Board Business Briefs

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2026, heard the annual back-to-school readiness report showcasing preparations for the return of teachers and students, approved a five-year community-inspired strategic plan, and authorized the Education-SPLOST renewal project list up for a community vote this fall.

The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 3, and the district’s readiness status is outstanding, according to the new report, including highlights such as filling nearly 100% of all teaching positions, finalizing the early dismissal and After School Program plan for the new October elementary school parent-conference days, and establishing screentime guidelines to limit student use of technology for classwork and homework.

Feedback from parents, employees, students, and community members informed the Elevate 2032 long-range strategic plan and the 1% Ed-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) project list approved by the Board on Thursday. The Ed-SPLOST project list includes investments in all schools districtwide, with three major construction projects topping the list: the replacement, on their current campuses, of Etowah High School, Hickory Flat Elementary School, and Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy.

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.

Bus driver Christian Borden, left, speaks at the ElevateEd professional development event as part of a panel. She, along with fellow classified staff members, spoke about how their principals partner with them to create positive workplace conditions and collaborative partnerships that improve the effectiveness and support of their role.

During the work session, the School Board heard the annual back-to-school readiness report, reviewing the work by district and school staff over the summer break in preparation for the reopening of schools for classes on Monday, Aug. 3. The report is online here.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis said, as she kicked off the work session and the report presented by Dr. Debra Murdock, the district’s chief school leadership and operations officer.

District schools will welcome an anticipated 40,282 students this school year! In addition to the nearly completed hiring process for teachers, with only six positions to fill in the coming days, staffing is complete for school leadership positions, police officers and safety staff, and down to three openings to fill on the custodial team and three in School Nutrition. The current 99% staffing rate for bus drivers will be complete with the hiring of 11 more drivers. More than 700 active substitute teachers are ready to work this school year.

More than 100 school maintenance projects and school deep cleaning by custodial teams is wrapping up on schedule, ensuring all schools will be safe, well-lit, and clean on opening day. Major construction projects completed on time and within budget for this school year include the new replacement Cherokee High School; the Woodstock HS classroom addition that will allow for career education expansion including the aviation and cybersecurity programs relocation from Active Academies; and the River Ridge HS and Sequoyah High School auxiliary gyms.

School administrators and bus drivers have been trained on updates to the Code of Conduct, which sets stronger behavior expectations for students in schools and aboard buses, with more district and school support for enforcement of bus safety rules. The Code of Conduct’s expectations for student attire and student use of cell phones and other personal digital devices introduced last school year are continuing without changes for elementary and high school; cell phone use has been further restricted at the middle school level to comply with new state law prohibiting student cell phone and personal device use on campus during school hours. The Code of Conduct is posted online here.

New and updated School Board policies strengthen its commitment to families that students learn grade-level material through standards-aligned instruction, progress monitoring and assessment – all at the level of the standard. Students who begin to show academic concerns related to work completion, academic progress and/or attendance could be at risk for summer school or retention to repeat a grade level or course.

• For the elementary school level, promotion criteria is being introduced with standard parent communication for students at risk of retention.
• For the middle and high school level, course recovery will be offered for a score of 55-69 and fewer than 10 unexcused absences.
• For the middle and high school level, course re-enrollment and/or summer school will be required for a score below 55 or a score below 69 with more than 10 unexcused days absences. Course re-enrollment means the student retakes the class(es) during the next school year’s regular schedule instead of the next class in the subject and/or an elective.

To strengthen communication between schools and families, the district is beginning scheduled parent-teacher conference days this school year. Elementary schools will hold conference days Oct. 13-16, with early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. each day to allow teachers time to meet with parents. Districtwide parent-teacher conference days for all grade levels will be held Jan. 28-29, also with early dismissal (release times to be announced shortly). These conferences will provide families with dedicated time to discuss academic progress, strengths, and any needed interventions to support student success.

During the report, early dismissal plans were outlined for the October parent-teacher conference days at elementary schools. All elementary schools will dismiss students at 11:30 a.m. with buses beginning their routes at that time. An extended After School Program (ASP) will be offered; there will be no charge for students to stay in the program from 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and then be picked up by parents. The regular rates for ASP will apply beginning at 2:15 p.m. for families who extend the service beyond that time.

Communication between teachers and students and between teachers and parents will be further enhanced through streamlined practices. Teachers will have access to a two-way direct messaging feature, similar to texts, within the current ParentSquare communication system already used for emailing parents in order to eliminate the need for direct messaging from personal cell devices.

In another measure to improve communication, School Board Policy KN: Concerns, Complaints and Grievances, has been updated to promote greater clarity and better communication streams for parents, community, and school staff regarding who to contact in the event of questions or concerns. The policy is posted online here.

All 470 school buses passed state inspection and are ready to roll, and CCSD school police officers participated again this summer in multi-agency training exercises. New this school year, preschool bus routes are aligned with elementary routes, increasing efficiency and allowing for more transition time before morning and afternoon sessions. Student and teacher technology is ready for use, with plans set for the distribution of student-assigned CCSD Chromebook laptops for all middle school students to use during the school day.

During the report, new screentime guidelines, associated with School Board Policy IFB: Instructional Role of Student Learning Devices, were outlined to limit screen time during classroom instruction and homework assignments. The screentime guidance shapes the time on student learning devices to that, on average, equates to 35 minutes Pre-K through Grade 2, 45 minutes for Grades 3-5, and 90 minutes for Grades 6-12.

Teachers return to school on Monday for pre-planning, with students and families visiting campuses for open house/walk-through events at specific times on July 30 and 31.

Over the summer break, the district has hosted three significant professional development events, with two ElevateEd events for school and district leaders and the Team Cherokee two-day program for teachers and other certified staff new to the district.

Dr. Murdock spoke to the intention put into planning this training, with a focus on how principals could better collaborate with their own support staff, PTA, and partner organizations to elevate the excellence of our schools.

One of the highlights of the second day of ElevateEd, which was focused on investing in the classified personnel in CCSD, was a session during which a bus driver, custodian, and School Nutrition professional sat on a panel with their principals and spoke about how they have partnered together to improve the coordination and the processes associated with that area. The support staff members shared, during rotating sessions throughout the day, how their principals partner with them to create positive workplace conditions and collaborative partnerships that improve the effectiveness and support of their role.

Board members asked questions about hiring success, parent-teacher conference days, bus operations, and delivery schedules for CCSD Chromebook laptops. They also praised the central office teams for their preparation work and for the dedication of support staff, with Board Chair Janet Read Welch giving a shout-out to bus drivers.

“Bus drivers are often the first person and last person each day our students see,” she said. “Thank you for all you do to take care of our kids.”

Comprehensive back-to-school information for parents, including the schedule of school open house/walk-through events, how to look up bus stop locations, school meal information, and more, is posted on a dedicated back-to-school webpage online here.

The Education-SPLOST funds not only construction of new schools, but also renovations, significant maintenance projects, purchasing new equipment, instructional resources, technology, and school buses, among other projects.

The School Board on Thursday unanimously voted to call for the renewal of the Education-SPLOST and associated bond issuance referendum to be added to the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

For the first time, the district gathered community insights to develop the project list for the 1% sales tax to support education. Through the Elevate 2032 strategic plan development process, stakeholders were asked to also think about investments that would be needed to advance the academic experience and accomplish long-range goals.

Coupled with research into student enrollment growth projections, current and projected use of school facilities as compared to capacity, and an independent study of the age and condition of schools, the School Board’s vision and these community insights shaped a project list more closely connected than ever before to student achievement and preparing students for workforce readiness.

The complete project list, which is posted online here, includes investments in the following areas: construction of replacement schools; campus additions; campus improvements (renovations, modifications, furniture replacement, major maintenance projects); campus improvements for the arts, athletics, and workforce readiness; school safety and security investments; technology upgrades; and transportation system improvements.

Many of the proposed construction projects are eligible for partial funding by state facility funds due to age, which will save the school district from bearing the full cost. For the projects to replace the Etowah High School, Hickory Flat Elementary School, and Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy campuses, this construction would be completed using a process of phased demolition and rebuilding on the current site. This model has been successfully used in other metro counties, including Walton High School in Cobb County and the replacement projects currently underway at North Springs High School in Fulton and Sprayberry High School in Cobb.

Two other major projects on the list are the construction of a bus access drive and more parking spaces at Creekview High School and a classroom addition at Sequoyah High School. Schools to receive significant renovations and furniture replacement are: Arnold Mill ES, Bascomb ES, Canton ES (most recently used as the Cherokee North building for Cherokee High School), Carmel ES, Holly Springs ES STEM Academy, R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, Tippens Education Center, and Woodstock ES.

The project list does not include the construction of new schools. Ten-year student enrollment projections show stability is on the horizon for student attendance and no schools are projected to be overcrowded as defined by the School Board’s policy.

All schools will benefit from campus improvements for the arts, athletics, and workforce readiness.

All schools’ music rooms will receive soundproofing. Elementary and middle schools will receive new art kilns, gym scoreboards, and classroom conversions to support workforce readiness-aligned Special/Connections classes.

High schools will receive auditorium renovations, marching band tower replacements, artificial turf replacement (football fields) and installation (baseball, softball, and practice fields), outdoor and gym scoreboards, auxiliary gym divider curtain systems, dedicated space for additional high-demand, skill-based training classrooms and labs, and expanded career preparation program offerings for agriculture science, healthcare science, construction, welding, and automotive services.

Safety and security investments include replacing police officer vehicles and radios, installing access control-fencing and vestibules where needed, and adding more security cameras and other security technology systems at schools.

Ed-SPLOST funds will also be invested in acquiring more print instructional resources for academic classes districtwide. Technology upgrades include purchasing more student- and staff-assigned laptop computers as well as computers for school computer labs and upgrading technology infrastructure and systems.

Transportation investments include purchasing 30 new school buses every year (including five Special Education buses every year), replacing maintenance vehicles, and replacing equipment in the bus shops.

During Thursday’s report, Board members reviewed projected Ed-SPLOST collections, the schedule for bond debt retirement, the amount of collections to be used for “pay as we go” projects, as well as the specific referendum language required by state law.

Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison said she was pleased by the project list’s breadth, noting “every school gets something" in the district's proposed project list.

Advancing a new level of student engagement, the School Board worked with student leaders to review the strategic plan community feedback and develop a new vision statement for the school district.

The School Board on Thursday adopted an updated School Board Policy BA: Goals and Objectives including its governance framework, a new vision statement, and the Elevate 2032 long-range strategic plan.

The process to develop the five-year plan began in February with the Board setting the course for its development. The three-month community engagement process included focus groups with students, parents, employees (teachers, support staff, leaders), and business and community partners, as well as opportunities for the community at large to participate through an in-person forum and online survey. Through the process, 4,466 stakeholders shared their insights.

“At the heart of all of this is the community,” Board member Kelly Poole said, sharing her appreciation for the community’s participation in the process that she described as “a labor of love.”

The four strategic initiatives for Elevate 2032 are: Academic Performance and Workforce Readiness, Professional Excellence, Safe and Supported Schools, and Financial and Operational Accountability. The full plan is posted online here.

Advancing a new level of student engagement, the Board worked with student leaders to review the strategic plan community feedback alongside the steering committee’s identified key themes and the proposed Education-SPLOST funded projects to ensure alignment and identify gaps. To further this heightened student engagement, the Board also used the vision statements drafted by the student leaders during earlier focus group meetings to collaboratively develop a new vision statement for the district.

This vision statement is: “We are committed to creating opportunities for every learner to achieve academic success, build strong relationships, contribute to their community and thrive in life.”

Rob Broline, CPA, CCA Partner, of Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC shares a report during the School Board's work session.

The School Board, during its work session, heard the first report from the third-party independent auditor appointed in compliance with House Bill 845, authored and supported by the members of the Cherokee County state 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 audit already conducted each year.

In November, the district received the name of one entity identified by the delegation: Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC. The Board approved its appointment at its Feb. 12 meeting at a cost of $3.28 million over five years.

The accounting firm on Thursday presented its first report: a risk assessment and internal audit plan. Organizations never operate without risk, and the assessment places departments that inherently manage high risk responsibilities in a high risk category, and those departments that manage low risk responsibilities in a low risk category. This risk assessment guided the firm's order of internal audits over the next three years. Each internal audit will evaluate the evidence of internal controls within each department present to mitigate risk and share recommendations for improvement.

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. This year’s internal audits include budget development, approval and amendments; purchasing cards, competitive and non-competitive procurement, transportation inventory and fuel, capital planning, and construction management and project closeout. The audits will evaluate the controls in place to mitigate inherent risks, and how consistently those controls are applied and monitored to reduce those risks.

All Board members asked questions to further understand the audits’ purposes and process.

Board member Erin Ragsdale asked the firm’s representative who spoke during the work session to explain the difference between an organizational process audit and a financial audit. An organizational process audit does take into consideration financial practices but is more of a “deeper dive” into how the district’s operations function and where there are areas more efficiencies could be implemented.

“You are helping us learn how to better run our departments,” Ms. Ragsdale said of her view of the audits’ potential benefit.

From left, Tina Farmer, Ashley Stanton, and Chris Herd.

As part of its approval of the monthly human resources employment recommendations, the School Board also appointed new school and district leaders for the upcoming school year including the district’s new chief financial officer.

Tina Farmer, who currently serves as CCSD’s executive director for School Nutrition and procurement services, is the district’s next chief financial officer. She will fill the role held by longtime CFO Ken Owen, who is retiring in September. Ms. Farmer has 20 years of experience, with 10 of those served in the district. During her decade of CCSD School Nutrition leadership, she led the program to earn numerous national and state awards recognizing its excellent meal quality, outstanding customer service, and strong community partnerships. Prior to joining CCSD, Ms. Farmer worked for the Georgia Department of Education as a grants program consultant and as school nutrition director for Cabarrus County, NC Schools.

Ashley Stanton, a 14-year educator who most recently served as preschool program support specialist for Cobb County Schools, will serve in CCSD Academics & Accountability as the coordinator of the districtwide preschool program.

Chris Herd, an employee resources facilitator for CCSD Human Resources with 21 years of service, will serve as coordinator for employee resources.

The new home of Cherokee High School has been completed within budget and on time to welcome students for the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 3.

The School Board heard the monthly capital outlay report, which celebrated the completion of the new replacement Cherokee High School and provided updates on other projects underway.

Within budget and already in use for summer activities like marching band camp and sports practices, the School Board-approved new campus at 1500 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. adjacent to Teasley Middle School replaces the district’s oldest high school, which opened in 1956. The new school has been designed to accommodate its 2,600 current students and future growth up to a total enrollment of more than 3,000 students. Attendance boundary lines for the school are unchanged.

In addition to the new Cherokee HS campus, the construction of the River Ridge High School auxiliary gym also has been completed within budget and on time for the first day of school. The 30,000-square-foot gym was built over existing facilities and is part of the districtwide initiative to provide two gyms at every high school.

Above: The new auxiliary gym for River Ridge High School. Below: Construction continues on athletic improvements at Sequoyah High School.

The Sequoyah High School athletic improvements are continuing, with the first phase – the opening of an auxiliary gym – within budget and on schedule to open for the first day of school. This project completes the construction of an auxiliary gym at every CCSD high school. The next phases of the project continue to progress, with construction of the home and visitor’s concessions areas on track to complete by the first home football game, as work carries on for the home field house and main gym renovations.

Three major projects now are in development: construction of a new parent driveway for Boston Elementary School, modifications and renovations to re-open Canton Elementary School, and construction of restrooms at the Twin Forks bus depot.

The Boston ES project construction is anticipated to start in December for July 2027 completion. The next step in the Canton ES project is the issuing of requests for proposal as the timeline stays on schedule for an August 2028 opening. Construction is anticipated to begin in November for the Twin Forks bus depot restrooms with completion planned for July 2027.

Board member Kelly Poole shared her joy that the long-anticipated Boston ES parent drive project is gearing up.

“It’s amazing to see this project is finally getting addressed,” she said.

• Heard School Board member remarks. Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan shared inspirational remarks about the new home for Cherokee High School, where a “second look” open house recently was hosted for the community. Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison spoke to the district’s leadership in improving student attendance, now leading the region with its low truancy rate. Board member Kelly Poole thanked central office teams for their work over summer break to prepare for the first day of school. Board Chair Janet Read Welch also spoke to the new Cherokee HS “second look” event and the community’s appreciation she heard from visitors;
• Recognized Creekview High School’s TSA (Technology Student Association) state and national award winners. Learn more here;
• Recognized Etowah High School’s baseball team as Georgia High School Association State and Region Champions. Learn more here;
• Approved the final reading of updates to School Board Policies DO, GAAA, GAEB, GAG, GAK(1), GAM, GBC, GBRI, JCAC, JCAC(2), JCEB, and KN;
• Approved annual recommendations for the tribunal hearing panel for students who are recommended for long-term suspension or expulsion; and
• Approved the 2026-27 Local School Board Governance Training Plan for whole board governance training.

Thursday, August 20, 2026

5:30 p.m. Work Session; 7 p.m. Regular Meeting

Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility

1205 Bluffs Parkway, Canton, GA 30114

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