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CCSD and partner Discovery Ed this week celebrated the Cognia STEM accreditation status achieved by 11 of its schools, including all seven middle schools. Discovery Ed has been working with CCSD the past three years to focus on STEM, providing essential professional development and resources for the district. 

Cherokee County School District educators and volunteers were honored by the PTA with state and regional awards, with a school nurse earning a top statewide honor!

Our teachers are amazing, which is why we share the story of a school’s Teacher of the Year every week ... please help us celebrate 2023 E.T. Booth Middle School Teacher of the Year Beth Nugent!

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating the first-ever winners of its new School Nutrition Team of the Year awards!

The Cherokee County School District has earned a national grant to add rowing to its middle school PE program!

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here – congratulations to E.T. Booth Middle School 2023 Partner of the Year: The Premier Group!

Does your business or organization partner with a CCSD school? Visit our School Partnerships webpage (https://www.cherokeek12.net/partners) to learn more! #CCSDPartnersInAction #CCSDfam

Cherokee County School District students are the regional middle and high school champions in an annual economics competition!

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, May 18, 2023 reviewed the proposed budget for next school year, which increases salaries for teachers and support staff, and approved the construction contract for the new replacement Cherokee High School campus.

The Cherokee County School District has earned international recognition for its STEM programs!

The school district has worked for more than a year to gain STEM certification for 11 of its schools from Cognia, the international educational organization that accredits CCSD as a whole.

The Cherokee County School District this week honored retiring employees as legends at a new ceremony and reception.

One hundred and twenty-four retiring employees, including teachers, support staff and administrators, were celebrated at the CCSD Retiring Legends Reception and Recognition Ceremony presented Thursday evening in the school board auditorium.

Four Cherokee County School District students earned top honors at the State Social Studies Fair!

Please check out the May edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter online here for the latest CCSD news including announcements and upcoming events.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam
 

A message to the community from Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower …

We appreciate the support of our partners and the difference they are making in our schools! Does your business or organization partner with a CCSD school? Visit our School Partnerships webpage (https://www.cherokeek12.net/content/ccsd-school-partnerships) to learn more! #CCSDPartnersInAction #CCSDFam

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating the winners of a sixth-grade spring STEM essay contest!

Cherokee County School District students earned honors at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair, including several top prizes!

The Cherokee County School District will offer summer school learning opportunities from June 5-23 for high school students including rising ninth-graders.

CCSD will host a job fair for paraprofessionals, bus drivers and School Nutrition workers from 2:30 to 5 p.m. April 26 at 1020 Keeter Road, Canton 30114.

The Cherokee County School District saluted educators Thursday night at the 2023 Legacy Makers: CCSD Teachers of the Year Celebration. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower opened an envelope at the event’s conclusion to announce that Etowah High School science teacher Lara McDonald is the 2023 CCSD Teacher of the Year!

One hundred Cherokee County School District young musicians recently performed together for the district’s new Middle School Honor Band program.

The exemplary band students, who all are in seventh or eighth grade, represented all seven CCSD middle schools.

The Cherokee County School Board at its meeting on Thursday, March 16, 2023 approved the appointment of new principals and other new leaders for next school year.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022 approved mid-year bonuses for teachers and support staff and heard plans to increase salaries for next school year.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower proposed the one-time supplemental payments of $1,000 for eligible full-time employees and $500 permanent part-time employees, which will be issued in this month’s paychecks, to show appreciation for their continued service.

Cherokee County School District students for the seventh consecutive year exceeded State averages on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests, with significant gains on most tests. 

The annual tests assess students’ mastery of Georgia Performance Standards, which set expectations for what lessons students will learn in each grade.  Teachers and administrators use the results to improve instructional best practices.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday night approved the budget for next school year, which calls for a tax rate reduction, increased investment in school safety and pay raises for teachers and support staff.

The 1.5 mills decrease in the tax rate, which was unanimously approved, is the first reduction proposed since 2014 and was prompted by the rise in property values.  While most homeowners will see an increase in their tax bill due to their property value rising, the increase will be less due to the School Board’s action.   

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday night reviewed the proposed budget for next school year, which calls for a reduction in the tax rate for all property owners and well-deserved pay increases for teachers and support staff.

The proposed 1.5 mills decrease in the tax rate is the first reduction proposed since 2014 and has been recommended by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower in light of rising home values.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday heard good news about the school district’s financial outlook due to increasing home values and discussed ways to reduce the burden on taxpayers, while also using some of the windfall to make teacher and staff pay more competitive.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, March 17, 2022 approved a budget amendment to accept state funding for eligible part-time and full-time staff to receive a one-time bonus and appointed new school leaders for next school year. 

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 17, heard an update on CCSD’s student support services efforts including suicide prevention.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Jan. 13, reviewed a progress report on accomplishing Blueprint strategic plan goals and heard operational updates including the planned expansion of CCSD’s school choice program.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Nov. 18, approved its 2022 Legislative Partnership Priorities, which advocate for continued local control of public education decisions and the end of State educational funding budget cuts.

The Cherokee County School Board at its Thursday, Oct. 21 work session, reviewed projects proposed for the Education Special Purpose Location Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) renewal up for a vote on Nov. 2, with Early Voting now underway.

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, reviewed plans for the Education SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) up for renewal by voters in the Nov. 2 election.

The Cherokee County School District, for the past 24 years, has used a 1-percent Education SPLOST to fund capital improvement projects, which include constructing new schools and facilities and renovating existing ones; funding technology infrastructure; buying school buses; and purchasing land for future schools.  

The Cherokee County School Board at its meeting on Thursday, July 15, 2021 took the following action:

• Approved the monthly personnel report, which included the appointment of Adam Johnson, a 13-year CCSD teacher who has taught and coached track at Cherokee High School, as a new assistant principal at Woodstock High School;

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, June 17, 2021 unanimously approved its budget for next school year, which is balanced without a tax rate increase and includes hiring 125 new teachers above and beyond enrollment growth to help bridge any pandemic-related learning opportunity losses.  

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday reviewed the recommended budget for next school year, which includes hiring more teachers to lower class size while not raising the school property tax millage rate, and adopted a resolution that prohibits implementing Critical Race Theory (CRT) and The 1619 Project.  

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, April 15, approved school calendars for three more years and appointed several new leaders for next school year.

The approved calendars for the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 school year now are posted at http://bit.ly/CCSDcalendars.  They were developed by a committee of CCSD employees and parents and use the same balanced calendar model as currently in place.  

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, March 18, 2021, heard school operations updates on plans for special events including graduation ceremonies and proms, as well as details for next school year including the continuation of a Digital Learning option.  

The School Board also approved several appointments for CCSD school leadership roles for next school year including new Principals for Ball Ground Elementary School STEM Academy and Mountain Road Elementary School, as well as the naming of the District’s first administrator focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, approved several appointments for CCSD school leadership roles for next school year.

As part of the monthly personnel report, the School Board accepted the retirements of many longtime educators throughout CCSD including Bascomb Elementary School Principal Kathleen Chandler.  

The Cherokee County School Board at its meeting Thursday night heard updates on State education funding and the state of public health.  

The Cherokee County School Board during its meeting Thursday approved the purchase of land for the potential site of a new Cherokee High School.

The 88-acre site is north of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and adjacent to the current Teasley MS campus in Canton’s Riverstone area, and the land cost is $87,500 per acre to be paid for with current Ed SPLOST funds. 

What is Child Find?
The purpose of Child Find is to identify, locate, and evaluate children and youth, who are suspected of having or have a diagnosed disability or developmental delay, in order to provide free appropriate Special Education services.  The Cherokee County School District serves children from three years through 21 years of age.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday heard an update on potential State funding concerns for next school year.
 
During its pre-meeting work session, School Board members began the planning work for its annual Legislative Partnership Priorities, a list of top issues it would like to see addressed by Cherokee County’s State legislators during the General Assembly Session.  The report typically is shared by the School Board with the Delegation at a meeting in early December prior to the legislative session’s start in January.

The Cherokee County School Board during its meeting Thursday heard operations updates and talked about construction of a replacement Cherokee High School as a possible project to be funded in the next Education SPLOST renewal.

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting tonight unanimously approved the Cherokee County School District’s annual budget, which, despite a $25 Million State education funding cut, was balanced without the need for furlough days or a millage rate increase.

The Cherokee County School Board at its called meeting tonight unanimously approved the Superintendent’s recommended CCSD Reopening of School Plan, which calls for both the return to schools for traditional learning and the launch of an improved digital learning choice.

The Cherokee County School Board at its work session and regular meeting this evening reviewed the proposed CCSD budget for next school year, which balances a State funding shortfall without the need for furlough days or a tax rate increase, and heard an update on school reopening plans.

The Cherokee County School Board during its May meeting, which was held this evening virtually and streamed online, heard school reopening plans and a budget update.

The Cherokee County School Board this evening unanimously approved the Superintendent of Schools’ recommendation to end school early on May 8 and to postpone a decision on high school graduation ceremonies until July 1.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020 approved the appointments of new Principals and other leaders for next school year.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 approved the appointment of a longtime CCSD leader as its next Chief Operations Officer.

Dr. Debra Murdock, a past Georgia High School Principal of the Year who currently serves as an Executive Director in the Office of School Operations, will begin leading the division this spring.

The Cherokee County School District’s third annual VILLA Program, which encourages and celebrates parent engagement, saw record participation this year.

The December edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online here. [CONTENT_REVIEW InternalLink] Thanks to Credit Union of Georgia for its sponsorship! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 heard an update on CCSD’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) initiative, including projects underway to increase counseling services and create a “parent university” program for providing parents more information to help their children’s safety and well-being.

Cherokee County School District schools continue to score high among their community members for fostering a positive school climate and culture!

The District earned a four-star average on the five-star scale in the Georgia Department of Education’s annual ratings, which measure how a community views the quality of its school’s culture and character; the highest possible rating is five stars.  The rating is based on a survey of students, parents and teachers; student discipline issue rates; and daily attendance.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 approved Blueprint, a new long-range plan for the Cherokee County School District’s continued success, developed based on community input. 

The creation of the new five-year strategic plan, which is posted here, evolved over six months of meetings with students, families, teachers, support staff, business and community partners to determine what matters most to them and how CCSD could better serve them.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, July 18, 2019 appointed a longtime CCSD leader to head up the new Social and Emotional Learning initiative, as well as several resulting Principal changes.  

Dr. Debra Murdock, the former Principal of Cherokee High School and Georgia High School Principal of the Year, who has most recently served as the School Operations’ executive director overseeing middle and high schools, will take on the newly created role focused on developing new ways to better support students’ and employees’ emotional and mental health and well-being.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, June 20, 2019 unanimously approved the Superintendent’s proposed budget for next school year and celebrated the swearing-in of a new CCSD School Police Chief.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, April 18, 2019 approved the appointment of a new CCSD School Police Chief and new assistant principals to fill vacancies for next school year. 

The School Board unanimously approved naming Major Buster Cushing, who currently serves as commander of field operations for the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, as the next CCSD School Police Chief effective July 1.  Major Cushing will fill the role held by retiring Chief Mark Kissel  since the Department’s establishment 20 years ago.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, March 21, 2019 approved the appointment of five new Principals to fill vacancies for next school year, as well as a new head football coach for Creekview High School. 

The five new Principals are: for Clayton Elementary School, Carrie O’Bryant; E.T. Booth Middle School, Todd Sharrock; Knox Elementary School, Jennifer McIntosh; Sixes Elementary School, Dr. Ashley Kennerly; and Woodstock Middle School; Michael Santoro.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, approved its annual Legislative Partnership Program outlining requests for the local Legislative Delegation’s consideration during the upcoming session, and local control topped the list.