School will replace the district’s oldest facility that opened in 1956.
It includes 473,761 square feet of facility space, which not only can accommodate the current enrollment of 2,800 students, but also has room to serve as many as 3,700 students, if needed. Attendance boundary lines will not change; the entire enrollment will move to the new school.
The campus among its features includes 152 classrooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, a 4,500-seat football stadium and a student parking deck.
Construction is nearing completion for the new Free Home Elementary School north of the existing campus. The replacement campus,
needed due to the widening of Highway 20 that borders the current school, will open as scheduled in August 2025. Attendance boundary lines will not change; the entire enrollment will move to the new school.
A project to expand Creekview High School and Creekland Middle School is underway and on track for completion by August 2025. New classroom wings will add 20 classrooms to Creekland and 15 to Creekview, with a second gym to be added at Creekview as well. Last school year, the queue for car rider traffic at the campus was lengthened, and parking for student drivers expanded.
Also moving ahead are construction projects to improve Woodstock, River Ridge and Sequoyah High Schools.
The Woodstock HS project, scheduled for completion in August 2026, adds more classroom space to the campus. The threestory, 22-classroom addition will meet current instructional needs and construct lab space to begin a new Career Pathway program focused on Healthcare Science and to improve facilities for the growing Fire and Emergency Services program.
The River Ridge HS project adds a second gym to the campus, and the Sequoyah HS project will include athletic facility and other campus renovations.
Overhead view of the new Free Home Elementary School
CUSTODIAL IMPROVEMENTS
Another significant enhancement to CCSD’s outstanding facilities will be fully underway this school year: the return to in-house custodial services.
The school district brought the majority of the new 215-member custodial team on board in the spring before the end of last school year to ensure a smooth transition from the private vendor.
Each elementary, middle and high school has a head custodian position plus additional custodians allotted based on school size. The school district also will maintain a pool of substitute custodians to ensure consistent service.
This change additionally included a return to CCSD ordering and supplying all related supplies, including paper products and soap. ◗
Workers atop the steel beams on Cherokee High School.
Be er TOGETHER
WWhether you choose to volunteer at the school, show support through donations, take on a leadership role or select a blend of these choices, CCSD offers many different ways for families to become more engaged in the school community.
Join the PTA
Cherokee County schools need ENGAGED PARENTS to keep innovation and communication flowing.
The PTA is CCSD’s oldest and strongest partner thanks to its focus on supporting students, teachers and staff and school communities.
Every CCSD school is served by a PTA unit made up of parents, teachers and staff and supported by local businesses. These dedicated volunteers give their time, talent and treasure to support schools through volunteering, fundraising, organizing special events like the annual Reflections fine art contest for students and advocating on behalf of public education.
The PTA is a separate organization from CCSD, with its own governance and accountability measures. Scan the QR code here to access information about the PTA. Every CCSD school website also includes information about its PTA unit and how to join.
Attend Parent University
CCSD’s Parent University is a collaboration between the school district and PTA with support from business and community partners.
The program provides the opportunity for parents to attend free classes on topics designed to help their children be academically and socially and emotionally successful. Past sessions have included topics such as mental health awareness and community resources and internet safety and cyberbullying.
Details about upcoming sessions will be posted on CCSD’s website and included in the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter.
Apply for the VILLA Program
The award-winning VILLA (Volunteer Instructional Leadership Learning Academy) program offers parents the opportunity to learn about CCSD and how to be more involved in its future success.
The free program includes one session per week for six weeks in the fall. Participants learn from School Board members, the Superintendent of Schools and her senior staff about CCSD’s governance model and CCSD day-to-day operations. Every aspect of operations is covered: from budgeting to employee recruitment to standards for teaching and learning. Associated costs for the program are sponsored by Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.
An application process is used; parents who already volunteer with their school PTA are ideal applicants. The application is posted at the start of the school year on the CCSD website and included in CCSD Connections.
PTAs can make magic happen, like the creation of this space-themed sensory room at Little River ES.
UP TO
SuccessStudent CCSD BUDGETING: ADDING
FY2024-25 Budget RAISES TEACHER PAY AND SUPPORT SALARIES while Keeping Tax Rate Flat
Accountability. Transparency. Stewardship.
The Cherokee County School Board has MAINTAINED A BALANCED OPERATING BUDGET with no increase in the local tax rate during the last 15 years — and a rate reduction in FY2023.
These ideals define the gold standard for governmental accounting and financial reporting, and CCSD consistently earns the highest national honor for its work: the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Financial Officers Association.
To earn this accolade, a government agency must pass the muster of an impartial panel judging on standards which include “demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story.”
CCSD’s financial story is investing in the exemplary teachers and support staff who provide our students with outstanding instruction and care.
The general fund budget, which covers day-to-day operating costs, is set at $597 million for this school year, with no increase in the property tax millage rate. The total budget, which also includes construction projects like the new replacement Cherokee High School and Free Home Elementary School, debt service, other funds and a strong emergency reserve, is $923 million.
The bulk of the budget is used to pay teachers and support staff. The school district is Cherokee County’s largest employer, with 5,530 full- and part-time employees and 1,000 substitute and temporary workers. The full- and part-time workforce includes 2,902 teachers, 2,423 support staff (bus drivers, School Nutrition, nurses, police, etc.) and 205 school administrators. The school district spends less on administration than 90% of other school systems in Georgia.
The metro Atlanta job market for teachers and support staff is competitive, prompting the School Board to approve $19.8 million in raises and bonuses. Teachers received the Governor’s $2,500 raise, as well as any annual longevity step increase for which they are eligible. Support staff received the Governor’s 4% pay increase plus any steps. A starting CCSD teacher with a bachelor’s degree now makes $56,000 a year, and the average CCSD teacher will earn $76,500 this school year.
The school district additionally invests considerably in maintaining low class sizes, a ratio that would take Cobb County, for example, $20 million in spending to match.
Learn more from our annual Financial Facts report at https://bit.ly/ccsdfinancialfacts24.
FFrom small businesses sponsoring academic achievement incentives for students to bankers teaching finance basics classes to local employers offering summer internships for high school students, a strong and growing network of business and community partners makes a school district more successful.
The Cherokee County School District PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS bring community into the schools.
Partner engagement is critically important for CCSD, and is key to the success of numerous programs, especially the Career Pathway and extra-curricular programs in all high schools.
The long-standing Partners in Education program established by the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce has been complemented by additional efforts by CCSD to encourage more partner involvement.
The school district annually surveys all schools to determine specific ways partners can support students and staff through donations of “time, talent and treasure.” This information has been incorporated into the School Partnerships page on CCSD’s website which also highlights all current school partners and easy steps on how to become a partner.
In addition to the Partners in Education program, which is only open to Chamber of Commerce members, CCSD offers Companies That Care, a similar program for non-Chamber members. Partnership agreement forms for both are simple to complete and outline how the business or organization will support the school, and how the school will facilitate that involvement and thank the partner.
Beyond opportunities for recognition on school campuses and school and district website, CCSD annually presents a Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards program every year. Through this recognition program, sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, each school selects its own Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year, all of which are celebrated at the CCSD event … that concludes with the surprise presentation of the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
The CCSD 2024 Partner of the Year, Blue Sky LLC, was recognized for its support of school programs to encourage staff and student well-being, including rewards for students “caught being good” as part of a schoolwide positive behavior initiative and “happy carts” bearing gifts for teachers to support their health and wellness.
“Blue Sky Systems has played a pivotal role in fostering a positive and supportive community climate at Avery Elementary,” Principal Dr. Lisa Turner wrote in her nomination letter. “Their involvement stands out as truly extraordinary and deserving of recognition. Their commitment to always saying ‘yes’ and encouraging innovative ideas has created a dynamic and thriving educational environment that benefits both students and staff. Their involvement serves as a shining example of how a partnership can positively transform a school community.”
The CCSD Volunteer of the Year, the Cherokee High School SALT club, was recognized for its efforts to volunteer every Monday morning, before their own classes at Cherokee HS, to
Cherokee High School’s Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) was recognized as the CCSD 2023-24 Volunteer of the Year for its mentoring involvement with RM Moore Elementary School STEM Academy students.
mentor students at R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy. The SALT members, who are among Cherokee’s top student athletes, spend that volunteer time with select fourth- and fifth-graders focusing on activities that develop leadership and team building skills and promote academic accountability and positive behavior.
One of the most significant partnerships that supports CCSD’s Career Pathway programs is the Cherokee County Workforce Collaborative which continues to strengthen each year. Overseen by the county’s Office of Economic Development, the collaborative brings together leaders from CCSD, higher education, government and businesses to improve local career opportunities.
The collaborative’s projects include a summer internship program for high school students that offers the opportunity to learn about a specific career field and earn a paycheck; a student film summit and festival that provides connections to local film industry professionals; the Be Pro Be Proud Georgia initiative that enables students to learn more about skilled professionals; and the Cherokee Skilled Professions Signing Day celebration.
Blue Sky Systems was named CCSD Partner of the Year for its work with Avery Elementary School.
Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis speaks at an Office of Economic Development Be Pro Be Proud event.
Aware
WILL IT SNOW
THIS YEAR? BE PREPARED TO GET THE ACCURATE INFORMATION ON ANY SCHOOL CLOSURES!
TThe determination of whether to close schools for inclement weather is a complex process, with the ultimate desired outcome of what is best for the safety of students and staff.
The final decision is made by the Superintendent of Schools, based upon detailed recommendations from staff who are working closely with public safety agencies, city and county governments and the county’s Emergency Management Agency in the days and hours leading up to a predicted weather event. This coordination starts 48-72 hours ahead of the anticipated arrival of bad weather.
As we are all aware, weather forecasting is an inexact science. Weather patterns change quickly; decisions are made more difficult when temperatures are just at or around freezing, and a degree or two in temperature change can make the difference between normal, wet conditions and slick, snowy/icy roads. Staff participate in weather conference calls and agency meetings with other departments to compile as much accurate information as possible in order to put together the best plan of response.
In some cases, the weather forecast is just not firm enough to make a decision on school closing the night prior, and staff must make further assessments throughout the night, delaying a recommendation until the very early morning.
Cherokee County covers more than 430 square miles with elevations rising to over 2,200 feet. Road conditions can be vastly different in various parts of the county; so it is not safe to assume that,
because roads are good in one neighborhood or one geographic area, all the roads throughout the county are safe.
As CCSD staff check roads in inclement weather, they are also sharing information on road conditions with public safety agencies who also have vehicles out checking roadways and responding to emergency calls.
In the event of inclement weather closing (or any school emergency), parents will be notified by text, email and/or phone via CCSD’s notification system. Email addresses and phone numbers for calls and for texts must be current in our Student Information System, so parents are asked to verify this information at the start of each school year. Emergency notifications are also posted immediately on the CCSD website, as well as on social media.
Don’t be misled by closure announcements from other Cherokee County School Districts — especially those in Alabama and North Carolina. Check the CCSD website to ensure accurate information.
CCSD also has the option of declaring a Digital Learning Day as opposed to total closure. This means that students are expected to complete work and participate in any available online instruction that day, working remotely. Any CCSD weather closure announcement will include specific information about whether it’s still a “school day,” and what those expectations are for students.
▼ Creekview High School Slow Pitch Softball State Champions
▼ River Ridge Boys Soccer State Champions
FALL
Competition Cheer
Cherokee HS Region 5AAAAAAA
Creekview HS Region 6AAAAAA Sectionals
Champion
Cross Country
Girls - Sequoyah HS Region 6AAAAAA
Boys - Creekview HS Region 6AAAAAA
Fast Pitch Softball
River Ridge HS 6AAAAAA
Volleyball
River Ridge HS 6AAAAAA
WINTER
Basketball
Girls - Cherokee HS Region 5AAAAAAA
Girls - River Ridge HS Region 6AAAAAA
Boys - Woodstock HS Region 6AAAAAA
Literary
Cherokee HS Region 5AAAAAAA
Sequoyah HS Region 6AAAAAA
Riflery
Cherokee HS (Area 10 Champions)
Wrestling (Team)
Traditional Creekview HS 6AAAAAA
Duals Creekview HS 6AAAAAA
SPRING
Baseball
Etowah HS Region 6AAAAAA
Golf
Boys - Cherokee HS Area 3 (7A) Champions
Boys - Creekview HS Area 2 (6A) Champions
Lacrosse
Boys - Woodstock HS (Area 4 (5-6A) Champions)
Girls - Creekview HS (Area 4 (5-6A) Champions)
Soccer
Boys - River Ridge HS Region 6AAAAAA
Slow Pitch Softball
Creekview HS (Area 7 Champions)
Tennis
Girls - River Ridge HS Region 6AAAAAA
Track
Girls - Etowah HS Region 6AAAAAA
TEAM
Baseball - Etowah HS (6A)
Boys Soccer - River Ridge HS (6A)
Slow Pitch Softball - Creekview HS (all classifications)
INDIVIDUAL
Track
Luke Stradley (Etowah HS) 6A State Champion in Long Jump and High Jump
Grayson Venezia (Creekview HS) 6A State Champion in Pole Vault
Cross Country
Katelynn Dollar (Creekview HS) 6A State Champion
Literary
Teagan Durham (Sequoyah HS) 6A State Champion in Humorous Interpretation
Valor Lekas (Sequoyah HS) 6A State Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking - Domestic
For a list of all individual region winners (track and field, wrestling, etc.), please see our website at www. cherokeek12.net/high-school-athletics
▼ Etowah High School’s baseball team won the 6A state championship in May.
A Heart for the arts
AArt shows, Broadway musicals, marching band performances . . . Fine Arts are a key piece of the curriculum for CCSD students. In elementary school, students receive both art and music instruction every week. In middle school, students can choose visual arts, music (band and/or chorus) and theater as a Connections class. Band and chorus classes for high school credit are offered in CCSD middle schools for eighth-graders so students can get a head start on earning credits and be prepared for higher level fine arts courses once in high school.
CCSD has a district theater program, Academy Street Theatre Group, that holds auditions throughout the year for its multiple productions, open to students beginning in elementary school (second grade and up).
At the high school level, students can choose electives from theater arts, visual arts, chorus, band and orchestra. Those students who wish to pursue a Fine Arts Pathway as part of their diploma completion can do so by completing three units of credit from eligible fine arts courses. Advanced Placement (AP) courses in visual arts and music are also available for advanced students.
CCSD high schools also have extensive extracurricular programs for students, with marching band, as well as various orchestras and ensembles. High schools have active drama programs as well that stage multiple productions each year, including musicals in the spring.
CCSD high schools have active fine arts programs, including theatre. Each high school has multiple productions throughout the year, including musicals.
High school artists were selected to design and paint a mural at a family resource center for CCSD partner Goshen Valley.
2024-25 SCHOOL DIRECTORY
BEST BEST ofthe
CCSD 2024 Teacher of the Year
Crystal Bennett, Ball Ground ES STEM Academy
Finalists: Shannah Dean, Etowah HS; Stephanie Hopersberger, Liberty ES; and Anna Marie Zincone, Freedom MS
CCSD 2023 Bus Driver of the Year
Dawn Benton, Etowah Innovation Zone
Zone Winners: Cherokee Zone, Skylar Scales; Creekview Zone, Lynn Hudson; River Ridge Zone, Malese Orgeron; Sequoyah Zone, Nelma Pendley; Woodstock Zone, Mary Stout; and Special Education, Mary Lou Fox.
CCSD 2024 Media Specialist of the Year
Jennifer Cogdill, Woodstock HS (also named regional winner)
CCSD 2024 Support Staff Employees of the Year
Elementary School:
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy kindergarten paraprofessional
Kim Howell
Middle School/High School/Centers: ACTIVE Academies Special Education facilitator Susie Okerblad.
Central Office: Instructional technology specialist Dixie Harper from the Office of Technology & Information Services.
CCSD 2023 School Nutrition Teams of the Year
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy is the elementary division winner, and E.T. Booth MS is the MS/HS/center division winner.
CCSD 2024 Counselor of the Year
Whitney Morberg, Etowah HS
Zone Winners: Cherokee, Jon Costales of R. M. Moore ES; Creekview, Dr. Kathleen Harris of Creekland MS; River Ridge, Dawn Garner of Arnold Mill ES; Sequoyah, Chris Guy of Holly Springs STEM Academy; and Woodstock, Unique Aquino of Woodstock MS
CCSD 2024 Coach of the Year
Phil Thomas, River Ridge HS
Zone Finalists: Cherokee HS: Maddie Benton; Creekview HS: Ross Cravens; Etowah HS: Michael Cintineo; Sequoyah HS: James Teter; Woodstock HS: Mason Wren
CCSD 2024 School Nurse of the Year*
Zone Winners: Cherokee, Dawn Beasley of Tippens EC; Creekvie, Andrea Hamm of CVHS; Etowah, Joy Harrison of Clark Creek ES; River Ridge, Chelsie Stehlik of Little River ES; Sequoyah, Maria Hicks of Indian Knoll ES; Woodstock, Ashlee Odum of Woodstock MS.
Annual recognition programs celebrate the best of the best among CCSD groups of employees and community members, with support for the events provided by generous business and community sponsors.
7 CherokeeCounty School District Congratulates allofthe Award Winners!
CCSD 2024 Special Education
Staff of the Year
Itinerant Staff of the Year:
Diagnostician Kathy Marble
Behavior Strategist of the Year: Sayo Aybar
Special Education Facilitator of the Year: Heather Stone
Speech Language Pathologist of the Year: Lindsey Albrecht
School Psychologist of the Year: Stefanie Bhanot
Occupational Therapist/Physical Therapist of the Year: Lisa Ade
S DRESS for SUCCESS AND BE SMART with your CELL PHONE
Students and parents can expect a couple of significant changes to the Code of Conduct for this school year.
As part of her entry plan, Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis listened to staff, students, parents, and community partners in small group meetings and via a community survey, consistently hearing the need to review student conduct guidelines to keep learning central.
The updated Code of Conduct includes, among its changes, consistent standards for appropriate student attire and appropriate student use of cell phones and other personal digital smart devices in schools, classrooms and on the school bus.
Dress Code
For the past school year, appropriate school attire guidelines were left to each local school to develop, communicate, and monitor, which led to inconsistency from school to school. The new standards elevate consistency for administrators, educators, and students.
Cell Phones
Students in CCSD will continue to be permitted to have a cell phone or personal device with them at school, but as a standard practice, will now be expected to keep their device in silent mode and stored out of sight.
Cell phones, smart devices (i.e., watches, glasses) and earbuds can be useful for legitimate educational purposes such as notetaking, accessing electronic course materials, and completing assignments. However, these devices also can be used for disruptive and even harmful purposes such as bullying, inappropriate photographing or recording, and distracting from learning. While CCSD students are permitted to have their device with them, in their possession during the school day, the new guidelines set seven specific expectations for consistency.
FOR DETAILS ON DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES, PLEASE REVIEW THE 2024-25 Student Code of Conduct
Cell phones/smart devices/ earbuds must be:
◖ Stored out of sight and in silent mode as a standard practice.
◖ May be used during instructional time only for academic reasons with direction from the teacher and authorization from the principal.
CELL PHONE CODE
◖ In high school, cell phones/Smart Devices/ earbuds may be used in hallways, transitions, the cafeteria and before and after school. In middle school, devices may only be used before and after school. In elementary school, devices should not be used – including not on the bus.
◖ Shall not violate the Bring Your Learning Device (BYLD) guidelines.
◖ Shall not be used for photography or recording, unless at the direction of a teacher or administrator for academic purpose.
◖ Shall not be used for photographing, recording, or transmitting of profane, vulgar, inappropriate, or threatening material.
◖ Shall not be used for photographing, recording, or transmitting of a fight, assault, sexual material, drug-related material, or gang-related material.
DRESS CODE
◖ Students cannot wear clothing or jewelry that depicts or promotes vulgarity, profanity, hate speech, pornography, nudity, sex, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, other controlled substances or gang identifiers or any other clothing or jewelry that creates an actual disruption.
◖ Students can wear “hoodies” hooded shirts and sweatshirts, but they cannot wear the hood over their head while on campus. Other headwear that obscures a student’s face, neck and ears also is prohibited.
◖ Students can wear shorts and skirts of reasonable length and that are always visible.
◖ Student clothing must cover their underwear, private parts, buttocks, and midriff.
◖ Students can wear strapless garments, but they must be worn with a jacket or similar clothing over them.
