Board Business Briefs

The Cherokee County School Board, at its regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, set its legislative priorities for the upcoming Georgia General Assembly, and approved the contract for much anticipated improvements to the Twin Forks bus facility.

The Board also heard an update on plans for the sale of the former home of Cherokee High School and approved the list of equipment and memorabilia from that campus to be sold at auction next month, reviewed newly completed internal audits, and was recognized for earning state certification as a Quality Governance Team.

Thursday’s meeting began with a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by the regular business meeting at 7 p.m. Both were livestreamed via YouTube, and the videos are archived on the CCSD website in the Board of Education area online here. A brief recap follows; you can learn more about each by scrolling down to the corresponding full report.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: During its regular meeting, the Board adopted its 2027 Legislative Partnership Priorities report, which is online here. The report outlines the Board’s position on issues likely to come up during the state legislature’s next session. It is shared with the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation and is posted on the school district’s website for the entire community to review.
CONTRACTOR APPROVAL FOR TWIN FORKS: The Board voted to contract with SmithBuilt Construction Group for $1.29 Million to construct a restroom facility at the Twin Forks bus depot that serves bus drivers with routes in northern Cherokee. Construction will begin in November and be complete by July 2027.
UPDATE ON FORMER CHEROKEE HS CAMPUS: The school district is offering parties interested in purchasing the former Cherokee HS campus the opportunity to schedule an appointment to view it in November. As part of moving to the new campus and preparing the former campus for sale, staff completed an inventory of all equipment and memorabilia at the former campus. In accordance with its policy for surplus, the Board on Thursday approved the list of items to be sold at auction, which is online here. The auction at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, will be for surplus equipment; the auction at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, will be for memorabilia. Both auctions will be held at the former campus. The memorabilia will be displayed at the Nov. 7 auction as a public preview. More information about the auctions and sale of the campus is online here.
INTERNAL AUDITS REPORT: During its work session, the Board heard the second report from the third-party independent auditor appointed in compliance with House Bill 845, authored and supported by the members of the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation. The firm will conduct 11 audits this year, followed by 12 next year, and 13 the following year, and will provide reports once a year at the conclusion of its work. The Board on Thursday heard a report on the first four audits, which reviewed purchasing card issuance, purchasing card deactivation, capital planning, and construction management.
QUALITY GOVERNANCE TEAM: The Board also was recognized for earning state certification as a Quality Governance Team by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), an honor that celebrates the Board’s significant work over the past two and a half years to strengthen as a team. The GSBA recognition program requires a high level of commitment from school boards, individual board members, and superintendents and only celebrates school boards that consistently model best practices and meet specific high standards of excellence.

The School Board is building bridges with the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation toward the goal of working more collaboratively to benefit our community’s children.

In a new tradition, the Board earlier this month invited the Delegation to join in a visit to Carmel Elementary School to see not only learning in action, but also the results of state legislation and Board policy focused on improving early literacy.

The Board in the past has met with Delegation members to review its Legislative Priorities, which are adopted every fall, but the idea of taking legislators into schools to see the results of their legislation is a new endeavor.

Board Chair Janet Read Welch, during Thursday’s work session, shared a report on this meeting, which most closely focused on the impact of the state’s literacy bill and the Board’s literacy policy, instructional resources adoption, and first-ever reading achievement goals.

“We examined the alignment from the state Capitol all the way down to the boardroom to the classroom by examining teaching materials and reading results,” she said. “We then together visited some awesome classrooms at Carmel Elementary School where we saw the talent of teachers bring all this to life for the students in our schools.”

During its regular meeting on Thursday, the Board adopted its 2027 Legislative Partnership Priorities report, which is online here.

The report outlines the Board’s position on issues likely to come up during the state legislature’s next session. It is shared with the Delegation and is posted on the school district’s website for the entire community to review.

The priority areas are: stabilize meaningful accountability for student learning, invest in the education Georgia expects, and preserve local authority with public accountability.

To stabilize meaningful accountability for student learning, the Board requests the legislature: maintain consistency in Georgia’s accountability system for math and reading and eliminate or redesign the “closing gaps” score; balance measurement of student learning growth with the percentage of students reaching specific performance goals; shorten the Georgia Milestones Assessment testing window, reduce the total time required for test administration, and return test results before end of the school year; and eliminate or redesign the state’s annual kindergarten assessment to align with current reading expectations.

To invest in the education Georgia expects, the Board requests the legislature: modernize the state education funding formula, replace the decreased long-term local revenue resulting from the new property tax digest cap, re-evaluate the “local fair share” equalization formula to reduce the unsustainable burden on donor districts, and establish permanent, formula-based state funding for school police officers, cybersecurity, educational technology infrastructure, network capacity, devices, hardware replacement and software.

In this same area, the Board additionally requests the legislature: strengthen teacher compensation and recruitment, preserve state investment in the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) defined benefit plan, increase its investment in counselors, psychologists, social workers and nurses, and increase state support for classified employee health insurance and address the growing local burden of state-mandated benefits.

The Board also asks the legislature, in this same area, to expand flexibility for state Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) funding to include kindergarten through fifth-grade career exploration programs, and to provide a sustainable funding source whenever new state technology requirements are imposed.

To preserve local authority with public accountability, the Board requests the legislature: protect the constitutional authority of local School Boards, including the authority to establish millage rates, and manage local operations, instructional delivery models, academic programs, and use of resources.

In this same area, the Board additionally requests the legislature: maintain sovereign and official immunity protections for school boards and school districts in routine school operations, strengthen consequences for student possession of vapes at school, address minors’ access to vapes at stores, and eliminate the state-mandated use of schools as polling places during regular school days.

School Board member Erin Ragsdale said the Delegation and Board must collaborate to succeed in ensuring school safety and a quality education for all children.

“It’s very important, I think, that we have open lines of communication between school boards and legislators so that we can create legislation, policies and ideas that best support public schools,” she said, and raised her concern about the growing burden of the state education formula’s “local fair share” system that requires Cherokee to pay 5 mills annually (which currently amounts to $86 Million) to be distributed to school systems determined to have greater financial needs, such as Gwinnett County.

The School Board on Thursday selected the contractor for a much-anticipated project to improve the Twin Forks bus depot.

The Board voted to contract with SmithBuilt Construction Group for $1.29 Million to construct a restroom facility at the depot that serves bus drivers with routes in northern Cherokee. Construction will begin in November and be complete by July 2027. In the interim, additional portable restrooms and hand-washing stations have been added to the site and will remain in place until construction is complete.

The School Board, during its work session, heard the monthly capital outlay report, which includes updates on Sequoyah High School athletic improvements. You can read the full report given by Chief Support Services Officer Trey Moores online here.

The Sequoyah High School athletic improvements’ first phase, the opening of an auxiliary gym, was completed within budget and on time for the first day of school. The home and visitor’s concessions areas opened on time for use at the first home football game last month. Work continues on the home field house and main gym renovations, which are scheduled for completion by January. Current work underway at the home field house includes installation of flooring, ceiling grid and tile, and lockers. Painting, flooring, and locker installation is underway at the main gym.

The Board also heard updates on two major projects in development. The project to modify and renovate Canton Elementary School for re-opening in August 2028 is on schedule with the request for proposals for contractors to complete the first phase of the work now open. The Board will consider the proposals at its December meeting.

Survey fieldwork is nearly complete for the Boston Elementary School parent driveway project. Construction will be scheduled in coordination with the Cherokee County government to align with its Bells Ferry Road widening project.

Board Chair Janet Read Welch said she was pleased to see evidence of the county’s progress on the widening project, noting the positive impact improvements will have for Boston ES parents who drive their children to and from school, bus drivers, and the entire community.

The School Board heard an update on plans for the sale of the former campus of Cherokee High School and approved the list of items from the buildings to be auctioned.

The School Board in March voted to appraise the main Cherokee High School campus and advertise it for sale, with proceeds to support career readiness and other educational programs at high schools districtwide.

The school district is offering parties interested in purchasing the property the opportunity to schedule an appointment to view the campus in November. For information, call the school district’s Support Services office at (770) 721-8445. In January, the property will be officially advertised for sale, and a deadline for sealed bids will be announced. The timeline anticipates the property will be sold in the spring.

As part of moving to the new campus and preparing the former campus for sale, staff completed an inventory of all equipment and memorabilia at the former campus. In accordance with its policy for surplus, the Board on Thursday approved the list of items to be sold at auction, which is online here.

The school district will hold two auctions in November at the former CHS campus on Marietta Highway. The auction at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, will be for surplus equipment; the auction at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, will be for memorabilia. The memorabilia will be displayed at the Nov. 7 auction as a public preview. More information about the auctions and sale of the campus is online here.

The School Board, during its work session, heard the second report from the third-party independent auditor appointed in compliance with House Bill 845, authored and supported by the members of the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation.

The local legislation, enacted in May 2025, required the Board fund the hiring of an independent auditor to conduct internal audits, which are in addition to the state-mandated independent financial statement audit already conducted each year. The Board in February contracted with Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC, the one entity identified by the Delegation, at a cost of $3.28 million over five years.

The first report presented in July outlined a risk assessment and internal audit plan. These audits evaluate the controls in place to mitigate inherent risks, and how consistently those controls are applied and monitored to reduce those risks. The firm will conduct 11 audits this year, followed by 12 next year, and 13 the following year, and will provide reports once a year at the conclusion of its work.

The Board on Thursday heard a report, which is online here, on the first four audits that reviewed purchasing card issuance, purchasing card deactivation, capital planning, and construction management. Rob Broline, a CPA with Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC, made Thursday’s in-person presentation with support from a team of more than a half dozen colleagues connected virtually.

An overall rating of “satisfactory” — the highest rating, and “strongest you can have,” per Mr. Broline -- was issued for the audits of the school district’s practices for capital planning and construction management. These areas are both “dollar-wise very significant areas,” he noted. A “satisfactory” rating indicates the area’s risk management and control processes are “well-designed and function effectively” to manage risk, and operating procedures support business objectives.

An overall rating of “needs improvement” – the mid-range rating – was issued for purchasing card issuance and deactivation. Mr. Broline noted this rating is in response to opportunities for improved documentation emphasizing there is “no evidence or indicators of fraud” and that “key controls generally appear to exist and were operating correctly.” The lowest rating the firm issues is “unsatisfactory,” and this rating was not issued to the school district for any area.

For capital improvement and construction management, which were rated as “satisfactory,” the highest rating, areas noted for potential improvement are: enhancing the clarity, consistency, and alignment of job descriptions; establishing formalized, approved, and executed project cost estimate packages; including additional information with payment applications (monthly bills from contractors); and ensuring proof of subcontractor payment is provided.

In response to the recommendations for both areas, Support Services already has made changes to improve processes, made corrections for current projects under construction, and is collaborating with Human Resources to adjust job descriptions.

For purchasing card issuance and deactivation, which were rated as “needs improvement” – the mid-range rating -- the auditors noted several areas for recommended improvement. New purchasing card (P-card) request forms, cardholder update forms, cardholder training records, and deactivation documentation should be maintained centrally, and card approval checklist, training verification, file completeness review, periodic need and activity review and reconciliation, and documented card recovery processes should be implemented.

In response to these recommendations, Procurement already has made changes to improve practices including implementing new processes and collaboration with Technology to develop new digital forms for record-keeping.

The firm, which will share quarterly reports with the Board at its meetings, currently is conducting its next round of audits, which focus on budget development, approval and amendment approvals; purchasing card activity and reconciliation; competitive and non-competitive procurement processes; construction project closeout; and transportation inventory and fuel processes.

School Board member Chance Beam inquired as to when the Board will hear a report on how P-cards are being used for purchases, and Mr. Broline said he anticipates sharing that report in January.

School Board member Erin Ragsdale spoke about the confusion among some constituents that these audits are financial audits and said she hopes the audits fulfil the Delegation’s stated purpose of identifying operational inefficiencies to save taxpayer dollars.

“I want to make sure we’re getting the monetary value,” she said of the legislation-mandated expense of $3.28 million in local tax dollars over five years.

Ms. Ragsdale also praised the district’s Support Services team for its “satisfactory” ratings, the highest rating award, on the “big ticket” items audited, and noted she appreciates district leaders’ dedication to the audit process that she knows “is a lot of work.”

Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis thanked Mr. Broline and his team for the report and their work to support the district’s continuous improvement.

“I want to share my gratitude for the team’s high-level commitment to the work you’ve done,” she said. “These are great opportunities to take a nuanced look at what we do. As our system has become more complex, this ensures our processes advance as well.”

The School Board on Thursday was recognized for earning state certification as a Quality Governance Team by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), an honor that celebrates the Board’s significant work over the past two and a half years to strengthen as a team.

The GSBA recognition program requires a high level of commitment from school boards, individual board members, and superintendents, and only celebrates school boards that consistently model best practices and meet specific high standards of excellence.

“This designation is a demonstration of the key work our School Bord has have done to create a governance structure that certainly has been the alignment we’ve needed in our organization,” Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis said.

In order to earn Quality School Board status, school boards must demonstrate its members meet or exceed specific criteria that shows their commitment to professionalism, including adherence to a code of ethics, effective use of strategic planning, annually assessing their own performance and progress, and continuous participation in professional development.

This achievement recognizes the Board’s continuing and new practices to model excellence in governance. New practices adopted in the past two and a half years that helped earn this recognition include: shared development of a community-built strategic plan, establishing an annual superintendent’s evaluation aligned to the district’s strategic goals, and adoption of norms and protocols for how Board members will effectively communicate and collaborate.

The School Board heard the monthly finance report for September, which includes updates on the general fund, building fund and Education-SPLOST collections, debt service fund, and the federal, state, competitive grants, and School Nutrition funds. You can read the full report given by Chief Financial Officer Tina Farmer online here.

For the month ending Sept. 30, the third month of the current fiscal year, the general fund operating account had received $36.1 Million in year‐to‐date revenue, including $28.8 Million from state funding, $6.6 Million from local funding, and $688,173 from other funding including federal funds. The account showed expenditures of $118.6 Million, totaling 19% of the budgeted funds. This difference is offset through planned use of reserve funding.

Expenditures exceed revenue for several months at the start of each fiscal year due to lagging receipt of state educational funding and local property tax payments, reinforcing the importance of responsibly maintained operating reserves. The reserve fund will be drawn down to less than one month of operating capital as the district awaits local property tax payments, which arrive in November and December.

“By January, we expect our fund balance to return to a more appropriate level,” Ms. Farmer said. “This seasonal pattern reinforces why maintaining healthy reserves is essential to meeting our obligations throughout the district.”

The School Board also:

During its work session, discussed guidelines for School Board Policy ABC: Board Member Legal Status, but took no action;
Heard Superintendent remarks including recognition of National Principals Month and a thank you to all employees who already have completed the Board-adopted annual third-party anonymous personnel survey now underway that closes for responses Friday evening;
Heard Student Delegate remarks from Liam Collins of Creekview High School. Each Delegate takes a turn at the dais, on a rotating basis, and shares remarks on behalf of the group, adding an opportunity for student insight at every Board meeting. Liam reflected on what he and his fellow Delegates learned from this afternoon’s Delegate Work Session, which this month focused on the district’s Public Information division. “One reoccurring theme I've found is that our Cherokee County School District staff, team, Board of Education, and Superintendent work hard to provide for our community and truly create a family in which we all feel welcomed and belong to,” he said;
Recognized the district’s 10 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. Learn more here;
Approved first reading of updates to School Board Policy KG Facility Use;
Approved granting right-of-way to the Cherokee County government for its sidewalk installation along Arnold Mill Road past Arnold Mill Elementary School;
Approved a proclamation to honor Retired Educators Month. Members of the Cherokee Retired Educators Association attended to accept the proclamation. “Thank you for all the work you do, often quietly behind the scenes – it truly makes a difference,” Board Chair Janet Read Welch said. Learn more here; and,
Approved monthly Human Resources employment recommendations.

OCTOBER 2026 OCTOBER 2026

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

CONTRACTOR APPROVAL FOR TWIN FORKS & MONTHLY CAPITAL OUTLAY REPORT CONTRACTOR APPROVAL FOR TWIN FORKS & MONTHLY CAPITAL OUTLAY REPORT

UPDATE ON FORMER CHEROKEE HS CAMPUS UPDATE ON FORMER CHEROKEE HS CAMPUS

INTERNAL AUDITS REPORT INTERNAL AUDITS REPORT

QUALITY GOVERNANCE TEAM QUALITY GOVERNANCE TEAM

MONTHLY FINANCE REPORT MONTHLY FINANCE REPORT

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OCTOBER 2026

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

CONTRACTOR APPROVAL FOR TWIN FORKS & MONTHLY CAPITAL OUTLAY REPORT

UPDATE ON FORMER CHEROKEE HS CAMPUS

INTERNAL AUDITS REPORT

QUALITY GOVERNANCE TEAM

MONTHLY FINANCE REPORT

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