CCSD Connections

Dear CCSD Family,

Every November, I'm especially filled with gratitude as I reflect on all there is to be thankful for, and last week reinforced my thankfulness to be a part of this community.

After a week of heavy emotions, as we grappled with the news of people trying to plan a threat to one of our schools, I found myself surrounded by our incredible students, teachers, staff, administrators, and community on Friday night. I spent the evening at Warrior Stadium joining the crowd in cheering on our Cherokee High School Warriors football team on Tommy Baker Field.

The turnout by our community was nothing short of amazing. It was the last regular season home football game at our Warriors' new home, and the stands were filled with cheering fans. Students, parents, grandparents, teachers, staff, and, what lifted my heart the most, members of our community who didn't have a child on the field playing football or cheering or performing with the band. But they still were there for our kids to show them love and support.

That is what community looks like. Cherokee High family members love to say: Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior. We were all Warriors on Friday night.

We are blessed with a School Board equally committed to the safety of our students and employees as they are focused on our students' success in the classroom. And in our schools, the classrooms and hallways and cafeteria and front office are filled with the most talented and dedicated teachers, support staff, and leaders I ever have had the honor to serve alongside.

And we are blessed by you. Your supportive partnership is so meaningful to us as we all work together -- as one united community -- to ensure all of our students learn more, grow more, and achieve more in our classrooms (and on our fields and courts and stages) than they could anywhere else.

I wish you and your family a wonderful season of thanksgiving.

Thank you,

Mary Elizabeth Davis

Superintendent of Schools

Click here or on the image to learn more. Thank you to Credit Union of Georgia for its sponsorship of our monthly newsletter!

Our School Board, at its most recent regular meeting, 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 this month, reviewed newly completed internal audits, and was recognized for earning state certification as a Quality Governance Team.

The 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 reading the full Board Business Briefs report online here.

• 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 our 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 this month 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. You can see photos and videos of the memorabilia items online here. 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 during the work session 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. Learn more here.

The renewal of our Education SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) was approved by Cherokee County voters this week with 70% support! This continuation of the existing sales tax will fund necessary improvement projects to support our community-built strategic plan, Elevate 2032, including projects at every school to enhance academics, athletics, fine arts, and safety and security. Learn more about these projects online here.

Our 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 School Board recently 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 School Board policy focused on improving early literacy.

“We’re all here for the right reasons: we have a great community, and we want to keep it that way. It’s an honor to work alongside you to do what’s best for our community and, most importantly, what’s best for our kids,” is how School Board Chair Janet Read Welch closed the special visit.

Learn more here.

Our students once again outpaced the competition, raising the bar with a 1090 average total score on the SAT — a 5-point jump from the previous year. Our Class of 2026 earned an average total score of 1090 on the curriculum-based college entrance and placement exam, according to new results released by the College Board. Learn more here.

Our Class of 2026 ACT scores continue to top national and state averages! The class earned an excellent 22.5 composite score average, down slightly from 22.8 last year mirroring the state’s dip to 20.9, down from 21.4, and the nation’s 19.2, down from 19.4, on the competitive college entrance and placement examination, according to new results released by the Georgia Department of Education. Learn more here.

“It’s the best job in the world!” Our bus drivers shared their love of their job as we shared our love of their service at our annual Bus Driver Appreciation Breakfast. Wellstar Health System sponsored the special morning at our Woodstock and Holly Springs bus shops, distributing breakfast and swag bags to our amazing bus drivers, technicians, routing specialists and other team members who keep our 400-plus buses rolling. Learn more here.

Fourteen of our high school seniors have been named National Merit Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation! The seniors are among the only 2 to 3% of the Class of 2027 honored nationwide with the recognition, which is based on outstanding PSAT scores, and our total increased from 13 honorees last year. Learn more here.

One of our schools earned top state honors for excellence in education! Free Home Elementary School won the prestigious 2026 School Bell Award from the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals, which is presented to no more than 10 schools each year in recognition of outstanding curriculum and organizational leadership initiatives. Learn more here.

One of our teachers is the region’s top educator for literacy and now is up for statewide honors! Ball Ground ES STEM Academy kindergarten teacher Chassidy Chumley is the Georgia Literacy Council’s Teacher of the Year for all school districts served by the North Georgia Regional Service Agency! Learn more here.

Today, we celebrated our amazing support staff at the Ninth Annual Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards and surprised 30-year Special Education paraprofessional Cindy Reece with the top honor! Ms. Reece, who supports students at Holly Springs ES STEM Academy, was praised for her dedication to student success both in school and in life.

The celebration luncheon honored one Support Staff Employee of the Year from each of the district’s schools, centers and central office divisions. The sponsors who made the event possible include: Presenting Sponsor, the Cherokee County Educational Foundation; Platinum Sponsors, Credit Union of Georgia, Northside Hospital Cherokee and Timbers on Etowah; Gold Sponsor, Cobb EMC; and Silver Sponsor, Cherokee Education Association.

We're on a mission to be the highest-performing school district in Georgia -- and the district known for its contagious joy and optimism! Learn more here.

"Communicate, engage, and adapt -- together, we all achieve more!" We recently celebrated one of our favorite days of the year: the Achieve Games! Formerly known as our Special Olympics Awareness Day, the amazing field day event for our students who receive Special Education services was made possible by our teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, other team members, student peer helpers, PTA members, other volunteers, and our School Board. Special thanks to our Special Education department, adapted PE teacher Ben Farist, who coordinates the Cherokee County Special Olympics, and host Creekview High School for their dedication to the Games' success. See photos online here.

High School Theatre Programs Win at Regional Competition

Student Delegates to the School Board Featured on Leadership Panel

Student Delegates to the School Board Featured on Leadership Panel

Thank You to Our School Psychologists

Investments Expand Opportunities for Creekview HS Students

Thank You Cherokee Retired Educators

Students Earn AP Scholar and Capstone Honors

Congratulations to Our Middle School Academic Bowl Winners

Congratulations to Our Athletes of the Month

Liberty ES is Participating in "Pledge of the Day"

Congratulations to Our 2026 College Board Award Honorees

School Board Visits Etowah High School

Meet the Teacher Advisory Council: Jenn Tansy of Dean Rusk MS

Meet the Student Delegate: Liam Collins of Creekview HS

Woodstock HS Classroom Addition Brings Students New Opportunities

Meet the Teacher Advisory Council: Leah Spradlin of Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy

Happy 2026 Georgia Pre-K Week

School Board Visits Holly Springs ES STEM Academy

Successful Teacher Leader Program Continues

Students Named to State Student Advisory Council

Congratulations Pacesetter Award Winners

Meet the Teacher Advisory Council: Amy Garner of E.T. Booth MS

Thank You to Our School Custodians

Clayton ES Wins $5,000 Competitive Grant for Books

An online tutoring program is available for high school students at no cost! GaTutor at https://gatutor.org/ is offered online by the Georgia Department of Education through Zoom. High school students can receive online tutoring with certified educators for core academic classes. A one-minute video explaining the sign-up process for students is online here.

The Jason T. Dickerson Family Foundation will award two $25,000 scholarships to a Class of 2027 graduating senior currently attending one of our six traditional high schools. Applicants must be planning to attend a two- or four-year accredited college, university, trade school, or technical college in the continental U.S. Students must plan to pursue a degree in the veterinary medicine field to apply. Applications are due March 1, 2027. Learn more here.

A Freedom Middle School and Tippens Education Center mom is the winner of our annual School Nutrition Parent Recipe Contest! Congratulations to Maria Facetti, who earned the top prize for her recipe, Honey Yogurt Cucumber Dippers. Learn more here.

Our award-winning School Nutrition department shares a recipe of the month from its school menu test kitchen as part of its monthly newsletter. Check out the November issue online here that includes this month's recipe for Homestyle Cornbread Dressing. The newsletter now includes a new section, " Because Someone Once Served Me," with personal stories focused on the positive impact School Nutrition professionals make on students.

Please check your school’s website and social media for school event information.

Our CCSD Fine Arts Events Calendar is online here.

Our CCSD High School Athletics Calendar is online here.

November is ... Military Family Month and Georgia Family Engagement Month

Nov. 2-6: National School Psychology Awareness Week

Nov. 7: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Cherokee High School, Warrior Winter Fest with 75-plus arts and crafts vendors, live music, carnival games hosted by CHS athletic teams, Santa! (bring your camera for free photos), a football tailgate area, food trucks, and much more to raise funds for the school’s C-Club. Admission is $5, and free for guests 18 and younger.

Nov. 7: 9 a.m., former Cherokee HS campus (930 Marietta Hwy., Canton 30114), CHS Surplus Auction (furniture, equipment, etc.). The items for the Nov. 14 CHS Memorabilia Auction will be on display in the gym for public preview.

Nov. 8-14: Georgia Crossing Guard Appreciation Week

Nov. 11: Veterans Day

Nov. 14: 9 a.m., former Cherokee HS campus (930 Marietta Hwy., Canton 30114), CHS Memorabilia Auction (artwork, banners, bricks, etc.)

Nov. 18: National Education Support Professionals Day

Nov. 19: 5:30 p.m. work session and 7 p.m. business meeting, School Board Auditorium at Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility, Cherokee County School Board Meeting.

Nov. 20: National Substitute Teachers Appreciation Day

Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving Break; all schools and offices closed.

Looking for a rewarding career where you can make a difference every day? Our Job Fair from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 1020 Keeter Road, Canton, 30114 is your opportunity to explore exciting career opportunities across all positions including teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, school nutrition professionals, custodians, and more! Come meet our team, learn about our schools, and discover how you can help shape the future of our students. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your career, we'd love to meet you! See current job openings at https://cherokeega.schoolspring.com/ Questions? Contact Rebecca.carlisle@cherokeek12.net and 770.704.4256. #CCSDElevatetheExcellence

Email: communications@cherokeek12.net
Website: www.cherokeek12.net
Location: PO Box 769, Canton, GA 30169
Phone: 7704791871
Facebook: facebook.com/CherokeeGASchools/

Instagram: @cherokeegaschools