Cherokee High School News

Cherokee County School District high school students recently participated in a workshop to refine their employability skills.

The second annual CCSD Employability Fair welcomed 60 select students representing all six traditional high schools to learn more about resume writing, dressing for success, social media etiquette, interviewing and more.

Hector Vicinte of Canton was the winner of the annual Shottenkirk Jeep Wrangler raffle, which raised more than $180,000 for CCSD high school athletics and arts programs this year.  School Board member Patsy Jordan drew the winning ticket on Saturday at the dealership in Canton. High school sports and arts programs sell the raffle tickets for $5 each throughout the fall and winter, and the schools are able to keep all the proceeds. 

Cherokee County School District students are advancing to the state level of the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition!

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here – congratulations to Cherokee HS 2023 Partner of the Year: Cherokee Impact Soccer!

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 participates in the statewide Child Find program to help identify students eligible for Special Education services.

Some of our most extraordinary students are now some of our most extraordinary employees! Here, we will regularly celebrate CCSD alums who are now CCSD employees … meet a Homegrown Hero! #CCSDfam

Cherokee County School District students for the second consecutive year have earned top honors in a statewide career skills competition!

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.

Cherokee County School District high school and middle school students won seats in the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band, Chorus and Orchestra.

This week’s CCSD Pathway Profile focuses on Agriculture - Plant & Floriculture Systems, which is offered at Cherokee High School.  Five different agriculture Career Pathway programs are available in CCSD high schools.

This week’s CCSD Pathway Profile focuses on Healthcare Science: Therapeutic Services - Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology.  Sports Medicine is offered at Cherokee, Creekview and Etowah HS; Exercise Physiology also is offered at Etowah HS.  Five different Healthcare Science programs are available in CCSD high schools.  CCSD offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs … 

A Cherokee County School District teacher has been selected for NASA’s teacher professional development program!

Lana Glaus, who teaches astronomy and physical science at Cherokee High School, will participate this summer in the LiftOff Alumni Summer Institute at the Kennedy Space Center in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

The College Board is honoring 86 Cherokee County School District students through its National Recognition Programs awards!

Learn more about CCSD's Cherokee College and Career Academy (C3) and its unique job skills programs by visiting the campus this month!  

The Cherokee County School District is beginning kindergarten and new student registration for the 2023-24 school year with a new online registration system.

The Synergy system is easy to use and similar to the previous Gateway system that CCSD parents with older children have used.  Beginning March 7, parents of any student who will be new to CCSD for the 2023-24 school year can enter information and upload documents to complete the registration process online.  Parents are asked to complete this process by May to ensure as smooth an enrollment as possible.  Parents whose children already are enrolled in CCSD in grades K-12 do not need to complete this process.

Please check out the March edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections for the latest CCSD news including announcements and upcoming events. 

This week’s CCSD Pathway Profile focuses on General Automotive Technology, which is offered at Cherokee High School and Sequoyah High School.  Another automotive program, Transportation: Collision Repair - Painting and Refinishing, is offered at Etowah HS.  The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs … 

The Cherokee County School District celebrated outstanding school community partners and volunteers at the annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony.

The Cherokee County School District is kicking off its month-long celebration of the importance of literacy!

Every March, CCSD celebrates literacy beginning with Read Across America Day, a nationwide reading event that coincides with renowned children’s book author and illustrator Dr. Seuss’s March 2 birthday.  CCSD’s Office of Curriculum & Instruction coordinates the campaign, which supports the statewide Get Georgia Reading initiative and CCSD’s continued focus on improving literacy.

The Cherokee County School District Annual Job Fair for next school year is THIS SATURDAY! Pre-register today to join us: https://bit.ly/2023CherokeeJF #CCSDfam

Cherokee County School District’s high schools, for the 13th consecutive year, have earned the state’s top honors for outstanding Advanced Placement (AP) programs and performance!

All of CCSD’s high schools this week were named 2023 AP Honor Schools for exceptional student performance and participation on AP exams, which offer students more challenging coursework and the opportunity to earn college credit.  

The Cherokee County School District again has earned national honors for its School Nutrition summer meals program!

This week’s CCSD Pathway Profile focuses on Air Force JROTC - Government and Public Administration, which is offered at Cherokee HS, Etowah HS, River Ridge HS and Sequoyah HS, with other JROTC Pathways also offered at Creekview HS (Army) and Woodstock HS (Navy).  The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  

The Cherokee County School District on Thursday night celebrated 259 outstanding high school juniors as Superintendent’s Key Scholars!  

These top students were recognized, through the 18th Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony, for scores achieved on the PSAT that rank them in the top 10% nationwide.  

It’s National School Counseling Week ... the perfect week to announce CCSD’s 2023 Innovation Zone Counselors of the Year!  Stay tuned this week as we highlight each winner.  Thank you to all CCSD counselors for the impact you make in our community! #CCSDfam #CCSDcares #NSCW2023

This week’s CCSD Pathway Profile focuses on Energy and Power: Generation, Transmission and Distribution, a new Pathway for CCSD that now is offered at Cherokee High School.  The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs … 

The Cherokee County School District congratulates the districtwide winners of the annual PTA Reflections fine arts contest!

The annual competition offers students in all grades and of all abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts 2D and 3D.

Reminder: CCSD's Job Fair is a month away ... please join us from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 4, at River Ridge High School (400 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 30188).  Pre-register today at https://bit.ly/2023CherokeeJF #CCSDfam

Seven Cherokee County School District Class of 2023 seniors have been named candidates for a top national honor!

As candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, they are among only 5,000 students from the more than 3 million graduating seniors in the nation’s Class of 2023 selected to participate in the prestigious recognition program.

Every school year, each CCSD high school selects one Student Delegate to the School Board to represent the student voice. One Delegate is named the Student Advisor and sits with the Board at its meetings. We’ll introduce you to them all this year! #CCSDfam!

Please check out the February edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections for the latest CCSD news including announcements and upcoming events.  You also can learn more about the opportunity to nominate a deserving teacher or support staff member for a chance to win a $250 Visa gift card sponsored by Credit Union of Georgia.  #CCSDfam

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2023 STAR Students and Teachers!

The STAR, or Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, Student honor is awarded to the high school senior from each Georgia public and private high school with the highest score on any single test date of the SAT and who also ranks in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of his or her class based on grade point average.  Each honored student is invited to select his or her favorite teacher to be named that school’s STAR Teacher.

More than 500 female athletes from Cherokee County's six high schools participated in the county's annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), held Monday, January 30, at Woodstock High School.

The Cherokee County School District’s School Nutrition program has added a Halal menu item.
 
CCSD School Nutrition continuously updates school menus to keep up with student preferences, and last semester tested a new item in response to a request from students’ parents.

February is School Choice Month for the Cherokee County School District!  

In February, CCSD opens the opportunity for parents to request a school reassignment for the next school year, including our STEM, STEAM and Fine Arts Academies, and our online high school, i-Grad Virtual Academy.  

We are proud of our CCSD alums and the great things they are accomplishing! We will be sharing some of our #CCSDNotables with you throughout the year. #CCSDfam

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2023 School Teachers of the Year winners!

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on Cybersecurity, which is offered at the Cherokee College & Career Academy that is open to all CCSD high school students …

The Cherokee County School District will present its next Parent University program on Tuesday, Jan. 31, with a focus on cyber bullying and social media.

CCSD's Parent University regularly presents free programs for parents on topics of interest to families with school-age children.  The Jan. 31 program is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Woodstock City Church (150 Ridgewalk Way, Woodstock 30188).  The target audience is parents/guardians and students age 11 and older.

Some of our most extraordinary students are now some of our most extraordinary employees! Here, we will regularly celebrate CCSD alums who are now CCSD employees … meet a Homegrown Hero! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on Early Childhood Education, which is offered at Cherokee HS and Woodstock HS.  The Teaching as a Profession Career Pathway is offered at Creekview HS, River Ridge HS and Sequoyah HS.

We are closely monitoring weather conditions and the potential for severe weather this afternoon. 

The forecast calls for high winds and heavy rain, which could delay bus routes.  If any change is made to dismissal times, we will notify parents immediately by email and text, as well as through a post on our website and Facebook page. 

All after-school and evening extra-curricular activities including athletics have been cancelled.  After School Program care will be offered at elementary schools as planned until 6 p.m.

The Cherokee County School District on Friday, Jan. 20, will host a virtual job fair for Special Education positions for next school year including: school psychologists, speech language pathologists, board certified behavior analysts and occupational and physical therapists.  

Save the date: the CCSD Certified Job Fair will be 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 4, at River Ridge High School (400 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 30188).  Pre-register at https://bit.ly/2023CherokeeJF #CCSDfam

CCSD’s new CTAE handbook, “Focus on the Future,” went home with 8^th graders this month as they prepare to register for their high school classes.  The handbook highlights the 38 Career Pathways offered at CCSD schools, with information on the classes required and possible career options in various fields.

On behalf of the Superintendent, this is to advise that, after carefully reviewing the weather forecast for tomorrow morning (Friday, Dec. 23), and at the recommendation of State officials to remain off of the roads if at all possible at that time, he has declared that tomorrow will be a remote work day for CCSD employees, with duties as assigned by worksite supervisors.  As a result, all schools and offices will be closed, and staff will not be answering phones.  Friday is a school holiday for students, so this decision does not impact a school day.  #SafeCherokee 

Three Cherokee County School District students have been selected for an elite aviation program!

The Cherokee County School District celebrated the important role of support staff at its Fifth Annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards on Thursday evening.

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on Engineering and Technology, which is offered at Cherokee, Creekview, River Ridge and Woodstock High Schools …

The principal of Cherokee High School has earned a top honor from the Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools!

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower, today at his monthly meeting with all principals, presented the 2022 Game Changer Award for Instructional Leadership to Principal Rodney Larrotta.

Please check out the December edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections for the latest CCSD news including announcements and upcoming events.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner! #CCSDfam

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.

Two Cherokee County School District leaders have been named Region Athletic Directors of the Year! 

Jeremy Adams, the athletic director and an assistant principal for Cherokee High School, was selected as the Region 5-7A Athletic Director of the Year, and David Dyer, the athletic director and an assistant principal for River Ridge High School, was named Region 6-6A Athletic Director of the Year.  

The Holly Springs Optimist Club recently honored eight CCSD students, along with an outstanding teacher and a paraprofessional at its annual High School Awards breakfast, which recognizes outstanding special needs students and their supportive teachers and staff.  

On behalf of the Superintendent of Schools, please be advised that Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, the date of the General Election Runoff, will be a Digital Learning Day for all CCSD students.  

Two Cherokee County School District leaders have been named finalists for the statewide title of 2022-23 Georgia Assistant Principal of the Year!

Cherokee HS Assistant Principal Elizabeth “Liz” Spell and Woodstock HS Assistant Principal Dr. Meagan Waid are two of the three leaders announced as finalists for the award presented by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals.

The Cherokee County School District next month will celebrate outstanding service at its fifth annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards!

The recognition ceremony on December 8 will honor one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of CCSD’s schools, centers and central office divisions.  Each honoree is congratulated by the Superintendent of Schools and School Board members and receives a plaque and gifts of appreciation before an audience of honorees and their families, Principals and CCSD leaders.

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on Nutrition and Food Science, which is available at all CCSD high schools …

Please check out the November edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections for the latest CCSD news including announcements and upcoming events.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.  #CCSDfam
 

The Cherokee County School District Class of 2022 ACT scores topped national and state averages!

The class scored an outstanding 22.2 average, topping Georgia’s 21.6 and the Nation’s 19.8 averages on the competitive college entrance and placement examination.  The scores ranked CCSD in the top 10% in the State.  

The Cherokee County School District will host a fall job fair from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at 1020 Keeter Road.  We are hiring for mid-year teaching positions due to retirements, as well as for immediate openings for bus drivers, paraprofessionals and school nutrition assistant managers and subs. 

Cherokee County School District schools have earned more than $12,000 in this fall’s Bright Ideas Grants!

The competitive Bright Ideas Grants are awarded by Amicalola EMC to the most innovative ideas from schools in their service area.  Seventeen CCSD projects won a total of $12,020 in this season’s cycle of funding, which was presented to recipients this month.

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on Healthcare Science - Therapeutic Services and Patient Care, which is offered at Cherokee HS and Sequoyah HS during the school day and after school at River Ridge HS through a dual enrollment program with Chattahoochee Technical College.  Beginning this spring, the program also will be offered after school at Creekview HS through dual enrollment with Chattahoochee Tech.  It is one of five different Healthcare Science Career Pathway programs available in CCSD schools … 

The Cherokee County School District is offering 2023-24 high school students the opportunity to participate in an educational travel experience to Greece and Italy during June 2024!

CCSD will hold its annual sale of surplus equipment and vehicles on Saturday, November 12.  Preview begins at 8 am, sale begins at 9 am. 

The Atlanta Falcons and The Dairy Alliance presented the CCSD School Nutrition program with a $10,000 Hometown Grant. The Hometown Grant will enable the department to expand its smoothies menu items to more schools. A portion of the funds also will go toward supporting CCSD’s girls’ flag football programs.

It’s National School Bus Safety Week, and we want to recognize those who are responsible for keeping our students safe on the bus and training our new bus drivers to do the same! Meet school bus driver and trainer Jeanie Sheppard! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District’s Superintendent of Schools has been named a finalist for the Georgia Superintendent of the Year award!
 
Dr. Brian V. Hightower, who has led CCSD since 2016, was announced as one of four finalists for the top honor today at the Georgia School Superintendents Association’s fall conference in Athens.  

It’s National School Bus Safety Week, and we want to recognize those who are responsible for keeping our students safe on the bus and training our new bus drivers to do the same! Meet school bus driver and trainer Bruce Coleman! #CCSDfam

It’s National School Bus Safety Week, and we want to recognize those who are responsible for keeping our students safe on the bus and training our new bus drivers to do the same! Meet school bus driver and trainer Jessica Martinez! #CCSDfam

Four Cherokee County School District students have been named to the State School Superintendent’s 2022-23 Student Advisory Council!

Cherokee High School senior Brighton Cux, Creekview High School senior Jacob Mavromatidis, Etowah High School senior Madison Borsetti and River Ridge High School senior Nandita Bipin are among the 67 high school students from across the state selected for the prestigious role.

Please check out the October edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections for the latest CCSD news including announcements and upcoming events.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.  #CCSDfam
 

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate has soared to a new high, with 92.3% of the Class of 2022 earning a diploma within four years of entering high school!  

The curtain will rise this month for the Cherokee County School District's 2022-23 theatre season! All CCSD high schools, as well as select middle schools and the districtwide Academy Street Theatre Group program for elementary through high school students, will present shows throughout the school year. 

This annual show is a great night of entertainment and an opportunity to support our outstanding band program! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District has again earned a top state honor for providing outstanding meals and service to students!

CCSD’s School Nutrition program, which serves 5 million meals each year in school cafeterias, won the Golden Radish Award from the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division.  

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on welding, which is offered at Cherokee High School and, new for this school year, also is offered at Creekview HS as an after-school dual enrollment program with Chattahoochee Technical College.

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2022 outscored the state and nation on the SAT college entrance exam, according to results released today by the College Board.

The CCSD Class of 2022 earned an average total score of 1091 on the curriculum-based college entrance and placement exam.  CCSD’s score exceeds the national public school average by 63 points and the State by 39 points and ranks CCSD in the top 10% of districts statewide.  

In anticipation of the expected severe weather moving into the area on Friday, all CCSD varsity football games have been moved to Thursday night at 7:30 pm.  These games are: Creekview HS (Homecoming vs Etowah HS); Sequoyah HS (Homecoming vs River Ridge HS); Woodstock HS (Homecoming vs Rome HS). Cherokee HS does not have a game this week. #SafeCherokee

The College Board has honored 88 Cherokee County School District students through its National Recognition Programs awards!

CCSD’s honorees are among the only 62,000 students from across the country being recognized for their academic success.  To be considered for recognition, students must have a GPA of at least 3.5 and either exceptional test scores placing them in the top 10% in their state on the 2021 PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or scores of 3 or higher on two of more 2022 Advanced Placement (AP) exams and meet recognition guidelines.  

The Cherokee County School District has earned international recognition for excellence in education!

The district is one of only 38 school districts in the world to today be named a 2022 Cognia School System of Distinction by the international accreditation organization.

Five Cherokee County School District high school seniors today were named 2023 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists!

They are: of Cherokee HS, Griffen C. Bon and Braden R. Flournoy; of Creekview HS, Kylie A. Buchanan; of Etowah HS, Ty S. Phillips; and of Sequoyah HS, Paige L. Falcomata.  Less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors earn National Merit Semifinalist recognition. 

Some of our most extraordinary students are now some of our most extraordinary employees! Here, we will regularly celebrate CCSD alums who are now CCSD employees … meet a Homegrown Hero! #CCSDfam

The September edition of the CCSD Connections parent newsletter now is online at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections with the latest CCSD news, including the announcement of an Oct. 12 Digital Learning Day for high school students not taking the PSAT or SAT at school that day.  

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on the Law Enforcement Services and Forensic Science program, which is offered at Cherokee HS, Creekview HS and River Ridge HS.

The Cherokee County School District’s Police Department is dedicated to serving and protecting our students and staff every day. We’re thankful for their service and will regularly introduce you to our officers through a Q&A posted here. #CCSDfam #SafeCherokee

Microsoft Education has recognized 36 Cherokee County School District teachers and staff as among the nation’s top instructional technology experts!

They have been named to the 2022-23 class of Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts (MIEE).  The technology company selected only 830 educators, support staff and school and school district leaders nationwide, considered among the best at understanding how technology can improve learning, for this elite recognition. 

A Cherokee County School District student is taking flight after graduating from an elite program!

Cherokee High School senior and Air Force JROTC Cadet Col. Lexi Ly completed the AFJROTC Flight Academy with “flying colors,” according to instructors. 

The Cherokee County School District’s School Nutrition department is searching for the best kid-friendly spinach recipes!

The fourth annual CCSD School Nutrition Parent Recipe Contest in celebration of National Farm to School Month offers parents the opportunity to earn a $100 Visa gift card sponsored by Credit Union of Georgia and see their recipe featured on school lunch menus.  This year’s featured vegetable, which is selected annually by Georgia Organics, is spinach, and the contest theme is “Are you ‘Spinach to Win It?!’”

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday evening welcomed its new Student Advisor and Student Delegates for the school year!

The School Board has included a Student Advisor position on its board since 1999, and, for the past 11 years, a Student Delegate from each high school also has been selected.  

The Cherokee County School District offers 38 Career Pathway high school programs, which provide students with a wide selection of job exploration and preparation electives.  Through CCSD Pathway Profiles, we’ll regularly share highlights with you from one of these programs.  This week’s profile focuses on the Arts, A/V Technology and Communications program, which is offered at all CCSD high schools:  

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here -- congratulations to Cherokee High School 2022 Partner of the Year: Revolution Church!

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

We’re proud of our CCSD family’s dedicated teachers … and every week, you’ll get to know one of them better through a Q&A posted here. #CCSDfam

Please check out the August edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections, which includes CCSD news and a message from the Superintendent.  If you have not already done so, please visit the Back-to-School Gateway at https://bit.ly/CCSDb2s to update your child’s emergency contacts and provide other important information.  Thank you to this month's newsletter sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia!  #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District is accepting applications for its annual parent academy program.

VILLA (Volunteer Instructional Leadership Learning Academy) is a free six-session program that offers CCSD parents the opportunity to learn more about their school district and how to be more engaged in our schools.  CCSD earned the Georgia School Boards Association’s 2019 Leading Edge Award for helping to develop and pilot the statewide program.

The following message is from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower:

Today’s skies may be cloudy, but our schools were filled with sunshine.

As I visited schools across our community today, the smiles shone brightly among students and teachers and staff celebrating the first day of our new school year.

Volunteers make a positive difference in our schools, which is why we spotlight them here ... congratulations to Arnold Mill Elementary School 2022 Volunteer of the Year: Jason Quinn! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District celebrated school nurses today with the presentation of the annual CCSD School Nurse of the Year Awards!

The awards program, now in its second year, was developed with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a CCSD Partner.  As part of National School Nurse Appreciation Day and National Nurses Week in May, a top school nurse from each CCSD Innovation Zone (a high school and its feeder schools) was announced.  The Zone winners advanced to the CCSD School Nurse of the Year Award judging, with the winner selected by a panel of nursing professionals and retired educators. 

The Cherokee County School District is bringing back the popular option of part-time employment for specific certified jobs!  For the upcoming school year, this “49%” option of working 3.5 hours per school day is available for specific teaching roles, school psychologists and speech language pathologists.  This is an outstanding opportunity for parents of young children, professionals who also work in private practice and retirees. 

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.

It’s less than two weeks until the first day of school for CCSD on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022!  Please check out the July edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter online here, which includes important back-to-school info and a message from the Superintendent about school safety and security.  Don’t forget to visit the Back-to-School Gateway at https://bit.ly/CCSDb2s when it opens July 25 to update your child’s emergency contacts and provide other important information.  Thank you to this month's newsletter sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia!  #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District this week congratulated the winners of its new Bus Driver of the Year Awards!

The awards recognize one outstanding school bus driver from each Innovation Zone (high school and feeder middle and elementary schools) and one from CCSD’s team of Special Education drivers; from this pool of winners, one overall CCSD winner was selected.

Eight Cherokee County School District cybersecurity students earned scholarships through a national career skills competition, with four more receiving special honors.

The students earned the $500 scholarships and accolades from CyberStart America, a national organization established to provide high school students with free access to cybersecurity learning resources written and developed by industry professionals.  

We have been pleased to offer to-go meal service at no charge during summer break for any child age 0-18 in Cherokee County.

The last CCSD meal pick up for the summer break will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, July 18, at Cherokee High School’s North Campus at 930 Marietta Hwy, Canton, GA 30114 - North Campus is to the right of the main campus, and Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy at 3219 Hunt Road, Acworth, GA 30102.

The Cherokee County School District’s 2022-23 school year will begin on Monday, Aug. 1.  

For students who are new to CCSD, parents may register them online this summer using our New Student Gateway; parents still will need to present copies of legally required documents in person to complete enrollment.  For information, visit http://bit.ly/ccsdenrollment.  

Volunteers make a positive difference in our schools, which is why we spotlight them here ... congratulations to Cherokee High School 2022 Volunteer of the Year: Rose Garcia! #CCSDfam

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.   

Six Cherokee County School District Class of 2022 graduates have earned scholarships from ABM Industry Groups LLC!

The company, which provides custodial services for CCSD schools, each year awards a $1,000 scholarship to one graduating senior from each of CCSD’s traditional high schools.  The six winners are selected by a scholarship committee of retired CCSD educators and ABM representatives based on a student’s involvement in school and community activities and service; personal essays; and references.

The Cherokee County School District is seeking a professional with experience in nutrition, dietetics and/or food service to serve as a School Nutrition Coordinator.  This leadership position supports the department’s operations, including training programs and promotions.  It offers competitive compensation, excellent benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, opportunities for professional development and career advancement, and a wonderful work environment and team!  Join the #CCSDfam & apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net  For more information, please call 770.721.8419 or email Tina.Farmer@cherokeek12.net.

A Cherokee High School Class of 2022 graduate has won the annual Maritza Mott Scholarship!

Adriana Chavez-Mejia earned the $1,000 memorial scholarship, which is open to one graduating senior and awarded based on an application, essay questions and references. 

Six Cherokee County School District students placed at Georgia’s Career and Technical Instruction Competition!

The competition offers students the opportunity to demonstrate skills from their chosen Career Pathway, with presentations judged by skilled professionals from that career field.

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating its retiring educators and support staff!

The majority of the retirees noted below are ending their careers this week; some retired earlier in the year based on their retirement eligibility date.

Sixty members of Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2022 have committed to military service, including six selected for prestigious U.S. Service Academies!

“Thank you to each of these students for making the important decision to serve our country,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We’re proud of you and grateful to you and your families, and I know our entire community appreciates your service.”

The Cherokee County School District and School Board celebrated the Class of 2022 Valedictorians and Salutatorians at its 22^nd  Annual Scholar Recognition Banquet.

Dear Class of 2022, 

Every day, we write another page in the story of our lives.  

This week marks the start of a new chapter for you, as you graduate from high school and begin your next adventure.

Dear CCSD Families,
 
Our hearts are with Uvalde. 
 
And just as after Sandy Hook and Parkland, we know that this tragedy not only has filled you with the same heartbreak, but also with anger and worry. 
 

Congratulations to the Valedictorians and Salutatorians for the Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2022! 

These outstanding students and their parents will be honored on Wednesday by the School Board and Superintendent of Schools at the Annual Scholar Recognition Banquet.  The event is sponsored by CCSD Partners including presenting sponsors the Cherokee County Educational Foundation and LGE Community Credit Union.  Each student also is invited to select a favorite teacher, and these teachers are honored at the banquet as well.

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.

UPDATE 5/23/22: Great news! The USDA waiver has been extended for July so the weekly to-go bag model will continue in July. #CCSDfam #CCSDserves

The CCSD School Nutrition Summer Feeding program will kick off June 6, and community donations are requested to make it a success.

“We care about our students’ well-being all the time, and we know that providing meals over summer break is a hardship for some families,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We’re so fortunate to have a dedicated School Nutrition team, an outstanding partner in MUST Ministries and a supportive community working together to feed our students over the summer.”  

Three Cherokee High School students have earned a new community scholarship focused on aviation to honor the memory of a longtime pilot.

The Don Stevens Memorial Scholarship supports Cherokee High School students who are pursuing their private pilot's license.  Mr. Stevens was a retired captain for Delta Airlines and the longtime chairman of the Cherokee County Airport Authority.  His family created the scholarship, with the assistance of the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, to both honor his memory and help students with the expenses of training and obtaining their private pilot’s licenses. 

Cherokee County School District student athletes have been honored by Positive Athlete Georgia, with 11 regional winners, two state winners and two state scholarship winners!

The 2022 Positive Athlete Georgia Awards are presented by the Positive Athlete Georgia organization, which promotes the benefits of positivity to young athletes around the world.  Football star player Hines Ward formed Positive Athlete with businessman Scott Pederson.

Cherokee County School District students, educators and volunteers were honored by the PTA with regional awards!

The Georgia PTA District 13 Spring Conference & Awards Ceremony, which recently was held in Woodstock, recognized outstanding PTA volunteers, teachers, nurses, administrators and students from Cherokee and Forsyth Counties.

The Cherokee Summer Internship Program is a partnership between the CCSD and Cherokee Office of Economic Development.

Please note our Preferred Application deadline is Friday May 20. We have plenty of great positions available for rising Juniors and Seniors to take advantage of this summer. Our Cherokee companies LOVE our local students and building relationships to keep our community’s workforce strong.

Apply today! 

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2022 will walk across the stage for graduation ceremonies next week!

The ceremonies for CCSD’s 2,936 graduating seniors will be held at First Baptist Church of Woodstock (11905 Highway 92, Woodstock, 30188).  The ceremonies will be streamed on www.fbcw.org so family and friends who are unable to attend still can participate.

Cherokee County School District high school students excelled at the statewide literary championships!

The students earned individual and team honors at the Georgia High Schools Association event, which includes writing, public speaking, acting and singing competitions, and Cherokee High School’s team was named the 7A State Champion.

Eighty-six Cherokee County School District high school and middle school students won seats in the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Chorus and Reading Chorus.

Thirteen Cherokee County School District teachers have been honored as this year’s Golden Apple Award winners!

The Gamma Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a professional organization of active and retired women educators, for the past 24 years has presented the annual awards.  The honor recognizes one teacher from each selected school for distinctive service in education and for demonstrating ethics in all professional relationships, enthusiasm and initiative, and knowledge and skills in his/her education field.  

National School Nurse Day is May 11, 2022, and this week, we will introduce you to CCSD’s 2022 Innovation Zone Nurses of the Year! Stay tuned as we highlight one winner each day. Thank you to all CCSD nurses for the care you provide daily to our students and staff! #CCSDfam #SND2022

Twenty-seven Cherokee County School District students earned state honors through the 2021-22 Georgia PTA Reflections fine arts contest! 

The annual competition offers students in all grades and abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts.  Students can earn recognition at the School, District, State and National levels.  This year's theme was “I Will Change The World By... .”

A Cherokee County School District student has won the Georgia Award of Excellence!

Cherokee High School Class of 2022 graduating senior Sarah Liebert earned the award presented by the Georgia Department of Education to recognize graduating seniors who overcome special needs to achieve academic and/or extracurricular accomplishments.

Friday May 6 marked the 10^th year of recognizing School Lunch Hero Day, which is celebrated the first Friday of May to pay tribute to the heroes of School Nutrition who keep students supplied with nutritious meals for breakfast and lunch throughout the school year.

The Cherokee County School District celebrated its future educators this week!

High schools across the country held “signing day” events as part of National Teacher Appreciation Week to honor graduating seniors who plan to pursue careers in education.  Cherokee, Creekview, Etowah, Sequoyah and Woodstock High School all hosted events.

The Cherokee County School District will present a Job Fair focused on hiring support staff for next school year from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at our technology campus at 1020 Keeter Road, Canton, 30114.

The May 2022 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes important end-of-year announcements including May 27 early dismissal for middle and high school students and plans for the summer meal program.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam

Monday, May 9: SENIORS can pick up books in the main cafe lobby during lunch (periods 3-6)

Tuesday, May 10th - underclassmen can pick up books in the main cafe lobby during lunch (periods 3-6)

Wednesday, May 11th - underclassmen can pick up books in the north cafe during lunch (periods 3-5)

Wednesday, May 11th - digital students can pick up books from the 600 hall lobby “drive thru ” style from 4-6 PM

Any extra books will be sold starting May 12 ($100 cash or check payable to CHS)

Questions? Contact the yearbook adviser leeanne.kline@cherokeek12.net

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

Many years ago, rural families would thank their valued teachers with the crops from their farms. 
 
After this tradition had passed, the apple, the prettiest of these crops, continued to be given for generations as a gift to favorite teachers. 

NOTICE: Due to the rising volume of false information currently being circulated about our school district and our outstanding teachers and staff, we will be updating our Fact vs. Fiction webpage at https://bit.ly/CCSDfacts on a more frequent basis.  If you have a question about something you’ve seen on social media or received via mail or email about our schools, our staff or our curriculum, please reach out to your school or contact us directly at the Ask CCSD Helpdesk at https://bit.ly/AskCCSD  #CCSDfam
 

Twelve Cherokee County School District Class of 2022 graduating seniors will be honored by the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame! 

The community organization each spring recognizes the most outstanding male and female senior athletes from each of CCSD’s high schools.  Honorees are nominated by high school administrators based on the outstanding athletic contributions the seniors made during their high school career.  This recognition is a separate program from the Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics in Cherokee County. 

A Cherokee County School District business partner and volunteer has received a top community award!

Kevin Williams, operator of Cherokee County Chick-fil-A, today was honored with the Liberty Bell Award by the Blue Ridge Bar Association at its annual Law Day observance.

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.

Twenty-eight Cherokee County School District high school and middle school students won seats in the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band and Orchestra.

Students audition for these selective performance opportunities.  This year's All-State Band and All-State Orchestra events were recently held at the Classic Center in Athens.

Cherokee County School District students are advancing to the state level of the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition!

The annual writing contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through 12 and provides an opportunity for schools to encourage writing in a variety of genres.  Each CCSD school submits a top entry for each grade level to compete at the district level.  District first-place winners then advance to regional competition for the opportunity to compete statewide.

CCSD High School 2022 Summer School will be offered from June 6 - 24, 2022 with options for Credit Recovery and Initial Credit as detailed below.  

The April 2022 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent about the district’s accreditation renewal, as well as other important information.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia!

There will be no school on Tuesday, May 24, the date of the Primary Election, in order to ensure the safety and security of students due to the use of schools as polling sites.  May 24 will be a Digital Learning Day, with assignments provided online for students to complete at home.  Bags with a breakfast and lunch for students will be available for pick up at all schools that morning at no charge; order forms will be emailed to all parents on Friday, May 20.

Ten Cherokee County School District high school seniors have been selected for the prestigious Georgia Scholar recognition!

The Georgia Department of Education program honors high school seniors who exhibit excellence in their school and community life.  Honorees demonstrate dedication to academic success, participation in interscholastic events and leadership through extra-curricular activities.  

The Cherokee County School District is offering 2022-23 high school students the opportunity to participate in an educational travel experience to explore London and Paris during Spring Break 2023!

A limited number of additional spots have been opened for this district-wide tour announced earlier this year.  A virtual informational session will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, 2022.  Students are welcome to attend the informational session, but at least one parent or guardian must be in attendance.

Cherokee County School District’s high schools, for the 12th consecutive year, have earned top honors for outstanding Advanced Placement (AP) programs and performance!

All of CCSD’s high schools have been named Georgia 2022 AP Honor Schools for exceptional student performance and participation on AP exams, which offer students more challenging coursework and the opportunity to earn college credit.  Overall, CCSD students who took the exams earned passing scores of 3 or higher on 73% of the 5,028 tests administered last school year, exceeding the Georgia rate of 60% and the National rate of 54%.  This passing rate ranks CCSD 10th in the State and 2nd among metro Atlanta counties.  

The Cherokee County School District saluted educators Thursday night at the 2022 Legacy Makers: CCSD Teachers of the Year Celebration.

The Legacy Makers event held at the Northside Hospital Cherokee Conference Center in Canton honored the Teacher of the Year for every CCSD school, including four finalists who were announced in February.  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower opened an envelope at the event’s conclusion to announce that Cherokee High School teacher Jonathan Gustin, is the 2022 CCSD Teacher of the Year! 

The Cherokee County School District received excellent news today: the district’s international accreditation as a high-quality school system is recommended for renewal for another five years!

“Accreditation is the gold standard for school districts – it provides independent assurance to parents, employees and taxpayers as to the excellence of their public schools,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “I’m incredibly proud of the work that all of our employees do every day to provide the best possible education and care to each of our students.  Thank you to the amazing parent volunteers and business and community partners who support us.  None of this would be possible without the outstanding leadership of our School Board, its vision for our future and its strong stewardship of the resources entrusted to them by our community.”

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that serious misinformation about CCSD is being circulated on social media. 

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower has no plans to ask the School Board to privatize bus drivers or School Nutrition or any other part of CCSD operations.  The School Board also has had no discussions about privatizing these services.

As part of national Sunshine Month, observed every March to highlight the importance of open government and transparency, the Cherokee County School District has updated its Open CCSD website.

CCSD is committed to transparency and accountability.  Open CCSD at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/open-ccsd was established in 2013 to provide the community with a clear understanding of its operations and stewardship of fiscal resources.  

Cherokee County School District students are advancing to State 4-H Competition, with two students elected to statewide leadership roles.

The 4-H extra-curricular program, sponsored locally by the UGA Cooperative Extension Office, offers students the opportunity to learn new skills, improve their teamwork and leadership skills and serve their community.

More than 50 CCSD high school students spent the day sharpening their workforce skills recently thanks to a new venture created by CCSD and community partners.

The Cherokee County School District has earned national honors for its School Nutrition summer meals program!

The school district every summer participates in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Seamless Summer Option, which offers free meals to children in need during the summer.  The high quality of CCSD’s program earned the USDA’s Silver Turnip the Beet Award.  CCSD School Nutrition is one of only a dozen school districts in Georgia to earn the national honor and one of only 84 nationwide.

Cherokee County School District students have earned top honors in a statewide career skills competition!

A team of Cherokee High School students placed in welding and healthcare science events at the Georgia Skills USA competition, with students advancing to nationals for welding fabrication.

It’s Georgia School Board Appreciation Week, and we’ll be shining the spotlight on each of our representatives to thank them for their service.  #CCSDfam 

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. 

CCSD presents an annual Agency Information Fair for parents and teachers to learn more about services in the community for children with special needs. This year's event is on March 28. #CCSDfam

A Cherokee County School District student is attending a national educational conference as a state delegate and has earned a prestigious leadership award!

Cherokee High School junior Laney Cline will represent Georgia at the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C. this month.  Laney also earned the elite title of Master 4-H’er -- the highest award offered in 4-H -- by achieving selection to the national conference.  To earn the title, students must demonstrate the core 4-H concepts of belonging, mastery of learning, generosity and independence.  

It’s Georgia School Board Appreciation Week, and we’ll be shining the spotlight on each of our representatives to thank them for their service.  #CCSDfam

In recognition of National School Social Worker Week, please join us in thanking CCSD’s six social workers and two student support specialists who are dedicated to their mission of “ensuring that no student in Cherokee County gains less than full advantage of the educational opportunities provided by the school system as a result of family problems or school attendance problems.” We appreciate their service and dedication to the families of our 42,000 students! Learn more about our school social workers at https://www.cherokeek12.net/.../divisions-school.... #CCSDfam

The March 2022 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent about special reading and math events and the district’s upcoming accreditation review.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia!  #CCSDfam 

It's Read Across America Week and #GetCCSDReading Month! CCSD schools are celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday, the importance of literacy and favorite books ...with guest readers, dress-up days, reading challenges and incentives and much more! We hope you enjoy this slideshow of photos from some of the festivities.

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.

We greatly value the outstanding support staff in our schools and central office divisions, which is why we recognize them here.  Please join us in congratulating the 2022 Support Staff Employee of the Year for Cherokee High School: Liz Garced! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District today surprised four outstanding teachers with the news they are finalists for the 2022 CCSD Teacher of the Year award!

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower visited their classrooms with balloons, flowers and the announcement that they were selected by the judging committee as the top four teachers of all CCSD schools’ and centers’ Teachers of the Year. 

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating 229 exemplary high school juniors as Superintendent’s Key Scholars!  

These top students were recognized, through the 17th Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony on Thursday night, for scores achieved on the PSAT that rank them in the top 10% nationwide.

The College Board is honoring 37 Cherokee County School District students through its National Recognition Programs awards!

The programs are designed by the College Board to provide recognition opportunities for high school seniors and juniors in underrepresented groups.  Students may apply for the National African American Recognition Award, National Hispanic Recognition Award, National Indigenous Recognition Award and National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award.  To be considered for recognition, students must have a GPA of at least 3.5 and either exceptional test scores placing them in the top 10% in their state on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or scores of 3 or higher on two of more Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2022 STAR Students and Teachers!

The STAR, or Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, Student honor is awarded to the high school senior from each Georgia public and private high school with the highest score on any single test date of the SAT and who also ranks in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of his or her class based on grade point average.  Each honored student is invited to select his or her favorite teacher to be named that school’s STAR Teacher.

We are continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 cases among students, staff and our community at large and to review our related protocols.  

While community case levels remain at a very high range, we are seeing a definite trend of declining cases -- both for our schools and our community.  If case levels continue to decline, we anticipate parent visits to the cafeteria and extended parent/volunteer visits to classrooms can safely resume on Feb. 28 following February Break (Feb. 21-25).  

Don’t miss your opportunity to become a teacher in an outstanding metro Atlanta school district!  The Cherokee County School District on Saturday, March 5, will host its annual Teacher Job Fair for next school year.  There will be both an in-person event from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 5, at River Ridge High School (400 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock, 30188), and virtual online interview appointments also will be available.  

The February 2022 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes an important message from the Superintendent about school choice, enrollment, CCSD’s reaccreditation and the opportunity to nominate a CCSD teacher or support staff member to win one of four $250 gift cards through the CCSD Share the Love contest.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating its top school Partners of the Year and Volunteers of the Year!

The annual recognition program, now in its ninth year, recognizes a Partner of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year for each individual school and center who are selected based on their outstanding service for the past year.

February is CCSD School Choice Month, which includes both the opportunity to request a reassignment and the kickoff for Pre-K, kindergarten and Grades 1-12 new student enrollment for the 2022-23 School Year. 

Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower this week participated in the annual “State of the County” program.

Presented by the regional Council for Quality Growth nonprofit organization, the luncheon on Wednesday featured reports by Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Harry Johnston, Cherokee Office of Economic Development President Misti Martin and Dr. Hightower.

Mark your calendar!  The Cherokee County School District’s first-ever Job Fair focused on support staff will be from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, at our technology campus at 1020 Keeter Road, Canton, 30114.  

The Cherokee County School District has been named a national District of Distinction in a competition to prepare students for cybersecurity careers!

The school district earned the designation from CyberStart America, a national organization established to provide high school students with free access to cybersecurity learning resources written and developed by industry professionals.  

As shared with you earlier this month, in preparation for our on-time return to in-person learning on Jan. 4, we implemented several changes in CCSD COVID-19 protocols, with a timeline to review those changes today. 

Save the Date!  The Cherokee County School District’s annual Teacher Job Fair will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 5, with in-person interviews at River Ridge High School and virtual online interview appointments available.  The event will focus on hiring teachers for the 2022-23 school year, with a separate event to be announced for positions including bus drivers, paraprofessionals, technology professionals and School Nutrition workers.  We will post instructions at www.cherokeek12.net and on CCSD social media next month explaining how you can sign up for online appointments if you choose to participate virtually.  #CCSDfam

The January 2022 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter.  The Superintendent’s message includes an announcement about the expansion of CCSD’s school choice program.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam

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 District on Friday, Jan. 28, will host a virtual job fair for applicants for Special Education positions for next school year including: board certified behavior analysts, educational audiologists, occupational and physical therapists, physical and health impairment teachers, school psychologists, Special Education facilitators, speech language pathologists and vision teachers. 

The Cherokee County School District winners of the annual PTA Reflections fine arts contest have been named, with top district winners now advancing to state competition!

The annual competition offers students in all grades and of all abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts 2D and 3D.  Students can earn recognition at the school, district, state and national levels.  This year's theme is “I Will Change the World By... .”

As we prepare for the reopening of schools on Tuesday, Jan. 4, please be advised of several changes in CCSD COVID-19 protocols in response to new Department of Public Health guidance and the rising cases resulting from the Omicron variant.

CCSD schools have been busy celebrating the holiday season by giving to others and serving the community through volunteering.  Thank you to all the teachers and staff who coordinate these opportunities for meaningful service learning!  We hope you enjoy this slideshow of a few of the many outstanding activities.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised we are aware of the national news reports and social media posts about a TikTok challenge related to school violence today. This challenge did not originate locally, and there have been no threats reported in regard to any CCSD schools. The challenge, according to news reports, was started by a student in Utah who did not want to attend school today. We take all threats seriously, and our CCSD Police Department will continue to be on alert, monitor the situation and communicate with local law enforcement agencies.

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2022 School Teachers of the Year winners!

Every fall, each CCSD school is asked to select its own Teacher of the Year.  These school-level winners now are eligible for the honor of Cherokee County School District 2022 Teacher of the Year. 

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Dec. 9, celebrated the School District winning the Georgia 2021 Governance Team of the Year Award with a review of accomplishments from the past year.

A Cherokee County School District team has won a community wellness challenge!

The Walk This Weigh Team from Cherokee High School was the overall winner in the Northside Hospital Cherokee Fall Wellness Challenge, a community competition sponsored by the hospital with prizes for teams that met health, fitness and wellness goals.  Team members are Chrissy Davis, Lori Johnson, Jennifer Pittman and Rene Swanson.  

The Cherokee County School Board has earned top state honors for exemplary leadership and innovation practices in recognition of its Social and Emotional Learning initiative.

For the third consecutive year, the Georgia School Boards Association has awarded the Cherokee County School Board its Leading Edge Award in the Culture, Climate & Organizational Efficacy category.  The awards, presented in seven categories, recognize innovative practices by School Boards and School Districts that make a significant and positive impact on students.  This year, the districtwide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) initiative earned the honor, following previous wins for CCSD’s Student Advisor and Student Delegates to the School Board program and VILLA parent academy.  

The December 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes an important message from the Superintendent about CCSD earning the State’s highest honor for leadership and dedication to providing the best education possible to every child!  Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia.  

The Cherokee County School District has earned the State’s highest honor for leadership and dedication to providing the best education possible to every child.

The Governance Team of the Year Award is awarded to the School Board and Superintendent of Schools of only one Georgia school district in each of the three size categories -- small, medium and large – by the Georgia School Boards Association.  CCSD earned the honor for large districts, which are those with more than 10,000 students.     

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.

CCSD School Nutrition is pleased to offer to-go meal service at no charge for all CCSD students for the Friday, Nov. 19, Digital Learning Day.  The meal kit will include one breakfast and one lunch.

Please be advised that false rumors are deliberately being spread in our community about CCSD and COVID-19 vaccinations.  CCSD is NOT holding ANY COVID-19 vaccination events for our students at our schools or elsewhere.  

The Cherokee County School District next month will celebrate excellent service at its fourth annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards!

The recognition ceremony on December 2 will honor one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of CCSD’s schools, centers and central office divisions.  Each honoree will be congratulated by the Superintendent of Schools and School Board members and receive a plaque and gifts of appreciation before an audience of honorees and their families, Principals and CCSD leaders.

Every school year, each CCSD high school selects one Student Delegate to the School Board to represent the student voice. One Delegate is named the Student Advisor and sits with the Board at its meetings. We’ll introduce you to them all this year! #CCSDfam!

The November 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam 

On behalf of the Superintendent, we recognize and celebrate the historic World Series win by the Atlanta Braves, a valued CCSD Partner.  We love our hometown team and are so proud of their accomplishments this season.  While we are not cancelling school for Friday’s victory parade and celebration, any student absences for students who attend that event will be counted as “unexcused but without academic penalty.”  While our policies do not permit excused absences for such occasions, the designation of “unexcused but without academic penalty” provides students the important opportunity to make up all missed work and tests next week.  For those families who choose to attend Friday’s celebratory parade that will travel through Fulton and Cobb Counties, we hope you have a safe and memorable experience and we’ll see you back in class on Monday!

CCSD Reminder: Tuesday, Nov. 2, is a student holiday for Election Day as a safety precaution due to the use of many schools as polling sites.  It is not a Digital Learning Day.  It is a Professional Learning Day, with teachers and staff attending training sessions focused on improving instruction and support services in areas including reading, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), history, Career Pathways, Special Education and Gifted education.  

Cherokee County’s 1-percent Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (Ed SPLOST) is up for a renewal on the Nov. 2 General Election ballot, with early voting underway now.  This post is design to provide the community with accurate information about the continuation of the existing penny sales tax.  More information about the Ed SPLOST is on our website at https://bit.ly/CCSDsplostinfo.  

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.

It’s National School Bus Safety Week, and we want to recognize the ones who are responsible for keeping our students safe on the bus!   Meet school bus driver Louisa Rodriguez-Vital! #CCSDfam

Q.  What led you to become a CCSD bus driver?

A. I had a child in school and no family in this Country, but I needed to work.  My husband suggested that I should try driving a bus – that way, when my child was out of school, I would be out of school and not have to put him in daycare; this worked out great for us.  I enjoyed driving right away. 

Q.  What do you love most about your job?

A.  I love the children and their different personalities.  I enjoy hearing the stories they tell, whether it's about a vacation trip or birthday party … whatever comes to mind, even questions about math just like your own kids would ask. 

Q.  What would you like others to know about driving a bus for CCSD? 

A.  If you’re thinking about becoming a bus driver, you must have patience and a love for children.  Discipline and bus safety rules should come first.  Show the children respect, and they will do the same.   Be positive and smile as you greet your students and parents, as well.  You will be trained by CCSD trainers - just give it a try!

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate has hit a new high, with 90.82% of the Class of 2021 earning a diploma within four years of entering high school!  

CCSD recognized its school bus drivers on Tuesday morning with a drive-through breakfast and gifts.  

The Cherokee County School District participates in the statewide Child Find program to help identify students eligible for Special Education services.

It’s National School Bus Safety Week, and we want to recognize the ones who are responsible for keeping our students safe on the bus! Meet school bus driver Tammy Stephens! #CCSDfam

Q.  What led you to become a CCSD bus driver?

A.  I graduated from Cherokee High School in 1979, and Mr. Bell (Principal of then Ralph Bunche ES) came to our house and asked who wanted a job.  I said, ‘me,’ and he hired me for the Head Start program and later as a parapro at Tippens and Johnston.  Then, in 1986, I became a bus driver because I love kids and wanted to continue working with them - being a bus driver allowed for that, but also worked for my schedule, because I could be off when my son was off.

Q.  What do you love most about your job?

A.  I enjoy what I do and have always had a passion for children.  I feel they need an advocate, and I’m it. Driving for Cherokee County has been an experience that I would not trade for anything!

Q.  What would you like others to know about driving a bus for CCSD?  

A.  If you love kids, it’s the job for you, but you really have to have a passion for them because it can sometimes be difficult.  You must have patience, good driving skills and a love for children!

Going once, going twice..... sold! Your bid can be the winning one at CCSD’s annual surplus equipment auction, which is open to the public, and begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, at the CCSD Central Warehouse (201 Mountain Brook Court, Canton, 30115). The sale preview starts at 8:00 a.m.

Hundreds of athletes, peer helpers, CCSD staff and community volunteers participated in the annual CCSD Awareness Games on Friday, October 15, at River Ridge HS.

The Cherokee County School District has been named a finalist for the 2021 Governance Team of the Year Award presented by the Georgia School Boards Association!
 
Three awards are presented annually to recognize top School Boards and Superintendents of Schools for outstanding leadership and dedication to continuous improvement.  One winner is selected in three categories based on school district enrollment: small, 1-3,000 students; medium, 3,001-10,000 students; and large, 10,000+ students.  

The Cherokee County School District Class of 2021 increased average ACT scores and exceeded National and State scores!
 
The Class scored an outstanding 23.2 average, increasing from 22.6 in 2020, and topping Georgia’s 22.6 and the Nation’s 20.3 averages on the competitive college entrance and placement examination.  The scores ranked CCSD in the top 10% in the State.  Students earn a score on a scale of 1 to 36.  The average CCSD scores by subject on the ACT used to calculate the overall composite average are: English, 22.4; Math, 22.8; Reading, 23.9; Science, 23.3.

The October 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam

We’re proud of our CCSD family’s dedicated teachers … and every week, you’ll get to know one of them better through a Q&A posted here. #CCSDfam

Please be advised that the Versatrans My Stop Bus Tracking System began experiencing technical difficulties today and will be down for maintenance tomorrow (Oct. 5, 2021).  This is the app that CCSD parents can use to track the location of their child's school bus on its way to the bus stop each morning and afternoon.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

A Cherokee County School District student has been named to the State School Superintendent’s 2021-22 Student Advisory Council!

Cherokee High School junior Weston Olds is among the 66 high school students from across the state selected for the prestigious role.  They were chosen by State School Superintendent Richard Woods from more than 1,000 applications statewide based on their answers to essay questions about improving public education.

CCSD is looking for School Nutrition Workers to join us in serving our kids!  The work day is 6.5 hours and the schedule follows the school calendar.  The starting hourly rate has been increased to $12.59 an hour for School Nutrition Workers, as well as to $12 an hour for part-time School Nutrition workers and substitutes, and $10.50 an hour for lunchroom monitors.  The School Nutrition Worker position offers full time benefits, professional development, advancement opportunities and a great work team and environment.  Apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net and selecting any of the School Nutrition Worker listings at various schools.  Openings for part-time School Nutrition workers and substitutes and lunchroom monitors also are posted.  Questions?  Contact School Nutrition at cassandra.higgins@cherokeek12.net and 770.721.8419. #CCSDfam

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.  

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2021 increased average SAT scores by 25 points and outscored the State and Nation, according to results released today by the College Board.

The CCSD Class of 2021 earned an average total score of 1125 on the curriculum-based college entrance and placement exam, which exceeds the National public school average by 87 points and the State by 48 points.  The gap between CCSD and U.S. averages widened by 17 points.

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here -- congratulations to Cherokee HS 2021 Partner of the Year: SERV International!

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

What's cooking, #CCSDfam?  

If you're a CCSD parent who loves to cook, please enter our third annual CCSD School Nutrition Parent Recipe Contest ... you could win a $100 Visa gift card and see your side-dish recipe featured on CCSD school lunch menus in October!  

The September 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia. #CCSDfam

Virtual Curriculum Night will be held from 4:00 – 5:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7^th! All teachers will have a Module on their Canvas Course titled SY 2021-2022 Virtual Curriculum Night, which includes a brief video presentation of course information.

Please watch these videos at your convenience as they will be posted all year long!

CCSD is looking for substitute teachers to join us in serving our kids!  We recently increased our sub rate to $150 for daily subs and $185/day for certified long-term subs.  Subs can hand-pick how frequently they want to work as well as where they want to accept jobs.  Although no previous teaching experience is required, we train our subs on how to foster a seamless learning experience for our students.  Please help us share this opportunity with those who might be interested!  The next workshop is Sept. 14.  Applications can be submitted to our 2021-22 Substitute Teacher posting at https://bit.ly/JobsCCSD  Contact Katie.Munson@cherokeek12.net with questions.  #CCSDfam
 

Enrollment for the Cherokee County School District has increased beyond expectations, but for the ninth consecutive year, no schools are considered “critically overcrowded.”

The annual Inventory of School Housing report, which is developed based on the 20-day enrollment count (Aug. 27) of 41,901 and is posted below, shows the impact of sustained enrollment growth and highlights where additional classroom space soon will be needed. 

The Cherokee County School District Police Department has earned State recognition!

The Department was notified this month that its status as a Certified Agency, first achieved in 2006, has been renewed by the Joint Review Committee of the State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program.  

We greatly value the outstanding support staff in our schools and central office divisions, which is why we recognize them here.  Please join us in congratulating the 2021 Support Staff Employee of the Year for Cherokee HS: Jenn Bradley! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

The Cherokee County School Board recently congratulated its new class of Student Delegates!

The School Board has included a Student Advisor position on its board since 1999, and, for the past 11 years, a Student Delegate from each high school also has been selected.  These outstanding high school seniors serve for one year to give input and feedback to the School Board and to the Superintendent of Schools and his senior staff; the advisor role, which includes the opportunity to sit on the dais with the School Board, is rotated among the district's high schools.  The innovative engagement program earned the School Board the Georgia School Boards Association’s 2020 Leading Edge Award.

CCSD will host its next substitute teacher training workshops on Sept. 2 and 14 and now is accepting applications.  Please sign up today by applying online for 2021-22 Substitute Teacher at https://bit.ly/JobsCCSD  Questions? Please contact Katie Munson at 770-479-1871 or katie.munson@cherokeek12.net  #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District is seeking After School Program (ASP) workers and lunchroom monitors!  These part-time jobs offer the opportunity to work on school days close to home to support your community’s children.  Lunchroom Monitors work during school hours; ASP is offered at elementary schools until 6 p.m.

It's time for Friday Night Lights! 

Attention Juniors!

You must sign up and pay by Sept. 10, 2021

Cost is $18.00 and can be paid on-line at the CHS OSP site or Mrs. Wemmer (Guidance – Main).

The PSAT will be given to all Freshmen and Sophomores, as well as any Junior who has signed up and paid.

Test date is OCTOBER 13, 2021!!!

DO NOT DELAY in signing up!

Cherokee County School District students exceeded State averages on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests for the sixth consecutive year, with expected decreases locally and statewide due to the pandemic’s impact on instruction.

The annual tests, which were not administered in 2020 due to the pandemic, assess students’ mastery of Georgia Performance Standards, which set expectations for what lessons students will learn in each grade.  Results are used by teachers and administrators to improve instruction for specific students as well as develop new overall instructional best practices. 

The Cherokee County School District’s high schools have earned a national award for athletic safety.
 
Cherokee, Creekview, Etowah, River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock High Schools have received the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Safe Sports School award, which recognizes secondary schools that meet recommended National standards to improve safety in student athletics.  The award “reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention, and treatment.”

CCSD will host its next substitute teacher training workshop on Sept. 14 and now is accepting applications.  Please sign up today by applying online for 2021-22 Substitute Teacher at https://bit.ly/JobsCCSD  Questions? Please contact CCSD HR at 770-479-1871 or katie.munson@cherokeek12.net  #CCSDfam

Our enrollment has grown to 41,514 students from our opening day enrollment! We see this growth pattern every year, with enrollment usually peaking at the 20th day of school. We will post a 20th day enrollment report at the end of August on our website as we do every year. Welcome to our new families! #CCSDfam

The August 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia.  #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District is seeking school bus drivers! These positions offer excellent benefits (full-time benefits for part-time work, with at least four hours of pay per day guaranteed), a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team. A Georgia Class B CDL Driver’s License with School Bus & Passenger endorsements is required; CCSD provides drivers with specialized training. Job details are posted at https://bit.ly/CCSDbusdriver. 

Please see the following message from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower and enjoy some our of #CCSD1stDay photos in the slideshow posted above.

Like many of you, I woke up earlier than usual this morning to celebrate our new year.  While I didn’t have a child’s shoelaces to tie or ponytails to fasten, my day needed to start as early as possible so I could see as many smiles as possible.

As part of the Cherokee County School District’s back-to-school preparations, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower held his first meeting with the Cherokee County Council PTA’s new executive board.

CCSD this school year will begin using the ParentSquare messaging system for Principal communications. 

This system will be used by Principals to send messages for their school, such as newsletters, updates and reminders, to all parents.  Principals also will use this system to notify parents if there has been a positive COVID-19 case in their child’s class and to monitor for symptoms.  ParentSquare also will be used, beginning in mid-August, to send the weekly progress reports for attendance and grades to all parents.

It’s less than two weeks until the first day of school for CCSD on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021!  Please check out the July edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections, which includes important back-to-school info and a message from the Superintendent.  Don’t forget to visit the Back-to-School Gateway at https://bit.ly/CCSDb2s when it opens Monday, July 26, as we need the parents of all students – both in-person and Digital Learning – to update emergency contacts and provide other important “first day forms” information. Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam

On behalf of the Superintendent, please review the following updates about CCSD’s Digital Learning program for the 2021-22 School Year. 

We have outlined the highlights of the program and back-to-school preparations below.  We encourage you to review the CCSD Digital Learning Models for SY2021-22 Guidebook, which explains the learning models and expectations in greater detail, and is posted online at https://bit.ly/CCSDdlguide21.

CCSD's Transportation Department spends the summer break getting its fleet of big yellow buses inspected and ready for another 4 million miles on Cherokee County roads. In the days before the start of the school year, CCSD’s school buses can be spotted out on the county's roads and highways, running their routes.  One practice run with their bus is required, but many drivers practice more times in their own vehicles.

Cherokee County School District’s School Nutrition department is beginning the new school year with announcements including that it will continue to provide breakfasts and lunches to all students at no cost to them … for the entire 2021-22 school year!

The Cherokee County School District is seeking school bus drivers!  These positions offer excellent benefits (full-time benefits for part-time work, with at least four hours of pay per day guaranteed), a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team.  A Georgia Class B CDL Driver’s License with School Bus & Passenger endorsements is required; CCSD provides drivers with specialized training.  Job details are posted at https://bit.ly/CCSDbusdriver.  Check out the video at http://bit.ly/CCSDbusvideo to learn more about a day in the life of a CCSD school bus driver!  Join the #CCSDfam & apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net.  Questions? Please contact CCSD Recruitment Coordinator Lindsay Bowley at Lindsay.Bowley@cherokeek12.net and 770.704.4256.

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;

Rising 9th grade and new student walk-throughs are on Thursday July 29th from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Come walk your schedules and meet your teachers!

*Schedules will be available through Canvas prior to event.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that, based on the Governor’s decision through Executive Order to end the Public Health State of Emergency on June 30, 2021, and the significant improvement of the state of public health, we are returning to pre-pandemic school operations for the 2021-22 school year, which begins Aug. 2.  More back-to-school information will be shared with our families in the July edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter on July 22.

If your children are 0-18 years old, we are pleased to offer summer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, July 19, at Cherokee High School's Cherokee North building, Creekview High School and Etowah High School's Etowah East building.

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 2021 Cherokee High School Teacher of the Year Dr. Jodi Burn!

Cherokee High School Teacher of the Year Dr. Jodi Burn sees star power in every student.

Volunteers make a positive difference in our schools, which is why we spotlight them here ... congratulations to Cherokee HS 2021 Volunteer of the Year: Lanae Collier! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

If your children are 0-18 years old, we are pleased to offer summer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, July 12, at Cherokee High School's Cherokee North building, Creekview High School and Etowah High School's Etowah East building.

Cherokee County School District students earned Regional and State honors through the annual Georgia Student Technology Competition!
 
The statewide competition offers students in Grades 3-12 the opportunity to showcase their skills through 16 categories and vie for honors at Regional and State fairs.  
 

Ten Cherokee County School District student athletes have been honored by Positive Athlete Georgia!

The students have been honored with 2021 Positive Athlete Georgia Regional Awards by Positive Athlete Georgia, a subsidiary of Celebrate Positive LLC, which promotes the benefits of positivity to young athletes around the world.  Hines Ward, a former Forest Park High School, University of Georgia and Pittsburgh Steelers football star, formed Positive Athlete with local businessman Scott Pederson.

If your children are 0-18 years old, we are pleased to offer summer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 28, at Cherokee High School's Cherokee North building, Creekview High School and Etowah High School's Etowah East building.

Twelve Cherokee County School District Class of 2021 graduates have been honored by the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame! 

The community organization each spring recognizes the most outstanding male and female senior athletes from each of CCSD’s high schools.  Honorees are nominated by high school administrators based on the outstanding athletic contributions the seniors made during their high school career.  This recognition is a separate program from the Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves in the field of athletics in Cherokee County. 

Six Cherokee County School District Class of 2021 graduates have earned scholarships from ABM Industry Groups LLC!

The company, which provides custodial services for CCSD schools, each year awards a $1,000 scholarship to one graduating senior from each of CCSD’s high schools.  The six winners are selected by a scholarship committee of retired CCSD educators and ABM representatives based on a student’s involvement in school and community activities and service; personal essays; and references.

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.  

Ten Cherokee County School District Class of 2021 graduates have earned $2,500 college scholarships from a community foundation!

It is the second year of the annual college scholarships presented by the Jason T. Dickerson Family Foundation, which have expanded from the inaugural awarding of two scholarships to 10.

If your children are 0-18 years old, we are pleased to offer summer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 21, at Cherokee High School's Cherokee North building, Creekview High School and Etowah High School's Etowah East building.

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating four of its outstanding Special Education team members!

Four members of the Department of Special Education received its top annual honors during the annual Special Education Staff of the Year Awards ceremony.  They are: CCSD Occupational Therapist/Physical Therapist of the Year Amy Peart; CCSD School Psychologist of the Year Laura Killen; CCSD Special Education Facilitator of the Year Kortney Dempsey; and CCSD Speech Language Pathologist of the Year Stacy Irwin.

More than 50 of the Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2021 graduates have committed to military service, including three selected for prestigious U.S. Service Academies!

“We’re deeply proud and grateful for the decision each of these graduates has made to serve our country.  Thank you to you all, and thank you to your families,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We also congratulate our three graduates selected for U.S. Service Academies – we know how hard each of you worked to earn these appointments.  We are grateful for your dedication and for all of our teachers and coaches who supported you along the way.”

If your children are 0-18 years old, we are pleased to offer summer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 14, at Cherokee High School's Cherokee North building, Creekview High School and Etowah High School's Etowah East building.

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here -- congratulations to Holly Springs ES STEM Academy 2021 Partner of the Year: Lil' Angels Photography!

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

Three Cherokee County School District staff members earned honors from the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce!

Cherokee HS Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Jeremy Adams, Coordinator of Recruitment Lindsay Bowley and River Ridge HS Media Specialist Savannah Holcomb received the Chamber's Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch honor, which recognizes outstanding leaders who are 40 or younger, at the organization's June meeting.

The June 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.  #CCSDfam

Seventeen Cherokee County School District students have earned Region and State honors for achievements in career skills competitions.

All CCSD high schools offer Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs and Career Pathway classes as well as aligned Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs).  The CTSOs give students the opportunity to participate in career-oriented extra-curricular activities including community service, leadership roles and demonstrating at statewide competitions the skills they’ve learned in class.

The Cherokee County School District School Nutrition program has earned top honors from the Georgia Department of Education.

The program earned the State’s 2020 Vision District award in recognition of its outstanding efforts to use Georgia grown foods on school cafeteria menus.  CCSD has received numerous accolades for its Farm to School initiative and collaboration with community partners including the Cherokee County Farm Bureau.

Three Cherokee County School District Class of 2021 graduates have earned National Merit special scholarships!

Cherokee High School graduate Dylan Iovino, who plans to pursue a degree in chemical engineering, has won a National Merit university scholarship from the University of Alabama.  Etowah High School graduate Benjamin Willett, who plans to pursue a career in finance, has won a National Merit university scholarship from the University of Georgia.  River Ridge High School graduate Audrey Norton has won a National Merit corporate scholarship from Crum & Forster and plans to attend the University of North Carolina.  

If your children are 0-18 years old, we are pleased to offer summer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, June 7, at Cherokee High School's Cherokee North building, Creekview High School and Etowah High School's Etowah East building.

Fourteen Cherokee County School District students have been selected for the competitive Georgia Governor's Honors Program.

The four-week summer instructional program at Berry College for rising high school juniors and seniors is designed to provide students with academic, cultural and social enrichment “necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators and leaders.”  Students live and study on the campus in Rome from June 20 to July 17.

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating its retiring educators and support staff!

The majority of the retirees noted below are ending their careers at the close of this school year; some retired earlier in the year based on their retirement eligibility date.

“Congratulations to each of our retirees for dedicating your career to serving our community’s children,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “Whether you served in a classroom or behind the scenes, you made a positive difference in the lives of our students.  I know our entire community has benefitted from your exemplary service and joins me in wishing you the best as you enjoy your hard-earned retirement.”

The Cherokee County School District and School Board celebrated the Class of 2021 Valedictorians and Salutatorians at its 21st Annual Scholar Recognition Banquet.

The special event on Wednesday evening was attended by the Scholars and their parents; the teacher each Scholar chose as the most influential in his or her education; CCSD’s high school Principals; the Superintendent of Schools and members of his senior staff; and the School Board.

Dear CCSD Family,

The message below is to our graduating Class of 2021 seniors.  I am sharing it with all of you, as they are the future of our community.  You can see each of their names posted on our website at http://bit.ly/CCSDclassof2021.

Dear Class of 2021,

The finish line is in sight.

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2021, made up of 2,995 students, will walk across the stage for graduation ceremonies this week!

All ceremonies will be held at First Baptist Church of Woodstock (11905 Highway 92, Woodstock, 30188).  The ceremonies will be streamed on www.fbcw.org so family and friends who are unable to attend still can participate.

CCSD is seeking skilled Maintenance/Facility Technicians to keep our schools and offices running safely and smoothly.  More information about this opportunity is at http://bit.ly/CCSDfactech.  CCSD offers employees excellent compensation and benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team.  Join the #CCSDfam & apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net  Questions about this opportunity?  Contact Rocky Simpson via email at rocky.simpson@cherokeek12.net or by phone at 770.721.8452.

CCSD is offering a special to-go free meal service for all students on the last day of school! 

Meal pick up will be Friday, May 28, in a designated area of your child’s school (car rider or bus lane) at a designated time.  Here are the locations and times for this distribution: http://bit.ly/CCSDmeals528.

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.  

Cherokee County School District recognized its inaugural Coach of the Year this week by surprising the winner, Matt Cates of Cherokee HS, with a plaque and gifts from sponsors.

Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Golden Apple Award presented to top teachers this week by the Gamma Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International!  

Twelve CCSD schools were invited to recognize an honoree this year, and they are: Katelyn Sugar of Arnold Mill ES, Beth Smith of Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, Laura Wagner of Bascomb ES, Liane Moler of E.T. Booth MS, Heather Barton of Etowah HS, Lacy Savage of Free Home ES, Morgann Anderson of Indian Knoll ES, Meredith Rocker of Johnston ES, Janet Marotte of Knox ES STEM Academy,  Kristin Covington of Mountain Road ES, Stephanie Collett of R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, Rachel LaChine of Sequoyah HS.

The Cherokee County School District celebrated National School Nurse Appreciation Day with the presentation of its inaugural Nurse of the Year Awards!

The top school nurse selected for each Innovation Zone (a high school and its feeder schools) was surprised with award presentations on Monday and today.  They now advance to a CCSD Nurse of the Year Award program, with the winner to be selected by a panel of nursing professionals and retired educators and announced at a new professional development event for school nurses this summer.  

We’re proud of our CCSD family’s dedicated teachers … and every week, you’ll get to know one of them better through a Q&A posted here. #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

Monday, May 24th at 9:30am Seniors of the Warrior Nation… let’s celebrate your graduation by remembering where it all began! Join your previous teachers and staff at your former elementary school and be cheered on by future Warriors as you walk the halls. Remember to Mask Up and Wear Your Cap & Gown! Line Up Will Begin at 9am. When you arrive on campus, staff will be there to direct you.

The May 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes important end-of-year updates and reminders and a message from the Superintendent.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.  #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating future educators this month!

High schools are holding “signing day” events as part of Teacher Appreciation Month to honor graduating seniors who plan to pursue careers in education.

Thirty-five Cherokee County School District students earned honors through the 2020-21 Georgia PTA Reflections fine arts contest! 

The annual competition offers students in all grades and abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts.  Students can earn recognition at the School, District, State and National levels.  This year's theme was “I Matter Because …”

A Cherokee County School District teacher has earned a statewide award recognizing educators as heroes!

Grace Ed Technologies today, National Teacher Appreciation Day, announced the three winners of its 2021 Teacher Heroes Awards including Cherokee High School teacher and coach Jeremy Law.

Please see the message below from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower:

Every teacher, whether in his second year or in her 30th year, has them saved.

These treasures take many forms: the handmade cards with imperfect spelling and perfect love, the well-worn first “best teacher” mug turned pens holder and the shiny new one filled with coffee, the dried store-bought carnation and the dried playground dandelion.

Eleven CCSD seniors have been selected for the prestigious Georgia Scholar recognition, State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced Thursday.

All six CCSD high schools made the U.S. News and World Report’s “Best High Schools” list for 2021, which was released by the publication this week.   Creekview HS led the county in the rankings at number 2,342 out of 24,000 high schools in the country; five of CCSD’s high schools – Creekview, Etowah, River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock – also ranked in the Top 100 in Georgia of the more than 400 high schools in the state and fell within the top 15% nationwide. 

The Cherokee County School District is seeking School Nutrition Workers for numerous schools for this school year and next school year.  This position offer competitive compensation and outstanding benefits, a schedule that follows the school calendar, and wonderful work environments and caring teams.  Apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net and selecting any of the School Nutrition Worker listings at various schools.  For more information, please contact Cassandra Higgins at cassandra.higgins@cherokeek12.net and 770.721.8419. #CCSDfam

Every school year, each CCSD high school selects one Student Delegate to the School Board to represent the student voice. One Delegate is named the Student Advisor and sits with the Board at its meetings. Meet the last one for this school year! #CCSDfam

All 2021 Graduating Seniors must review the graduation guidelines and submit a Graduation Participation Form by April 30th! 

The Cherokee County School District saluted educators Thursday night at the long-awaited 2021 Legacy Makers: CCSD Teachers of the Year Celebration.
 
The annual banquet to recognize all of CCSD’s school Teachers of the Year and to announce the overall winner is usually held in the fall.  This year’s program was delayed due to the pandemic, and additional safety measures were enacted for Thursday night including limiting guests.

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2021 STAR Students and Teachers!

The STAR, or Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, Student honor is awarded to the high school senior from each Georgia high school with the highest score on any single test date of the SAT taken by the contest deadline, who also in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.  Each honored student is invited to select their favorite teacher to be named that school’s STAR Teacher.

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 April 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.

GRADUATION UPDATE: Following a meeting this afternoon relative to graduation ceremony planning, we are pleased to announce that CCSD Class of 2021 graduating seniors will be allowed tickets for six guests to attend their ceremony next month at First Baptist Church of Woodstock.  We are very appreciative for the opportunity to expand guest capacity for this special event in light of the Governor’s change in pandemic restrictions.  The event also will be livestreamed, as it has been in years past, to allow guests who cannot attend to watch the ceremony from home.

Sixteen Cherokee County School District high school and middle school students have won seats in the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band and Orchestra.

Students audition for these selective performance opportunities.  This year's All-State Band and All-State Orchestra Events will be held virtually on Friday afternoon and Saturday. 

The Cherokee County School District has partnered with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development to provide summer employment opportunities for rising high school juniors and seniors as part of the Fourth Annual Cherokee Summer Internship Program. The interactive, mentorship-based program runs from June 7 – July 16, 2021. 

“These internships are an outstanding opportunity for our students to spend their summer break learning about careers in their community, while also earning money for their time,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We’re so thankful to the Office of Economic Development and the participating businesses for continuing to offer this program to our students.”

We are excited to share application and enrollment information about i-Grad Virtual Academy (Grades 9-12) with you.  Applications for the 2021-22 School Year open on April 1, 2021 and are due by April 30, 2021.  Students and parents must complete the online form and get at least one recommendation from their current school.  The application process will give students the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to be successful in a virtual environment.  Application decisions and notifications will begin in early May, and accepted students/parents will be contacted with enrollment information.  

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating 230 extraordinary high school students as Superintendent’s Key Scholars!  

These outstanding sophomores and juniors were recognized, through the 16th Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony held virtually on Thursday night, for scores achieved this year on the Practice SAT (PSAT) that rank them in the top 10% nationwide. 

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised of the following reminders and updates:

SPRING BREAK
CCSD schools and offices will be closed Monday, April 5, through Friday, April, 9, with classes resuming April 12.  We ask that all students and their families please follow COVID-19 safety precautions over the break, including social distancing, wearing a mask, staying home when you’re sick, and getting tested if you’re symptomatic or if you have had a close contact with someone who is positive.  If you will be travelling during the break, please review the CDC’s guidance at http://bit.ly/covidtravel21; CCSD is not requiring students quarantine due to travel, but if you choose to self-quarantine your children for this reason, please let your child’s school know.

CCSD High School 2021 Summer School will be offered from June 3-23, 2021 with options for Credit Recovery and Initial Credit as detailed below.  More detailed registration information will be released in mid-April.

CCSD is offering a special to-go free meal service for all students for Spring Break!

Meal pick up will be Friday, April 2, in a designated area of your child’s school (car rider or bus lane) at a designated time.  Location and Pick up Time by School. (https://bit.ly/CCSDmealpickup)

Cherokee County School District students are advancing to the State level of the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition!

The annual writing contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through 12 and provides an opportunity for schools to encourage writing in a variety of genres.  Each CCSD school submits a top entry for each grade level to compete at the District level.  The District winners then advance to Regional competition for the opportunity to compete statewide.

On behalf of the Superintendent, all after-school and evening extra-curricular activities for today, March 25, 2021, are cancelled due to severe weather.  Elementary School After School Program will be offered as usual.  

Clayton Elementary School’s school counselor sees her mission in three parts: to connect, to educate and to advocate.

Heather Chesnut meets and exceeds that mission with love, hope and a lot of hard work, according to her students, their families and her colleagues.  

“She is a safe haven,” one parent shared, noting her children have been strongly supported by Ms. Chesnut as they navigated through family challenges over the past two years.  “She goes above and beyond what is required of a school counselor.”

Ms. Chesnut earlier this year was selected by colleagues as the Cherokee Innovation Zone’s Counselor of the Year in recognition of her outstanding service for the past nine years, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower surprised her Tuesday with the honor that she’s the Cherokee County School District 2021 Counselor of the Year! 

On behalf of the Superintendent, as announced last week (http://bit.ly/ccsdbbb321), in addition to traditional in-person learning for the 2021-22 School Year, CCSD will continue to offer a Digital Learning option for students in Grades K-12 for the first semester (Aug. 2-Dec. 17).  Any further extension of Digital Learning will be considered in the fall. 

The Cherokee County School District Special Education Department will present its annual Agency Information Fair through a virtual event on March 31.

Parents and teachers are invited to participate to learn more about services, resources and organizations that support students with special needs.

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.

On behalf of the Superintendent, as shared with the School Board at its meeting tonight, he has announced plans for Digital Learning for next school year; high school prom; and graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2021.

CCSD high schools raised more than $145,000 this year selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win a 2021 Jeep Wrangler, donated by Shottenkirk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in Canton.  Schools sold more than 29,000 tickets to hopeful future Jeep owners, and Tuesday night Lynn Cole of Ball Ground was the lucky winner!

On behalf of the Superintendent, due to the threat of severe weather, all CCSD schools will be closed for in-person learning on Thursday, March 18, 2021.  Teachers and staff will not report to schools.  Teachers will post assignments for students in Canvas.  If your child does not have access to technology or should your household be without power due to the severe weather, makeup opportunities will be extended. A decision has not yet been made about extra-curricular activities scheduled for after school and evening.

CCSD is seeking a Boys Basketball Head Coach for Cherokee High School for the 2021-22 school year.  Head coaching experience is preferred, but not a must.  CCSD coaches also work as certified teachers; all teaching fields will be considered for this coaching position.  More information about this opportunity is at http://bit.ly/CCSDbball21.  CCSD offers employees excellent compensation and benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team.  Join the #CCSDfam & apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net  Questions about this opportunity?  Please contact Cherokee HS Athletic Director Jeremy Adams at Jeremy.adams@cherokeek12.net.

The Cherokee County School District this week will begin a new series for its Parent University program, an annual initiative focused on providing parents with expert guidance to help their children be more successful in school and in their lives overall.

For this school year's series, which begins Tuesday, March 16, and will be conducted through live sessions on Microsoft Teams, CCSD is partnering with Nathan Maynard, author of the bestselling book "Hacking School Discipline," to focus on how to build students' social-emotional competencies through restorative practices. 

For more information click here.

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) has announced the week of March 15-19, 2021 as “School Board Member Appreciation Week.” 

CCSD joins a statewide celebration this week to salute the efforts of local school board members.  As constitutional officers of Georgia, school board members are responsible for setting educational policies, employing school personnel, providing buildings and equipment, operating a transportation system and disbursing school funds.  As community leaders, school board members serve as advocates for the children in local public schools and must study, evaluate and decide what actions are in the best interest of those students.

The Cherokee County School District is successfully vaccinating employees at a districtwide event this week in collaboration with the Department of Public Health.

The two-day event began Thursday and continues today at Canton First Baptist, with a goal of vaccinating 2,850 full-time and part-time CCSD employees.  Additional employees, including substitute teachers, will be vaccinated by DPH by special priority appointments next week.

The Cherokee County School District today surprised the overall winners of its third annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards!

The awards program honors one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of CCSD’s schools, centers and central office divisions, and one overall CCSD winner is selected for each of three categories: Elementary School; Middle School/High School/Centers; Central Office.  

The Cherokee County School District is seeking an outstanding nutritionist/dietitian to serve as a School Nutrition Facilitator.  This position offer excellent compensation and benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team. 

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised we have received official confirmation that the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be administered by the Department of Public Health (DPH) to our employees during our mass vaccination event this Thursday and Friday (March 11-12).  This means that we will NOT need to close in-person learning on April 15 and 16 for a second round of vaccinations.  

On behalf of the Superintendent, all CCSD schools will be closed for in-person learning on Thursday, March 11, and Friday, March 12, 2021 in order to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to CCSD employees.  We understand this closing may create hardships, but it is the best way for our organization, in partnership with the Department of Public Health (DPH), to quickly vaccinate all interested CCSD employees as soon possible.  

The March 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.  #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

The Cherokee County School District is seeking school bus drivers for next school year!  These positions offer excellent benefits (full-time benefits for part-time work, with at least four hours of pay per day guaranteed), a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team.

Cherokee County School District’s high schools, for the 11th consecutive year, have earned top honors for outstanding Advanced Placement (AP) programs and performance that continues to exceed National and State averages!

All of CCSD’s high schools today were named Georgia 2021 AP Honor Schools for exceptional student performance and participation on AP exams, which offer students more challenging coursework and the opportunity to earn college credit.  Overall, CCSD students who took the exam earned passing scores of 3 or higher on 72% of the 4,640 tests administered last school year, as compared to 61% for Georgia and 59% nationwide.  In looking specifically at the Class of 2020, including those who did not take AP courses or exams, 32% of all CCSD graduates scored at least a 3 or higher on one exam or more, as compared to 23% for Georgia and 24% nationwide.   

The Cherokee County School District is seeking RNs or LPNs to join its team of School Nurses.  These positions offer excellent benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team.  Details are posted at http://bit.ly/CCSDnurses21  Join the #CCSDfam & apply now by clicking Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net  Sign up today for the CCSD Virtual Job Fair on March 6 to learn more and talk with a CCSD School Nurse!  Info at https://bit.ly/CCSDjobs21  

We will be finalizing yearbook orders soon, so buy a copy THIS WEEK to guarantee that you get one!

We greatly value the outstanding support staff in our schools and central office divisions, which is why we recognize them here. Please join us in thanking the 2020 Support Staff Employee of the Year for Cherokee High School: Teri Potts! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

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.  

All five of the Cherokee County School District’s 2021 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists have advanced to be named Finalists!

They are: of Cherokee HS, Dylan Iovino; of Creekview HS, Nathan Davis; of Etowah HS, Ben Willett; of River Ridge HS, Nicholas Audinet; and of Sequoyah HS, Jeremy Jeong.

Four Cherokee County School District teachers learned today that they will advance as finalists for the CCSD Teacher of the Year award!  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower visited their classrooms to make the surprise announcement that they are the top four teachers of all CCSD schools’ and centers’ Teachers of the Year.

CCSD is offering a special to-go free meal service for all students for the February Winter Break!

Meal pick up will be Friday, Feb. 12, in a designated area of your child’s school (car rider or bus lane) at a designated time.  Location and Pick up Time by School. (https://bit.ly/CCSDmealpickup)

The February 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

The Cherokee County School District today surprised the winners of its poster and video contests to seek students’ help in encouraging mask usage among their classmates.

CCSD students in grades 6-12 were invited to create and enter a short public service announcement-style video that educates students about the benefits of mask usage by students at school, and students in grades K-12 were invited to design and enter a poster promoting the same message.  The winning videos and posters will be used in CCSD schools and on CCSD websites and social media to promote student mask usage.

Sign up now! The Cherokee County School District’s annual Job Fair will be a virtual event from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 6. The event will focus on hiring teachers, bus drivers, school nurses, School Nutrition workers and more for the 2021-22 school year. Visit http://bit.ly/CCSDjobfair21 to sign up to participate. #CCSDfam

Please be advised that due to a technical error the weekly grade and attendance reports emailed to parents this morning are inaccurate. We are working to address the issue and will send new reports in as timely a manner as possible.
 

The window for school choice reassignments  for 2021-22 within the Cherokee County School District is February 1-March 1. This includes applications for CCSD STEM and Fine Arts Academies. 

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here -- congratulations to Cherokee HS 2020 Partner of the Year: MUST Ministries!

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

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that all CCSD schools will reopen for in-person learning on Monday, Jan. 25.  

Thank you for your patience during our temporary closure as we worked to return staffing levels to our operational needs.  Thank you to our teachers and support staff for their outstanding work to continue providing engaging instruction and services to students.

The Cherokee County School District's Special Education department will offer a virtual program for parents of Special Education students.

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

The January 2021 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent about the continued temporary closure of schools due to COVID-19. 

CCSD is providing a temporary pay incentive to substitutes. The incentive will begin immediately and expire May 15, 2021.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that all CCSD schools will remain temporarily closed for in-person learning through Friday, Jan. 22, with a tentative reopening date of Monday, Jan. 25.  This difficult decision was made based on continuing high levels of staff absences and substitute teacher shortages due to positive cases and quarantines, as well as the current level of community spread and its resulting impact on emergency medical services and hospitals.  

Save the Date! The Cherokee County School District’s annual Job Fair will be a virtual event from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 6. The event will focus on hiring teachers, bus drivers, school nurses and School Nutrition workers for the 2021-22 school year. We will post instructions at www.cherokeek12.net and on CCSD social media the first week of February explaining how you can sign up to participate. #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District is seeking a dynamic Cyber Security teacher to help start its first-ever Cyber Security high school career program for next school year!  This position offers a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team. Join the #CCSDfam & apply now: http://bit.ly/CCSDcyber  Questions? Contact CCSD Recruiter Lindsay.Bowley@cherokeek12.net and 770.704.4256.

On behalf of the Superintendent, this message is to advise you of changes to schoolwide communications.

All CCSD schools now are using the Canvas system for sending all schoolwide emails.  This is separate from the School Messenger system for CCSD emergency notifications.  In order to receive emails from your school, such as Principal newsletters and other important news specific to your child’s school, please be sure to set up a Canvas parent account if you have not already done so.  If you already are receiving emails through Canvas from your child’s teacher (the email will have the Canvas icon at the bottom), then you have set up a parent account and don’t need to take additional steps.  If you need to set up a Canvas parent account, please follow the instructions at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/canvas.  

Dear CCSD Families,

When we welcomed our students back for in-person learning on Wednesday to fulfill our commitment of providing the best education possible to our students, we did so with the knowledge of the state of public health in our community.

Cases are higher in our community, our state and our nation than ever before.  Health experts are voicing concerns that a new COVID-19 strain now circulating in our nation will spread faster among everyone, including school-age children.  Our hospitals are full.

The Registration Gateway system is experiencing technical issues; we have contacted the vendor to request assistance.  If you need immediate help with enrollment, please contact the registrar for your child's school by email.   The directory of registrars is online here; email addresses use the format first.name@cherokeek12.net  Please do not call today (Jan. 5) as registrars are working from home due to the districtwide Digital Learning Day. 

Dear CCSD Families, 
 
Four days ago, we welcomed a new year and new hopes for an end to COVID-19.  The hope I feel is very real, but it is not yet reality, which is why we all must continue to take COVID-19’s impact on our community, including our schools, very seriously.  We know that cases are rising, and we are closely monitoring cases among our students and staff.

Please share our new job listing for a School Psychologist -- this position offers a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team. Join the #CCSDfam & apply now: https://cherokeega.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=167 Questions? Contact CCSD Recruiter Lindsay.Bowley@cherokeek12.net and 770.704.4256.

The Cherokee County School District is sponsoring two contests to seek students’ help in encouraging mask usage among their classmates.

CCSD students in grades 6-12 are invited to create and enter a short public service announcement-style video that educates students about the benefits of mask usage by students at school, and students in grades K-12 are invited to design and enter a poster promoting the same message.  Entries for both contests are due Jan. 19 and will be judged for message, quality and creativity. 

CCSD REMINDER:

EARLY DISMISSAL ON FRIDAY, DEC. 18: All in-person CCSD high school and middle school students will be dismissed early on Friday, Dec. 18 (the early dismissal schedule is online at https://bit.ly/early1218). Elementary school After School Program is cancelled.

CCSD is offering a special to-go free meal service for all students for the December Holiday Break!

Meal pick up will be from 1-2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, at four locations only – Cherokee High, Creekview High, Etowah High and River Ridge High – and you will choose the location on your form.  You do not have to live in that school’s attendance area to pick up there.

The Cherokee County School Board has earned top state honors for exemplary leadership and innovation practices.

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) has awarded the Cherokee County School Board its 2020 Exemplary School Board designation.  The statewide recognition program honors school boards that consistently meet standards of excellence and model best practices; it is a three-tiered program, and Exemplary is the highest level of achievement.  In order to earn this status, school boards must demonstrate commitment to

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. 

DIGITAL LEARNING DAY ON TUESDAY, JAN. 5: Due to the planned use of our schools that serve as polling sites for the General Election runoff vote, we will not hold in-person school on Tuesday, Jan. 5, which was to be the first day back at school after the Winter Break. Instead, in-person students will participate in a Digital Learning Day and complete their lessons at home online using Canvas and Microsoft Teams; teachers and staff will be working at their schools. This change will not impact students already enrolled in Digital Learning.

The December 2020 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent about changes to COVID-19 precautionary quarantine protocols and two changes to the school calendar.  Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner.  #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

Today is National Educational Support Professionals Day... thank you to all CCSD employees who support our teachers and students by keeping our schools safe, healthy and operating smoothly. #CCSDfam #CCSDunited #EducationalSupportProfessionalsDay

On behalf of the Superintendent, this message is to update you to the fact that the number of COVID-19 cases in both Cherokee County and across the country is on the rise, and what happens outside of our schools impacts what happens inside our schools and our ability to keep schools open.  

CCSD is offering a special to-go free meal service for all students for Thanksgiving Break!

Meal pick up will be from 4-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at two locations only – Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy in Canton and Carmel ES in Woodstock – and you will choose the location on your form.  You do not have to live in that school’s attendance area to pick up there.

CCSD School Nutrition will offer a special meal pick-up on Friday, Nov. 20, for free meals for the week of Thanksgiving Break!  

This service, funded by USDA grants, is open to all CCSD students and to any child age 0-18.  

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate has hit a new high, topping 90% for the first time in recent years with 90.3% of the Class of 2020 earning a diploma within four years of entering high school.  

The CCSD graduation rate is an increase from 86.9% achieved by the Class of 2019, according to a new report from the Georgia Department of Education released today.  All six CCSD high schools reported higher grad rates for the Class of 2020, with Creekview HS reporting the top rate of 96.2%.

Please share this information … we’re seeking more school bus drivers to join our CCSD family!  To apply: Click Jobs@CCSD at www.CherokeeK12.net.  For more information, please contact CCSD Recruitment Coordinator Lindsay Bowley at Lindsay.Bowley@cherokeek12.net and 770.704.4256. #CCSDfam

On behalf of the Superintendent, Digital Learning will be extended as a learning choice for the second semester (Jan. 5 – May 28, 2021) for all elementary school students and Special Education preschool and PreK students currently enrolled in the program.  Parents of students currently enrolled in Digital Learning for these grades will receive a separate email later today with a link to the online declaration form that is due by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, 2020.  
 
 

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 November 2020 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent.

On behalf of the Superintendent, this is to advise that Friday, Oct. 30, 2020 extra-curricular practices, games and events can occur as planned.  We know you join us in our concern for CCSD families who experienced storm damage as well as our CCSD students who have not had access to free school meals during our closure.  We maintain a list of resources for food and general assistance on our website bulletin board at http://bit.ly/CCSDbboard.  Please contact these agencies if you need help, or if you can support them through financial donations and/or by volunteering.

With multiple school power outages still ongoing likely through tomorrow morning and over 20 roads still impassible throughout the County, Cherokee County School District will be closed Friday, October 30. This will not be a Digital Learning Day due to the remaining widespread power outages.  A decision to allow Friday extracurricular events will be made mid-day based upon local conditions. 

On behalf of the Superintendent of Schools, this is to announce that due to the National Weather Service Tropical Storm Warning and likely associated hazardous wind and flooding conditions during the early morning hours tomorrow, Cherokee County School District will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020.  This will not be a Digital Learning Day due to the likely event of expected widespread power outages throughout the morning.  A decision to allow Thursday extracurricular events will be made mid-day based upon local conditions. #SafeCherokee

Cherokee County School District schools have earned more than $10,000 in this fall’s Bright Ideas Grants!

The competitive Bright Ideas Grants are awarded by Amicalola EMC to the most innovative ideas from schools in their service area.  Fifteen CCSD projects won a total of $10,841 in this season’s cycle of funding, which was presented to recipients this month.

CCSD recognized its school bus drivers on Tuesday morning with a drive-through breakfast and gifts.  CCSD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower visited with drivers at two bus maintenance facilities, passing out Chick-fil-A biscuits and goody bags from sponsors. 

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 District Class of 2020 earned average ACT scores that topped National and State results and continued to rank among Georgia’s top 10 county school systems!

Volunteers make a positive difference in our schools, which is why we spotlight one here every week ... congratulations to Cherokee High School 2020 Volunteer of the Year James Butler! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised of several important decisions in regard to CCSD school operations:

• HYBRID MODEL: The three high schools currently operating on a hybrid model – Creekview, Etowah and Woodstock High Schools – all will resume traditional in-person instruction (five days a week) beginning Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 (Monday, Oct. 12, is a scheduled school holiday for all students/professional development day for teachers and staff).  This decision does not affect students currently enrolled in Digital Learning. 

The October 2020 edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and contains important information including updates on school operations for this month.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

School and community leaders celebrated the official opening of Mountain Education Charter High School's Cherokee County location Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce.  Mountain Ed's Cherokee satellite, located in the Etowah East building on the Etowah HS campus, currently has 144 students enrolled in the alternative evening program. 

Additional information about the Class of 2020’s SAT results was recently released by the Georgia Department of Education.  CCSD’s average score of 1100 ranks 3^rd among Metro Atlanta counties and places the district 12^th overall in the state, out of 180 school districts (top 10%).  When compared to school districts that test at least 500 students, CCSD is 4^th overall.  All six CCSD high schools fell in the top 20% of high schools statewide when comparing average composite scores. 

A Cherokee County School District employee on Friday will donate a kidney to a Cherokee High School student who she had never met until learning of her urgent need.

If your student(s) is/are enrolled in Digital Learning or hybrid learning, we are pleased to offer to-go meal service for them! 

Meal pick up will be Monday, Sept. 28, in a designated area of your child’s school (car rider or bus lane) at a designated time.  Please contact your school nutrition manager for specific locations and serving times: CCSD School Nutrition Manager Contact Information

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating outstanding school community partners through its Seventh Annual CCSD Partner of the Year awards!

Through the annual program, every CCSD school selects a Partner of the Year to honor.  From that pool of outstanding partners, a committee of retired educators and community leaders selects an overall CCSD 2020 Partner of the Year.

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.

Dear #CCSDfam,

We’re nearing the end of our seventh week of school with Fall Break ahead of us.  I hope this holiday allows our students and staff and all of their families time to rest, relax and recharge.

Whether you’re taking a vacation out of town or a staycation in Cherokee County, please keep your health and the health of your entire community in mind.

CCSD School Nutrition will not offer to-go-meal service on Monday, Sept. 21, as CCSD schools will be closed for Fall Break.  You will receive an email the morning of Thursday, Sept. 24, with an online order form that is due by 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25, for to-go meal pick-up on Monday, Sept. 28.  If you need food assistance during Fall Break, please contact one of the community food banks serving Cherokee County, which we have listed on our website at http://bit.ly/ccsdhealthinfo  Reminder: All CCSD families who think they may qualify for free or reduced-price meals are asked to please complete the online application at www.lunchapplication.com.  This approval will be needed to receive free and reduced-price meals after the temporary USDA program providing free meals to all students ends on Dec. 31.

The Cherokee County School District has surprised the overall winners of its second annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards!

The awards program honors one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of CCSD’s schools, centers and central office divisions, and one overall CCSD winner is selected for each of three categories: Elementary School; Middle School/High School/Centers; Central Office.  These overall winners are selected by a committee of retired educators and community leaders.  

Seventeen Cherokee County School District students placed in the 2019-20 Georgia PTA Reflections fine arts contest!

The annual contest gives students in all grades and abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts for the opportunity to earn recognition at the School, District, State and National levels.  This year's theme was “Look Within.”

What's cooking, #CCSDfam? 

If you're a CCSD parent who loves to cook, please enter our second annual CCSD School Nutrition Parent Recipe Contest ... you could win a $100 Visa gift card and see your side-dish recipe featured on CCSD school lunch menus in October! 

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2020 outscored State and National averages on the SAT, according to results released this week by the College Board.

The CCSD Class of 2020 earned an average total score of 1100 on the curriculum-based college entrance and placement exam, which exceeds the National public school average by 70 points and the State by 57 points.

Five Cherokee County School District high school seniors today were named 2021 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists!

They are: of Cherokee HS, Dylan Iovino; of Creekview HS, Nathan Davis; of Etowah HS, Ben Willett; of River Ridge HS, Nicholas Audinet; and of Sequoyah HS, Jeremy Jeong.

UPDATE 10/14/2020: More great news for CCSD families ... the USDA funding for free school meals for all students has been extended through the end of the school year!

Cherokee County School District families are receiving a new form of economic stimulus: free school meals for all students!

CCSD School Nutrition beginning Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 will not charge any fees to any students for breakfasts or lunches through Dec. 31, 2020 (the end date is dependent on available funding), based on extended meal service flexibilities from the USDA.  There are no forms to complete or income eligibility requirements for this federally funded temporary relief program.  

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that he has decided to extend Digital Learning for elementary school students for the second nine-week grading period, which ends Dec. 18, 2020.

Parents/guardians of elementary school students currently enrolled in Digital Learning (kindergarten through fifth grade; and Special Education preschool and PreK) must complete a declaration form by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11; a link to the form will be emailed to them separately this afternoon.  

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating outstanding school volunteers through its Seventh Annual CCSD Volunteer of the Year awards!

Through the annual program, every CCSD school selects a Volunteer of the Year to honor.  From that pool of exceptional school volunteers, a committee made up of retired educators and community leaders selects an overall CCSD 2020 Volunteer of the Year.  This year’s winner is Brian Tomalavage, the Free Home Elementary School Volunteer of the Year!

The September edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter and includes a message from the Superintendent as well as news and updates. Thank you to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

The Cherokee County School District has named the 2020-21 Student Advisor and Student Delegates to the School Board.

The School Board has included a Student Advisor position on its board since 1999, and for the past 10 years, a Student Delegate from each high school also has been selected.  These students serve for one year to give input and feedback to the School Board; the advisor role is rotated among the district’s high schools

We need dedicated substitute teachers to keep our in-person classrooms open as we continue providing this essential service to the children of our community.  Please sign up today so we can invite you to a training session.  Apply online at https://bit.ly/JobsCCSD  #CCSDfam  #CCSDunited

Microsoft Education has recognized 42 Cherokee County School District teachers and staff as instructional technology experts!

They have been named to the 2020-2021 class of Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts.  The technology company selects educators, support staff and school leaders who show exceptional understanding of how technology can improve learning for this recognition, which includes access to new tools and an exclusive online network for sharing best practices.

On behalf of the Superintendent, Cherokee High School classes are closed today (Friday, Aug. 21, 2020) effective immediately due to a water main break. This break has affected several other schools and city officials do not expect a quick repair. The CHS campus is too large to cover with available water buffalo systems, making it unsafe to operate schools today. Students already on campus can eat breakfast. Buses will be returning students home as quickly as possible.  There will not be online instruction provided as teachers and staff also cannot work on campus.  Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Our Principals are dedicated leaders, and we’ll be introducing you over the coming days to Principals who are new to the role or who are serving at new schools this year.  Please help us celebrate Cherokee High School’s new leader: Rodney Larrotta! 

Many of our students rely upon and look forward to our cafeteria’s homemade breakfasts and lunches and award-winning Farm to School recipes.  Our School Nutrition workers and lunchroom monitors are the everyday heroes who make this essential service happen!  Please consider signing up to serve as a substitute worker.  More information and the applications (look for Future Openings forms for each of these jobs) are online at https://bit.ly/JobsCCSD #CCSDfam #CCSDunited

CCSD’s school nurses are superheroes, and these dedicated essential workers need back-up as we continue to offer in-person school. 

Cherokee County School District teachers and staff were welcomed to work for the sixth day of school with sweet surprises from a new organization dedicated to encouraging them and lifting the entire community’s spirits.

The following message is from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower:

Today is the fifth day of school – and, this year, that is an amazing milestone.

As I said when we began the week, we would not have been able to reopen schools in person, simultaneously launch a new Digital Learning program and start the school year on time without your patience, grace, flexibility and support.

Visit: https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/CherokeeHighSchool or download the MealViewer mobile app! You'll see menus, nutrition info, photos, and links to meal payment and application sites!

The following message is from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower:

Today we began the first day of a school year unlike any ever before – and we succeeded because of you.

Welcome back Warriors! Please follow our first week bell schedule! 

CCSD Back-to-School Updates & Reminders: 

The CCSD Back to School Gateway at https://bit.ly/CCSDb2s now is open!  Whether your CCSD student is returning in-person or learning online, we need you to please complete the Gateway “first day forms” as soon as possible.  The Gateway includes updating emergency contacts, confirming transportation plans, signing up for free and reduced price lunch, and much more.  To use the Gateway, you will need your child’s Student ID (the code they use in the cafeteria and to log in to computers) and GTID (the longer code on your child’s report card); if you don’t have these, your child’s school can provide them to you.

CCSD utilizes both Windows and Chromebook devices which allow students to access all the resources needed for their daily schoolwork. Lower cost brands to consider include Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, etc. Minimal specifications are provided below. If your student needs a little more power based on their interests, upgrades are always available. Always ask if there are student discounts; and, if you are an educator, ask for an education discount.

CCSD is ready for the new school year with 500 temporary substitute teachers signed up to serve ... but we've heard from more who want to join us! 

We're opening up three training sessions next month - on Aug. 7, 10 and 13 - for community members who want to work as substitute teachers.  Spaces are limited, so sign up now at https://bit.ly/JobsCCSD

#CCSDunited

Updated photo galleries from CCSD graduations held July 23-26 can be viewed at https://www.cherokeek12.net/gallery.  Those who wish to purchase DVDs or digital downloads of any of the high school graduation ceremonies can do so online at https://cherokeecountygrad.com/

It’s one week until the first day of school for CCSD on Aug. 3, 2020!  Please check out the July edition of the CCSD Connections newsletter at https://bit.ly/CCSDconnections, which includes important back-to-school info and a message from the Superintendent.  Don’t forget to visit the Back-to-School Gateway at https://bit.ly/CCSDb2s when it opens July 29, as we need the parents of all students – both in-person and Digital Learning – to update emergency contacts and provide other important “first day forms” information. #CCSDunited
 

On behalf of the Superintendent, please see the following announcements:

• The Cherokee County School Board at its meeting tonight made no changes to the current CCSD Reopening of School Plan at https://bit.ly/CCSDplan20.  The School Board unanimously approved CCSD’s annual budget, which includes significant investments in our reopening plan including more than $4 Million in additional health and safety measures.  You can read the Board Business Briefs recap at https://bit.ly/CCSDbbb71620.    

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 District has launched a Fact vs. Fiction webpage!  

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that we have made updates to the CCSD Reopening of School FAQs which is posted online at https://bit.ly/CCSDfaqs20.

CCSD's Summer Feeding Program will add weekend meals to the food distributions for the final two dates (July 13 and July 20), increasing the meals per child from 5 days of breakfast and lunch to 7 days.  Cherokee HS site will also have 200 boxes of fresh produce to give away the next two pickup days, one box per family.  The produce boxes are made possible through USDA's Farmers to Families program.  Meal distribution sites, times and guidelines are on the website here.

Dear #CCSDfam,
 
I begin this message by expressing gratitude: thank you to the School Board for its unanimous approval tonight of our CCSD Reopening of School Plan, thank you to the citizens who attended to share their opinions and thank you to those who, instead of attending, emailed or called to share their thoughts.  You can read a recap of tonight’s meeting online at https://bit.ly/CCSDbbb7920. 

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.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that Cherokee County School Board Chair Kyla Cromer has called for a School Board meeting to be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 9, 2020 to consider approval of the Superintendent’s recommended CCSD Reopening of School Plan. 

Dear #CCSDfam,

It’s been awhile since we could say we’re bringing you good news, but I hope many of you will see this message as such.
 
Working with our graduation host, First Baptist Church of Woodstock, we are excited to announce a plan that will allow us to accommodate up to two guests per Class of 2020 graduating senior for our in-person ceremonies, as scheduled (https://bit.ly/CCSD2020), later this month.  Graduating seniors will receive an email in their CCSD account from their Principal later this month with instructions on ticketing for guests and arrival.

Dear CCSD Parents/Guardians: 

This is just a reminder that, if you have not already, please complete the CCSD return-to-school questionnaire by 5 p.m. Monday, June 29.  The message we emailed to you on Monday, including a link to the questionnaire, is posted at https://bit.ly/CCSD62220.  You need your child’s student ID and a unique code to complete it; these were sent to you on Monday in a separate email from “no.reply@cherokee.k12.ga.us”

Dear #CCSDfam 

We are sending the message below to all of our high school students, many of whom have reached out to us with concerns about the issues of diversity, equity and tolerance.  We’re sharing this message with not only the parents of our high school students, but also the parents of all of our students, so you will be aware of its contents and can consider having a conversation at home about this topic.  We are very aware of where our role ends and where yours begins, and that we must work together to help our students succeed.  

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.

Six Cherokee County School District Class of 2020 graduates have earned scholarships from ABM Industry Groups LLC.

If you have not completed your 2020 U.S. Census Survey, there is still time!  95% of households receive their census invitation in the mail (these were sent in March, with reminders sent in April).  As of June 14, 62% of Cherokee County residents have responded (compared to 57% in Georgia and 61% across the U.S.).  Every household has the option of responding online, by mail or by phone.  Households that have not responded may receive a visit from a census worker between Aug. 11 and Oct. 31 to help complete the form and ensure everyone is counted.  For more about the census and how the data is used, go to www.2020census.gov

Cherokee County School District middle and high school students competed at the Georgia 4-H Northwest District Project Achievement Competition, with five earning first-place honors.

Thirty-eight CCSD students in grades 7-12 participated in the event, competing in a field of 582 students.  For the contest, students choose an area of interest, research it, create a portfolio and make a presentation.  Students are judged on their presentation and their portfolio, which includes their project work, as well as information about their leadership and citizenship activities and community service.

Dear #CCSDfam, 

In any other time, a potential 11% cut in State education funding would not be a cause for optimism, but we are in challenging times.  As the initial forecast called us to brace for a 14% cut and a $32 Million loss for our School District, we are grateful for the 3% difference now projected by the Governor.

Dear #CCSDfam, 

One of the best parts of my role as your Superintendent is visiting our schools to see our students and educators working together.

Dear #CCSDfam,

Over the summer break, our high school campuses usually stay busy as student athletes and coaches prepare for fall sports.

Two Cherokee County School District Class of 2020 graduates have earned special National Merit Scholarships awarded by universities!

Cherokee High School graduate Anna DeYoung has won a National Merit Scholarship from the University of Georgia; Creekview High School graduate Jack Eno has won a National Merit Scholarship from the University of Mississippi.  

At the close of the school year, CCSD presents its Annual Scholar Recognition Banquet to recognize the graduating class’s valedictorians and salutatorians.  The event is made even more memorable through tribute speeches by the students to honor their most influential teacher, and the speeches those teachers then give about their students.  

REMINDER: The summer schedule for our #CCSDserves to-go meal distribution by CCSD School Nutrition begins Monday, June 1!  Some locations and times have changed – check the flier above for details.  Please remember: a child must be present to receive a bag; do not come sick; do not stay at the site after picking up food.  More information is posted at bit.ly/CCSDserves  Thank you! #CCSDfam

Dear #CCSDfam,

The message below is to our graduating Class of 2020 seniors.  I am sharing it with all of you, for I know you hold in your hearts the same hopes as I do for their success.  You can see each of their names posted on our website at https://bit.ly/CCSD2020.

7/4/2020 UPDATE: Graduates will be permitted up to two guests. Details: https://www.cherokeek12.net/News/message7420

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2020, made up of 3,035 students, will celebrate the end of its senior year today!

CCSD high schools will host senior parades from 7 to 9 p.m. today (May 29) to celebrate with students and their families.  Students will be able to pick up, via a drive-through station, their diplomas and special recognition items.  Students are encouraged to wear their caps and gowns.

Four longtime Cherokee County School District leaders have retired this year following successful careers of service to the community.

Congratulations to this year’s retiring senior staff: Deputy Superintendent and Chief Operations Officer Trey Olson, Executive Director for Administrative Leadership Beth P. Long, Director of Facility Maintenance Ronald Barnes, and Supervisor of Facility Maintenance Randy Evans.

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating its educators and support staff who are retiring after exemplary service!

The Cherokee County School District congratulates its School Board Delegates on completing their year of service!

For the past 20 years, the School Board has invited an outstanding high school senior to serve a one-year term as its Student Advisor; and the program later expanded to include a senior Student Delegate from each high school.  The Advisor role rotates among CCSD’s high schools; all of the Delegates are asked to give input and feedback to the School Board.

To help parents keep their children on track for a great start back to school, CCSD has created a Summer Learning Adventure website of vetted resources for students of all ages!

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.

Congratulations to the valedictorians and salutatorians for the Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2020!

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating four of its outstanding special education team members!

Four members of the Department of Special Education received its top annual honors during a ceremony on Monday held virtually online.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised of the following updates:

GRADUATES: The Superintendent has authorized a special #2020CCSDGrads recognition for the Class of 2020 on Friday, May 29.  As part of the last weekly observance when our high school football stadiums are illuminated for 20 minutes at 8:20 p.m. (20:20 military time) on Fridays, we will hold Class of 2020 parades at the schools from 7 to 9 p.m.  Principals will send more information about this event to the parents of seniors.  Graduates will drive through a pick-up area for honor cords, medals and other special regalia and, as a gift to every senior from their Principal, each will receive an embroidered school patch to affix to their keepsake graduation robes.  These patches, which have adhesive backing, feature the same design as those on the rental gowns used for past commencement ceremonies.

Two Cherokee County School District Class of 2020 graduating seniors are on their way to earning impressive wings!

Cherokee High School’s Patrick Dahlen and Jackson King have accepted appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, one of the nation’s prestigious and extremely competitive U.S. Service Academies.  

Five Cherokee County School District Class of 2020 graduating seniors are headed to our nation’s elite U.S. Service Academies!

Acceptance to one on the country’s elite military academies is a prestigious honor, as enrollment is very limited with appointees selected based on excellent records of academic performance, athletic achievement, leadership skills and community service.  

The Cherokee County School District has earned national recognition for its effective use of educational technology!

The District has been selected by the District Administration educational leadership organization as the Districts of Distinction award winner in the Educational Technology category.  

Fifteen Cherokee County School District graduating seniors have been recognized with a top State honor!

The Georgia Department of Education identifies and honors high school seniors who have achieved excellence in school and community life as Georgia Scholars, a title that only 295 seniors statewide have earned this year.  Georgia Scholars receive a special diploma seal.

A Cherokee High School Class of 2020 graduating senior has won the 2020 Maritza Mott Scholarship!

Two Cherokee County School District graduating seniors have earned new college scholarships from a community foundation!

The winners of the inaugural college scholarships, which are $5,000 each, from the Jason T. Dickerson Family Foundation are: Will Howe of Cherokee High School and Katelynn Cornette of Creekview High School.

Dear #CCSDfam,

A school in the first week of May overflows with joy and appreciation.  

Children march through the door carrying carefully wrapped packages – plenty of coffee mugs, yes, but also handmade treasures.  Teachers enjoy catered lunches and desserts baked up by PTA volunteers.  Hallways glitter with Teacher Appreciation Week posters, and the celebration spills over to social media, where we scroll through tributes to teachers of today and yesterday.

The Cherokee County School District will offer online summer school from June 3-23 for high school students.

A Cherokee High School senior has earned a National Merit Special Scholarship!

Rachel Gooch has won the ADP Henry Taub Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by ADP Foundation and named for the company’s late founder, who believed in the “invaluable benefits of higher education.”  She will be attending the University of Georgia to major in art history.

Dear #CCSDfam,

We lined up in the warm gym, waiting in the alphabetical order we knew by heart.  We scanned the crowded bleachers for familiar faces, including the permitted three we knew best.  And though my only role was to walk across a stage and accept my diploma, my palms stayed anxiously damp.

Due to high interest, the CHS Yearbook staff is ordering a limited number of additional yearbooks. 

If you are interested in purchasing one, you can order at www.yearbookordercenter.com (our school code is 10538). 

Please note that the price is $100 and this additional order of books will not be available until August. 

The deadline to order is Friday, May 1st.

ABM Industry Group LLC will award one $1,000 college scholarship to a Class of 2020 graduating senior from each of CCSD's six high schools. Completed applications and references are due by May 29, 2020. The application and reference form are online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/bulletin-board-2 #CCSDfam

Dear #CCSDfam,

Amid the memes floating around, there’s one reminding us “we’re not all in the same boat” in this sea change.

While online learning is working well for many students and families, it is not for all.  We see this in system data; technology requests; teacher and parent feedback; and in our survey results, especially the thousands of comments from students and parents.  

If you ordered a yearbook, you WILL receive it. Because of social distancing & shelter in place orders at the printing facility & in GA, delivery & distribution of the yearbook may be delayed. We are making plans for the best & safest way to distribute the books - we will communicate those details as soon as possible.

The School Board on Thursday evening also approved monthly personnel recommendations, which included the appointment of new assistant principals and a new head girls basketball coach for Creekview HS.  

The new assistant principals are filling vacancies created by retirements, advancements and enrollment growth.

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.

Dear #CCSDfam,

We have learned many lessons over the past month, and some of those have been lessons re-learned.

Like that our school families connect and strengthen even if our buildings are closed.  Our children show us their resilience, their optimism — their best, when put to the test.  And that it sometimes is hard to see the rainbow beyond the storm clouds, but it’s still there.
 

Liberty Elementary School, a national School of Character, is committed to service learning, and that mission has not stopped during the school closure.

Liberty’s Student Leadership Team, prior to the closing of schools last month, launched a school initiative to help stock the Cherokee High School “Care Pantry.”  This pantry, which complements the MUST Ministries food pantry housed at Cherokee HS, provides students in need and their families with basic household items and toiletries.  

Dear #CCSDfam,

Grace. This word has become a mantra for me and for my leadership team over the last three weeks. It defines how I expect all of our employees to always treat students, parents and each other, and especially so in this challenging time.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that Gov. Brian Kemp has extended his closure of all schools statewide through the close of the school year.  This announcement also cancels all events scheduled to take place at CCSD schools, all CCSD special events and extra-curricular activities, and all community leases of CCSD facilities through May 31, 2020.   Over the coming days, the Superintendent and staff will develop recommendations for School Board approval regarding operations and programming for the remainder of the year.  This will include time-sensitive topics such as the completion of the academic year, final grades and graduation.  In the interim, CCSD will continue Digital Learning Days; Spring Break (April 6-10) will be observed as scheduled with no Digital Learning Days. #SafeCherokee

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that CCSD’s Office of Technology is ending its successful distribution of CCSD laptops for students to borrow for use during the school closure.  This distribution initially was only to take place on the last day of classes at schools on March 13, but Technology staff have worked hard to continue the process to meet students’ needs.  CCSD has distributed 3,112 devices to students and will fulfill another 500 pending requests by Friday.  If you are a CCSD parent and your child is without any access to any device on which to do their Digital Learning Days assignments, please notify your child’s teacher by 5 p.m. today, March 31, 2020.  If Technology is unable to fulfill your request, staff will let your child’s teacher know immediately so you can make other arrangements.

Dear #CCSDfam, 
 
While we know the past week has not been easy, and the news that Georgia’s schools will remain closed through April 24 caused many families more stress, I am filled with hope.

CCSD is partnering with Mountain Education Charter High School for its evening high school program beginning in June … and more employees are needed to staff the program!

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that the Governor has extended the statewide closure of all schools, including the Cherokee County School District, through April 24, 2020.  The Governor said he will make a decision prior to April 24 as to whether schools will re-open this school year.  This extended closure also means all events scheduled to take place at CCSD schools, all CCSD special events and extra-curricular activities and all community leases of CCSD facilities are cancelled through April 24.  CCSD will continue Digital Learning Days through April 3 and then again from April 13-24; Spring Break will be observed as scheduled from April 6-10 with no Digital Learning Days.  Also during this extended closure, CCSD will continue providing technology, Canvas and other learning support, as well as the #CCSDserves to-go meal program.  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower again expressed how much he appreciates the dedication of our students, parents and employees during this challenging time: we are here to support you -- we are all in this together. #CCSDfam

Dear #CCSDfam, 
 
Our entire CCSD family continues to impress me as we navigate through this storm together.

Online teaching and learning continues to strengthen, as our teachers gauge success and trade best practices, and as our students and families adjust to this challenge and develop new routines.  We continue to loan technology to students in need and provide technology and Canvas support.  We know online teaching and learning isn’t easy – we are here to help you succeed. 

Please share our new job listing for CCSD School Nutrition culinary specialist!  This professional will assist with planning and developing culinary processes for our School Nutrition Program. This position offers a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits (including State Health Benefit Plan & Teachers Retirement System), a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team. Job description & minimum qualifications posted at https://bit.ly/ccsdjob32320 Questions? Contact CCSD Recruiter Lindsay.Bowley@Cherokeek12.net. Join the #CCSDfam & apply now: http://bit.ly/jobsCCSD

Dear #CCSDfam, 

I have never been as proud to serve as your Superintendent as I have been this week.

Our CCSD community always rises to overcome challenges and meet needs, whether it’s a family devastated by a house fire or a student who can’t afford eyeglasses.  And our students and educators always impress me with their daily hard work that has resulted in admirable academic, athletic, and artistic accomplishments.

The Cherokee County School Board tonight heard plans to further extend the closure of all Cherokee County School District schools and offices through the previously scheduled Spring Break. 

Basketball season officially came to a close for CCSD’s high school seniors last Tuesday night, as they played their final high school games together March 10 at Creekview High School in the Varsity Brands Senior Classic.  Senior players made the most of the evening, cutting up and having fun, taking a few playful shots at each other as well as the rim.

CCSD is expanding its school closure to-go student meals program to include additional sites and to extend to Spring Break.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said, although CCSD will not earn federal funding reimbursement for the additional sites or for feeding students during spring break, it is the right thing to do.

A local nonprofit foundation is sponsoring two new college scholarships for CCSD students!

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that the Governor has mandated school closures through March 31, 2020. (https://gov.georgia.gov/document/2020-executive-order/03162001/download) This will extend CCSD’s current Digital Learning Days by two more days. We will keep you updated on any further extensions.

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) has announced the week of March 16-20, 2020 as “School Board Member Appreciation Week.” 

Dear Parents:

On behalf of the Superintendent, this message is to update you on resources you may need during the two-week closure of CCSD schools from Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, March 27, 2020.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised that all Cherokee County School District schools and offices will be closed for two weeks from Monday, March 16, 2020 through Friday, March 27, 2020.  We will use Digital Learning Days during this closure to continue teaching and learning.

The Cherokee County School District for the third consecutive year has earned 4.5 stars on the state's Financial Efficiency Star Rating. This score is among the best ratings in the State-- only 10 other school districts of the 180 in Georgia earned a 4.5..  

A Cherokee High School student has won a regional essay contest!

The latest issue of our CCSD Connections parent newsletter is online now: https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter Thanks to Credit Union of Georgia for its sponsorship! #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District is kicking off its new partnership with Mountain Education Charter High School, with classes set to begin in Woodstock this summer.

The Cherokee County School Board recently unanimously approved contracting with Mountain Ed to take over CCSD’s evening high school program, currently known as Polaris Evening Program.  Beginning in June, Mountain Ed will run the evening school program at the Etowah East building on the Etowah HS campus, and expand services using the same successful model already in place in counties across north Georgia.  Just as with Polaris, there will be no charge to students to enroll in evening classes with Mountain Ed; classes are open to students ages 15-21, and to age 22 for special education students.

Join us on this amazing 9 day tour of France, Switzerland, and Germany this summer! Enroll today for only $95! Enrollment window closes March 18, so don't delay! 

It's National School Social Work Week! Shout out to CCSD’s four social workers who assist the families of our 42,000 students! They are on pace to work 1,000 referrals and serve 220 homeless students. Stay tuned this week as we highlight our social workers. #CCSDfam #CCSDcares

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 2020 Cherokee High School Teacher of the Year Tracie Galvis!

The Cherokee County School District recognized 318 extraordinary high school juniors as Superintendent’s Key Scholars! 

During the 15th Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony held on Wednesday at Cherokee High School, these outstanding students were recognized for their scores achieved on the Practice SAT (PSAT).  The program was sponsored by Cobb EMC and LGE Community Credit Union.

The Cherokee County Council PTA has set the schedule for its Parent University program presented in collaboration with CCSD and community partners.

Cherokee High School Media Specialist Anne Nechvatal will have to find wall space to display another honor, as the past Georgia Media Specialist of the Year has earned the Cherokee County School District’s title again! 

Tickets go on sale February 26 - March 18 on the main campus during all lunches

Today is PTA Day in CCSD, as proclaimed by the Cherokee County School Board! We appreciate our PTA and its volunteers who give so much of their time, talent, treasure and hearts to support our students, staff and schools. More: http://bit.ly/PTAday20 #CCSDfam

CCSD is partnering for the third year with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development to offer the 2020 Summer Internship Program for high school students! Learn more here about this six-week program to learn & earn this summer. #CherokeeByChoice

The Cherokee County School District on Thursday conducted a multi-agency emergency response drill to practice school evacuation and reunification plans.

The drill was held during the winter break to avoid disrupting classes, with activity taking place at Cherokee High School in Canton, CCSD’s offices in Canton, and First Baptist Church of Woodstock.  Hundreds of law enforcement and public safety officers, volunteer role-players including students and parents, and CCSD employees worked together to act out an emergency scenario at the school, evacuation of the school, and reunification of students and staff with their families at the church.

Please be advised that a multi-agency emergency response drill will take place on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020 on the campuses of Cherokee High School and First Baptist Church of Woodstock.  CCSD schools are closed for winter break this week.  There will be high numbers of first-responders in these areas, and traffic will be affected by emergency vehicles and temporary lane closings.  If possible, please avoid the areas.  Thank you for your patience as we practice emergency response procedures!  #SafeCherokee

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 District next month will present its second annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards!

The celebration on March 12 will honor one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of CCSD’s schools, centers and central office divisions.  Each honoree will be recognized by the Superintendent of Schools and School Board members, receive a plaque and gifts of appreciation, and enjoy a reception with their family and Principal.  

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2020 STAR Students and Teachers!

The STAR, or Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, Student honor is awarded to the high school senior from each Georgia public and private high school with the highest score on any single test date of the SAT (taken through the November test date of senior year), who also in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of his or her class based on grade point average.  

The Cherokee County School District and its Superintendent of Schools are finalists for national awards recognizing the best in school spirit and dedication to schools and students!

The Varsity Brands School Spirit Awards celebrate schools, organizations and individuals who “go above and beyond the call of duty to build school pride, student engagement and community spirit.”  

All six of the Cherokee County School District’s 2020 National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists have been named finalists!

They are: of Cherokee High School, Anna DeYoung; of Creekview High School, Jack Eno and Lyriel Todd; of River Ridge High School, Alicia Mazzurra and Sathvika Narasimhan; of Woodstock High School, Dayne J. Bergman.

Warriors, if you park in the back of Boling Park, this area will be CLOSED tomorrow 2/7/20 due to possible flooding. Please park at Cherokee North near the activity buses closest to the cafe loading dock and old tennis courts. If you park in RED lot, please enter the campus through the main light and drive around the school/stadium area to your assigned spot.

Cherokee County School District’s high schools all have earned State honors for excellent Advanced Placement (AP) programs and performance that continues to exceed State and National averages!

Each of CCSD’s six traditional high schools today received recognition from the State as a 2020 AP Honor School for outstanding student performance and participation on AP exams, which offer students more challenging coursework and the opportunity to earn college credit.  This is the 10th consecutive year for all of CCSD’s high schools to earn State AP honors.  

More than 700 female athletes from Cherokee County's six high schools participated in the county's annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD), held Monday, February 3, at Cherokee High School. NGWSD recognizes the contributions female athletes have made in their sports, acknowledges the challenges they have overcome, and celebrates the positive influence of sports participation for girls and women everywhere, as well as the impact of Title IX legislation that guarantees equal access to athletics for females. 

Don't forget to pick up your graduation announcements on Thursday, February 13 during lunch. Still need to order? Click here!

Cherokee High School has been removed from a Georgia Department of Education support program for assisting English Learners and praised for its improvement efforts.

The school in November was added to the State’s Targeted Support and Improvement list to help its students who speak English as a second language make greater progress on the State’s Milestones standardized tests.

The Cherokee County School District will host its annual job fair on Saturday, March 7 for hiring new teachers, bus drivers, school nurses and school nutrition workers.  The District is also looking for psychologists and speech language pathologists.

Cherokee County School District students excelled in this year’s Student Technology Competition, with 53 placing first at Regions! 

The statewide Georgia Student Technology Competition program includes 16 categories of competition for students in Grades 3-12. Three hundred and thirty-seven students put their technology skills to the test at the Piedmont Regional Technology Competition recently held at Woodstock MS: School. 

The window for school choice reassignments for 2020-21 within the Cherokee County School District is February 1-March 1. This includes applications for CCSD STEM and Fine Arts Academies.

The Cherokee County School District is opening online registration for 2020-21 kindergarten students and first graders new to CCSD on Monday, January 27.  The Registration Gateway allows parents to log in from home via CCSD’s website and get enrollment forms filled out online, rather than filling them out by hand while waiting at a school office.

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.

Cherokee High School this morning welcomed community leaders to celebrate the official opening of its new food pantry in partnership with MUST Ministries and cut the ceremonial ribbon.

The Cherokee County School District earned positive credit ratings from the world’s top agencies, benefitting the community’s taxpayers.

Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s financial service companies this month reaffirmed CCSD’s Aa2 and Aa+ ratings, respectively, and awarded Stable outlooks to both, which places the District in an outstanding position for future growth. 
 

The January edition of the CCSD Connections monthly parent e-newsletter is now online here and includes updates on safety and security and other important information. Thanks to Credit Union of Georgia for its sponsorship! #CCSDfam

Every holiday season, CCSD students, staff, parents & community partners join together to show how much CCSD cares about its families in need.  We hope you enjoy these photos from just a few of their many service projects. #CCSDfam #CCSDcares
 

Safe Schools Alert

Please watch this brief video to learn more about SafeSchools Alert - CCSD's system to report a school safety concern by text, email, phone call, online message or app to school police and administrators. Reminder: This system does not replace 911; please call 911 in an emergency. #SafeCherokee

More than 200 senior football players, cheerleaders, marching band members and JROTC cadets had one last night under the lights as CCSD high schools came together at Etowah High School stadium for the 6^th Annual Cherokee County School District Senior Bowl.

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

December 11 @ 6pm in the Main Cafeteria

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

CCSD this fall held its first-ever student video PSA contest to raise awareness about the dangers of vaping.

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 and Sequoyah played in November for the county championship as CCSD's inaugural season of Girls High School Flag Football draws to a close. 

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 age 3 to 21 years old.

It's National School Psychology Awareness Week! We greatly appreciate all that our CCSD school psychologists do to help our students succeed. #CCSDfam

We are very excited to announce that CHS will be taking 2 international trips during the summer of 2021! If your student is interested in seeing the world and experiencing new and exciting cultures, please come out to an informational meeting tonight at 6pm in the Media Center! We look forward to seeing you there! 

If you cannot attend the meeting but would like more information, email Jessica Wilkie: jessica.wilkie@cherokeek12.net or Rachel Hobbs: rachel.hobbs@cherokeek12.net for details on locations, tour dates, pricing, and what's included. 

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 November edition of the CCSD Connections parent e-newsletter now online here is filled with important information including two updates to the school calendar. 

There will be early dismissal for middle school and high school students on Friday, Dec. 20; elementary school dismissal will be on time, but After School Program will not be offered.   

There will be no school on Tuesday, March 24, the date of the Presidential Primary Election, in order to ensure the safety and security of students, as many schools are used as polling sites.  March 24 will be a Digital Learning Day, with assignments provided online for students to complete at home.  More information about how Digital Learning Days will work on March 24, as well as on any inclement weather days this fall and winter, is in the newsletter.

Going once, going twice, gone! Your bid can be the winning one at CCSD’s annual surplus equipment auction, which is open to the public, and begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the CCSD Central Warehouse (201 Mountain Brook Court, Canton, 30115). The sale preview starts at 7:30 a.m. More information is listed on the auctioneer's website: http://jeffdobson.com/  Look for the "Upcoming Auctions" heading.

The Cherokee County School District Class of 2019 earned average ACT scores that topped National averages and, for the second consecutive year, ranked No. 7 overall in Georgia!

The Class scored an impressive overall score of 22.7, exceeding Georgia’s 21.4 and the Nation’s 20.7, on the challenging college entrance and placement examination.  The score ranks CCSD fourth among metro Atlanta counties and seventh in Georgia – out of 180 school districts!

The Cherokee County School District’s School Police Department is dedicated to serving and protecting our students and staff every day. We’re thankful for their service, and every week, you’ll get to know one of them better through a Q&A posted here. #CCSDfam #SafeCherokee

Explore the option of Dual Enrollment!  The Cherokee County School District invites students and parents who are interested in learning more about Dual Enrollment to our annual information nights coming up November 7 and 11.

The Cherokee County School District’s performance has improved, and, for the seventh consecutive year, has exceeded the State’s average College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) accountability system score.

The scores, released today by the Georgia Department of Education, annually calculate student academic achievement and progress.  The School District’s 2018-19 CCRPI average is 83, an increase from 79 the previous year, and exceeding the State average of 76.  Scores at all three levels of CCSD schools also improved from the previous year and surpassed State performance: 86 elementary (77 Georgia); 80 middle (72); 82 high (77). 

We appreciate partners' support of our schools, which is why we celebrate their service here every week -- congratulations to Cherokee High School 2019 Partner of the Year Chick-fil-A at Riverstone!

The Partner of the Year from every CCSD school is recognized at an annual ceremony sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation. 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!
#CCSDfam

October 21-25 is National School Bus Safety Week, and this is also the time we honor our school bus drivers and thank them for the great job they do keeping children safe on the ride to and from school.  Thanks to sponsors Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and the Chick-fil-A restaurants in Cherokee County, CCSD drivers were treated to breakfast on Tuesday and given Chick-fil-A gift cards and a bag of treats.  CCSD schools also held special events or provided tokens of thanks for their drivers. 

Save the date: The Georgia Probe College Fair will make its annual stop in Cherokee County from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at Cherokee High School (Cherokee North Campus) at 930 Marietta Highway, Canton. Learn more: http://gaprobe.org #CCSDfam

The Cherokee County School District’s School Police Department is dedicated to serving and protecting our students and staff every day. We’re thankful for their service, and every week, you’ll get to know one of them better through a Q&A posted here. #CCSDfam #SafeCherokee

Can you remember a teacher or another school staff member from your childhood who made a positive difference in your life?  Did you ever thank them?

“We know our School District is a family of caring teachers, counselors, bus drivers, cafeteria staff and many more, all focused on doing their best to serve our students …  and a new districtwide initiative will now give students the opportunity to thank them!” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We’re excited to begin #thanksCCSD and honor those among us who go above and beyond.”

Want to learn more about what's next for CCSD? 

The Cherokee County School Board recently approved CCSD Blueprint: a long-range plan for continued success.  This strategic plan will guide CCSD's work for the next five years.  You can learn more about Blueprint, and keep up with CCSD's progress in accomplishing the goals set by the plan, by visiting this new webpage.

Hundreds of athletes and volunteers participated in the CCSD Special Olympics Awareness Games on Friday morning at River Ridge High School.  

The October edition of the CCSD Connections parent e-newsletter now online here is filled with important information including an update on CCSD’s Digital Learning Day plan for inclement weather.  Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia. #CCSDfam

Additional data released this week by the Georgia Department of Education shows CCSD's Class of 2019 scored among the highest in the state on the SAT. 

The Cherokee County School District today surprised four teachers with the news they are CCSD Teacher of the Year Finalists!

Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2019 topped State and National averages on the SAT, according to results released today by the College Board!

A Cherokee County School District student has earned the prestigious Congressional Award Gold Medal!

Cherokee High School junior Rebekah Seng, who is a member of the JROTC program at Cherokee HS, joins an elite group, as only about 500 students in the United States earn the Gold Medal each year.

The Cherokee County School District is building a stronger career education program to prepare students for more choices and opportunities after graduation!
 
Career, Technical and Agricultural Education, or CTAE, has long been rooted in CCSD high schools, with dozens of programs offered and refined over the years based on student interest and workforce needs.  
 
 

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate continues to exceed State averages with 87% of the Class of 2019 earning a diploma within four years of entering high school.

CCSD’s performance tops the State’s rate of 82% -- an all-time high since the State began using a new formula required by Federal law.  Georgia’s rate has increased by 12 percentage points since 2012, while CCSD has climbed nearly 15 points.

Don't miss your chance to order a Senior Ad for the CHS Yearbook! 

The Cherokee County School District School Nutrition program has scored a three-peat with its third consecutive Platinum-level Georgia Golden Radish Award!

CCSD’s program, which serves 5 million meals each year in school cafeterias, again earned the top award from Georgia’s Departments of Agriculture, Public Health and Education, and Georgia Organics.

Six Cherokee County School District high school seniors today were named 2020 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists!

They are: of Cherokee High School, Anna DeYoung; of Creekview High School, Jack Eno and Lyriel Todd; of River Ridge High School, Alicia Mazzurra and Sathvika Narasimhan; of Woodstock High School, Dayne J. Bergman.

The September edition of the CCSD Connections parent e-newsletter is now online at https://www.cherokeek12.net/Content2/newsletter, and is filled with important news & updates. Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia! #CCSDfam

Congratulations to CCSD's School Teachers of the Year!

At the start of every school year, each CCSD school is asked to select its own Teacher of the Year.  These school-level winners now are eligible for the honor of Cherokee County School District 2020 Teacher of the Year! 

Thirteen CCSD high school students spent the summer learning and earning through the Cherokee Summer Internship Program!

The second annual program was sponsored by the Cherokee Workforce Collaborative, through which CCSD, county government, business and industry, university and nonprofit leaders work together to support local workforce growth.

Please share our new job listing for CCSD Director of Facility Maintenance! This leadership position offers a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits (including State Health Benefit Plan & Teachers Retirement System), a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team.

What's cooking, #CCSDfam?  

If you're a CCSD parent who loves to cook, please enter our first-ever CCSD School Nutrition Parent Recipe Contest... you could win a $100 Kroger gift card and see your side-dish recipe featured on CCSD school lunch menus in October!  

The CCSD Transportation Department has earned recertification of its prestigious National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Blue Seal of Excellence!

CCSD in 2015 became one of the first school systems in the State to obtain this level of certification, and just learned that this important seal of approval has been extended again based on a close review of its staff’s knowledge and practices.

CCSD students are invited to enter CCSD's Fire Safety Essay & Poster Contests by Sept. 9.

To raise awareness in observation of National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6-12, CCSD's Office of Safety & Security, in collaboration with Cherokee County Office of Fire & Emergency Services and Woodstock Fire Department, will sponsor districtwide fire safety contests.  The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) theme is: “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”

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.

Twenty-three Cherokee County School District students placed in the 2018-19 Georgia PTA Reflections fine arts contest!

The annual PTA Reflections contest gives students in all grades and abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts for the opportunity to earn recognition at the School, County, State and National levels. 

Order your prints now!

Want to learn more about the Cherokee County School District and how you can better support your child's education? CCSD's VILLA parent academy program is the answer!

CCSD is accepting applications through Sept. 6 for its third annual VILLA program that provides parents with a behind-the-scenes look at their School District.

The August edition of the CCSD Connections parent e-newsletter is now online here, and is filled with important news & updates.

The School Board's Strategic Work Session and regular School Board meeting originally scheduled for August 15 (which were cancelled due to a gas main leak in the vicinity) have been rescheduled for Thursday, August 22. The Superintendent/School Board Strategic Work Session will be held at 6:00 p.m., and the School Board meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. The Superintendent’s recommended, updated agenda will be re-posted to the School District website on Monday, August 19.

Please remember that applications for free or reduced-price meals must be updated every school year, per Federal guidelines.  Applications for this school year are due by Sept. 12 to avoid an interruption in status. 

You can apply online at www.lunchapplication.com or pick up a paper application in the front office of your child's school.  

If you have questions, please contact Paula Hilton at 770 721-8443 or paula.hilton@cherokee12.net.  Para español: Viri Gates a 770 721-8460 o Viri.Dudoit@cherokeek12.net.

The Cherokee County School District is sponsoring a video contest with a $500 prize to seek students’ help in raising awareness of the dangers of vaping.

CCSD students in grades 6-12 are invited to create and enter by Oct. 1, 2019 a short public service announcement-style video that educates students about the health dangers of vaping.  Entries will be judged for message, quality and creativity.  One winner will receive $500 sponsored by the Service League of Cherokee County.

Due to the anticipated high heat index for today and Tuesday, August 13, 2019, the Cherokee County School District is cancelling all outdoor activities from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM.  This includes curricular and extracurricular classes and activities.

The Cherokee County School District is asking local businesses and organizations to Partner Up with CCSD!

Businesses and organizations are invited to learn more about partnering with CCSD schools by dropping in at the free event anytime between 4 and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility auditorium (1205 Bluffs Parkway, Canton, 30114).  Participants can visit tables of school leaders, who will be grouped by geographic area, to share coffee and conversation with them about partnership opportunities.

You now can read CCSD's first-ever Class Act magazine online!

Thanks to the Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News and Cherokee Life Magazine, CCSD is able to share more news with you through this new publication.

The Back-to-School Gateway is a paperless, online registration system for students already enrolled in CCSD schools that replaces the dreaded stack of “first-day forms” with a quick digital check and update of students’ existing contact and emergency notification information in CCSD’s records system.  Forms should be completed by Friday, August 9.

These passes are $75 and get you into any  CHS HOME EVENT.  The following link will take you directly to the pass for purchase. https://gofan.co/app/school/GA4902

It’s Curriculum Night time!  CCSD Curriculum Night programs provide parents with an overview of what their children will learn this school year.  Find the event for your child's school in the schedule posted online here.

If we could have ordered up a perfect morning for the first day of school, I’m not sure it would have been prettier than today.

Not only did the beautiful weather exceed expectations, so did our entire #CCSDfam.  

CCSD is ready to celebrate the first day of school tomorrow, Aug. 1. We hope you enjoy this welcome-back video featuring messages from each of our schools! Please use the hashtag #CCSD1stDay tomorrow to share your photos with us. #CCSDfam #CCSDcares

The Cherokee County School District is increasing its efforts to support the emotional and mental health and well-being of students and staff through a new Social and Emotional Learning initiative.  Dr. Debra Murdock, who’s heading up the districtwide effort, has launched a new Twitter account @CCSDCares to share news about CCSD’s efforts… and to hear ideas from CCSD educators, parents and the community at large.  #CCSDCares  #CCSDfam   

It's almost time for CCSD school buses to start rolling! Do you know the rules of the road when encountering school buses? When to stop and when you can keep going? Please check out this video - http://bit.ly/stop4bus - to learn more. #SafeCherokee

Cherokee County School District students topped State averages on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests for the fifth consecutive year, with important gains in early literacy and math! 

The test assess students’ mastery of Georgia Performance Standards, which set expectations for what lessons students will learn in each grade. Students in Grades 3-8 take Milestones End-of-Grade exams every spring in select core subjects; high school students in specific courses (and eighth-graders taking the classes for high school credit) take Milestones End-of-Course exams.  Parents will receive their children’s scores next month.

What's new for CCSD this school year? What do I have left on my back-to-school to-do list? Check out CCSD's annual First Day Facts report - a two-page, quick read of important information to start your school year off right! #CCSDfam #CCSD1stDay

Please share our new job listing for school nurses -- this position offers a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits, a great work calendar and schedule (work while your kids are in school... and enjoy vacation with them!), and a wonderful work environment and team. Join the #CCSDfam & apply now: http://bit.ly/JoinCCSDfam

UPDATE 1:30 p.m. - The Gateway is back online and running - thank you!

The Back-to-School Gateway is currently offline due to technical difficulties. CCSD Technology staff are working with the system vendor to correct the issue as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience — we will post here when it's back online and ready to use.

The July edition of the CCSD Connections parent e-newsletter is now online here, and is filled with important back-to-school information! Thanks to this month's sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia.

A Cherokee County School District student is nationally ranked for his automotive transportation career skills – the first-ever CCSD student to be named to the top 5!

Cherokee High School rising senior Austin Ledbetter competed at the Skills USA National contest this summer in Louisville and now is ranked No. 5 in the Nation in collision repair technology!  Students who earned gold at their state SkillsUSA competition were invited to the National event to test their hands-on career skills.

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.