A Cherokee County School District elementary school has won a top State award for supporting students!

Clark Creek Elementary School STEM Academy has earned the 2018 SSTAGE (Student Support Team Association for Georgia Educators) Star Award for Promising Practices at the elementary school level.  This award recognizes outstanding efforts to teach students who need additional academic, behavioral and emotional support, such as through an individual Response to Intervention (RTI) plan and a Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS), in order to succeed.

“Our mission is to educate the emerging generation, and that includes all students, no matter the challenges we must help each overcome,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We’re so proud of Clark Creek for the work its teachers and staff do every day to help all students succeed.  This award recognizes their dedication to the individual whole child and is a well-deserved honor.”

The Association selects winners based on their success in developing an effective problem-solving system to assist struggling students, including instructional and behavioral resources; providing professional development to ensure teachers are prepared to best serve students; and maintaining outstanding parent and family engagement and communication.

“The positive culture of the school was impossible to miss, and it was reflected by the leadership and the staff,” Association President Kristie Long said.  “The school’s enthusiasm, team collaboration, dedication, and understanding of RTI/MTSS will be an inspiration to educational leaders and teachers across the state of Georgia.”

The school, which is led by Principal Joey Moss, also was praised for specific initiatives including a Positive Behavior Intervention Supports system to encourage and reward students and Rainbows groups to support students’ emotional needs; the formation of grade-level data teams for teachers to monitor student progress and collaborate on solutions, as well as the use of a RTI coordinator to provide consistency in strategies; and the offering of events throughout the school year with parent outreach and training as the focus.

The school will be recognized at the 2019 Promising Practices Conference in January at which teachers and staff will make a presentation on their award-winning practices.

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