View All News

Cherokee County School District high school students have increased their success in college-level courses to a new record high!  More CCSD students passed Advanced Placement (AP) exams, which earn them college credit at most state colleges and universities, with the rate increasing to 85.1% this past spring, up from 82.8% the previous year, according to newly released results. 

The Cherokee County School District is on a mission to be the highest-performing school district in Georgia, and the CCSD Recruitment Ambassadors play an important role in this success by helping the district hire the best teachers possible!

The Cherokee County School District’s top high school musicians recently performed as part of the regional District Honor Band!  The 83 students selected to participate represent all of CCSD’s high school band programs.

Eight Cherokee County School District high school seniors are 2026 National Merit Scholarship Finalists!  They are: of Cherokee High School, Grace Dai, Andrew Lockwood, and Ian Zeller; of Creekview High School, Levi Cone and Aiden Johnson; of Etowah High School, Dylan Fallin; and of Sequoyah High School, Matthew Chemmala, and Riley O'Neill.  

Each month we celebrate a CCSD Female Athlete of the Month and a CCSD Male Athlete of the Month. Congratulations to this month’s winners: Finley Parker of the River Ridge High School girls basketball team, whose head coach is Jason Taylor, and Braylon Luster of the Cherokee High School boys basketball team, whose head coach is Joe Veihman.

The Cherokee County School District erg indoor rowing team earned regional and national honors! The CCSD Erg Sprint Team earned 16 region honors and four U.S. Rowing Indoor National Championships medals at the Atlanta Erg Sprints held this month at Georgia Tech.

Fifty-five Cherokee County School District high school and middle school students earned seats in the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Chorus programs! 

“As a core value of the district, progress serves as the best way to measure improvements,” Cherokee High School Principal Andy Hall said.  “To have students and staff focus on progress spurs a continual desire for improvement and for reflection on how to improve.  I’m proud of our team for dedication to that progress.” 

The Cherokee County School District on Thursday night celebrated 192 outstanding high school students as 2026 Superintendent’s Key Scholars!  

The Cherokee County School District today surprised four teachers with the news they are finalists for the 2026 CCSD Teacher of the Year award!

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2026 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 tier of their class for GPA.

Twenty-six more Cherokee County School District student athletes have signed commitment letters to compete at the college level!  This week’s National Signing Day, the third so far this school year, now brings the total number of student athletes celebrated to 82!

Cherokee County School District students won gold in the Special Olympics 2026 State Indoor Winter Games!  The unified basketball, traditional basketball, ramp bowling, and traditional bowling teams all earned gold medals at the statewide competition recently held in Cobb County.  

More than 500 CCSD female athletes gathered Monday to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) and recognize the positive impact and great opportunities provided by the school district’s elite athletic programs. 

It’s National School Counseling Week … and the perfect time to celebrate our newly named 2026 Counselor of the Year Zone Winners!  We value our school counselors’ unparalleled talent and unmatched dedication in their role to ensure our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else. 

CCSD’s Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) handbook, “Focus on the Future,” will be going home with 8th graders this month as they prepare to register for their high school classes. 

Student Delegates to the School Board serve for one school year to give valued input and feedback to the School Board and Superintendent of Schools in our mission to become the highest performing school district in Georgia! 

A Cherokee County School District student has placed in a statewide art contest!  Cherokee High School senior Grace Dai earned second place in the Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites Art Contest. 

Eleven projects by Cherokee County School District students are headed to the Regional Social Studies Fair.  Through the annual CCSD Social Studies Fair program, students in grades 5-12 can explore an area of social studies and complete a research project individually or as part of a team. 

The Cherokee County School District’s newly formed Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council provides educators with the opportunity to share valued feedback.  The talent of our teachers is unparalleled and their dedication to go the extra mile is unmatched! 

The Cherokee County School District offers an annual program to prepare teachers for future leadership roles.  The Superintendent’s Leadership Academies initiative gives teachers, support staff and school and district leaders the opportunity for professional development through various classes for different leadership experience levels.  

Fifty-three Cherokee County School District student athletes have signed commitment letters to compete at the college level!  The students were honored with ceremonies at their high schools to celebrate their signing of National Letters of Intent.  This week’s National Signing Day was the earliest day on which high school seniors can sign a binding commitment to play competitive college sports other than football.

The Cherokee County School District recognizes two outstanding high school student athletes each month. Congratulations to this month’s winners: Female Athlete of the Month, Gracie Mayo of Cherokee High School for flag football, whose head coach is Tom Stringfellow; and Male Athlete of the Month, Mason Thomas of Sequoyah High School for swimming, whose head coach is Cora Hodgins.  

Cherokee County School District teams have earned national and state Junior ROTC Raiders championship titles!  Raiders team multi-event military style athletic competitions include a 4K run, half-mile physical fitness test, rope bridge test and the gauntlet, a half-mile obstacle course.  

Cherokee County School District students have earned top honors this fall at statewide and regional career competitions!  Through Career and Technical Student Organizations, students expand their classroom Career Pathway program learning by participating in after-school and weekend activities like conferences, competitions and community service.

Ten Cherokee County School District Class of 2026 graduating seniors won STEM scholarships from a local organization!  Congratulations to our students and their teachers, thank you to the award sponsors, and thank you to our School Board for its laser focus on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

The Holly Springs Optimist Club today 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. 

Thirteen Cherokee County School District high school seniors have been named National Merit Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation!  The seniors are among the only 2 to 3% of the Class of 2025 honored nationwide with the recognition, which is based on outstanding PSAT scores, and CCSD’s total increased from eight honorees last year.  

Cherokee County School District students earned honors at recent statewide and countywide competitions including a first-place win at the Georgia State Fair!  The students, who participate in the 4-H extra-curricular program sponsored locally by the UGA Cooperative Extension Office, competed at the Georgia State Fair and the Cherokee County Fair.

Ten Cherokee County School District students have been selected by College Board to serve as its ambassadors!  They are among the 9,000 high school students, chosen based on their applications from candidates nationwide, selected to help their peers learn about tools and opportunities for college preparation success.

It’s National Bus Safety Week and CCSD Bus Driver Appreciation Week!  Our talented and dedicated team of school bus drivers carry the most precious cargo each day to help our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else. 

Three Cherokee County School District students have been selected for a regional leadership program!  Cherokee High School junior Madeline Flournoy, Etowah High School sophomore Chloe Okoth, and River Ridge High School junior Leigha Samuel are among the outstanding high school students selected to participate in this school year’s Model Atlanta Regional Commission youth leadership program.  

The Cherokee County School District reached new heights with 1,500 current students and Class of 2025 graduates earning national 2025 Advanced Placement (AP) awards!  The AP awards program each fall recognizes an elite group of high school students from across the country who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP exams the previous school year.  

It’s National Bus Safety Week and CCSD Bus Driver Appreciation Week!  Our talented and dedicated team of school bus drivers carry the most precious cargo each day to help our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else. 

Today, we continued a new series of work sessions with the Student Delegates to the School Board.  Prior to every School Board meeting, the group of high school seniors representing each of CCSD’s high schools meet with the Superintendent’s senior staff to learn more about district operations and career opportunities offered by each division. 

The Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2025 ACT scores increased and topped national and state averages!  The class earned an outstanding 22.8 average, up from 22.5 last year and exceeding Georgia’s 21.4 (up from 21.2) and the Nation’s 19.4 steady average on the competitive college entrance and placement examination, according to a report released today by the Georgia Department of Education.

The College Board has honored Cherokee County School District students with National Recognition Programs Awards for exceptional academic achievement!

The Cherokee County School District Class of 2026 graduation ceremony dates have been set!

Cherokee County School District’s SAT scores for the Class of 2025 increased and continue to top national and statewide results!  The CCSD Class of 2025 earned an average total score of 1085 on the curriculum-based college entrance and placement exam, according to results released today by the College Board.  The 2025 score is an increase from 1083 in 2024 and further widens CCSD’s margin over the national public school average by 89 points and the state by 56 points.  

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate for the Class of 2025 topped the state average, with three schools exceeding 95%!  The CCSD four-year graduation rate is 91.8%, according to a new report from the Georgia Department of Education released today, exceeding the state average of 87.2% by nearly 5%.

Today, we kicked off a new series of work sessions with the Student Delegates to the School Board.  Prior to every meeting, from October through May, the group of high school seniors representing each of CCSD’s high schools will meet with the Superintendent’s senior staff to learn more about district operations and career opportunities offered by each division.  For today’s session, School Board members met with the Delegates to talk about their role as leaders and their decision to serve.  A high-performing school district begins with a high-performing school board! 

A Cherokee County School District parent has been named to the state school superintendent’s advisory council!  Longtime PTA leader Audrey Legrand was selected by State School Superintendent Richard Woods to serve a two-year term on his Parent Advisory Council.

This year it’s easier than ever to support CCSD high school athletic teams, bands and JROTCs … while buying chances to win a Jeep Wrangler! Thanks to the longtime partnership of Shottenkirk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Canton, which donates the Jeep, the annual raffle fundraiser is continuing -- with the improved format of online raffle ticket sales.

Eight Cherokee County School District high school seniors today were named 2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists!  They are: of Cherokee High School, Grace Dai, Andrew Lockwood, and Ian Zeller; of Creekview High School, Levi Cone; of Etowah High School, Dylan Fallin; and of Sequoyah High School, Matthew Chemmala, and Riley O'Neill.  Congratulations to our honored students and their teachers and thank you to our School Board for its investment in ensuring our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

The Cherokee County School Board this week will recognize its new class of Student Delegates!  Student Delegates to the School Board serve for one school year to give input and feedback to the School Board and Superintendent of Schools. 

Our School Board members greeted students this morning at Cherokee High School to celebrate the "last first day" at the original campus, handing out commemorative magnets to mark the milestone. This will be the last school year at the 1956 facility, with the new Cherokee High School on track to open for 2026-27, thanks to Ed SPLOST funding.

The Cherokee High School administration team got its first peek inside their new school facility last week, with an afternoon tour led by CCSD Support Services. Wearing hard hats -- and very comfortable shoes -- the CHS crew was able to see office space, CTAE classrooms, the media center, classroom wings and more.

The Cherokee County School District and School Board celebrated the Class of 2025 Valedictorians and Salutatorians at its 24th 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; Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis and her senior staff; and the School Board.

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating graduating seniors who plan to pursue careers in skilled professions!  The District joined Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, the Cherokee Workforce Collaborative, Cherokee Office of Economic Development, and Chattahoochee Technical College this week to present the annual Skilled Professions Signing Day event held in downtown Woodstock at the Arts Center.  

MUST Ministries will be using a partnership grant from Kroger to support and enhance the food pantry at Cherokee High School, one of four school food pantry projects in the region selected  by MUST to benefit from a $205,000 donation from the grocery store chain!

Two Cherokee County School District Class of 2025 seniors have been named candidates for a top national honor!  Cherokee High School senior Elliana Mathews and River Ridge High School senior Alfred Tang are among only 4,000 students selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program from the more than 3 million graduating seniors in the nation’s Class of 2025.  Only 216 students from Georgia were recognized with this prestigious honor.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, appointed a new board member to fill a vacancy created by retirement and voted to maintain local control of school funding decision-making by opting out of statewide legislation.

Congratulations to the Cherokee County School District’s 2025 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.

Cherokee County School District theatre programs and students earned top honors at regional One Act Play competitions, with one show advancing to a state performance event!

Cherokee County School District high school students have increased their success in college-level courses, earning international honors for their schools.  CCSD students raised their overall Advanced Placement (AP) exam average score to 3.6, up from 3.4, this past spring, according to a new report from the College Board, while also increasing participation, with 6,955 exams completed, up from 6,091.  

The Cherokee County School District’s Class of 2024 ACT scores topped national and state averages!

Cherokee County School District’s SAT scores continue to top statewide and national results, according to results released today by the College Board.

The Cherokee County School Board this week will recognizes its new class of Student Delegates!

The Cherokee County School District today rose to new heights with a major milestone in the construction of the new Cherokee High School.

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

The Cherokee County School Board at its Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 meeting approved plans to expand a school and heard important budget updates.

The Cherokee County School Board at its Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 regular meeting welcomed its new Student Advisor and Student Delegates for the school year!

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

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 … 

Within the Pathway, classes offered include: automotive technology I, II and III.  Students can earn Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and OSHA 10 industry certifications.  They can compete in SkillsUSA state and national career skills contests. This Pathway prepares students for careers including, but not limited to: automotive master mechanic, automotive specialty technician, engine and other machine assembler, automotive technician builder, automotive general manager, automotive inventory control specialist, service manager, automotive parts associate.

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 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 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.

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 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.

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 …

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.  

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.

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.

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 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:  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Cherokee County School 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Cherokee County School Board 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. 

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

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

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

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

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. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Cherokee County School 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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