The Cherokee County School District has partnered with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development to provide summer employment opportunities for rising high school juniors and seniors as part of the Fourth Annual Cherokee Summer Internship Program. The interactive, mentorship-based program runs from June 7 – July 16, 2021. 

“These internships are an outstanding opportunity for our students to spend their summer break learning about careers in their community, while also earning money for their time,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We’re so thankful to the Office of Economic Development and the participating businesses for continuing to offer this program to our students.”

We are excited to share application and enrollment information about i-Grad Virtual Academy (Grades 9-12) with you.  Applications for the 2021-22 School Year open on April 1, 2021 and are due by April 21, 2021.  Students and parents must complete the online form and get at least one recommendation from their current school.  The application process will give students the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to be successful in a virtual environment.  Application decisions and notifications will begin in early May, and accepted students/parents will be contacted with enrollment information.  

The Cherokee County School District is celebrating 230 extraordinary high school juniors as Superintendent’s Key Scholars!  

These outstanding students were recognized, through the 16th Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony held virtually on Thursday night, for scores achieved in their sophomore or junior year on the Practice SAT (PSAT) that rank them in the top 10% nationwide. 

Cherokee County School District students earned accolades at the annual statewide literary competition – including a State championship for the Freedom Middle School Reading Bowl team!

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised of the following reminders and updates:

SPRING BREAK
CCSD schools and offices will be closed Monday, April 5, through Friday, April, 9, with classes resuming April 12.  We ask that all students and their families please follow COVID-19 safety precautions over the break, including social distancing, wearing a mask, staying home when you’re sick, and getting tested if you’re symptomatic or if you have had a close contact with someone who is positive.  If you will be travelling during the break, please review the CDC’s guidance at http://bit.ly/covidtravel21; CCSD is not requiring students quarantine due to travel, but if you choose to self-quarantine your children for this reason, please let your child’s school know.

CCSD High School 2021 Summer School will be offered from June 3-23, 2021 with options for Credit Recovery and Initial Credit as detailed below.  More detailed registration information will be released in mid-April.

Clayton Elementary School’s school counselor sees her mission in three parts: to connect, to educate and to advocate.

Heather Chesnut meets and exceeds that mission with love, hope and a lot of hard work, according to her students, their families and her colleagues.  

“She is a safe haven,” one parent shared, noting her children have been strongly supported by Ms. Chesnut as they navigated through family challenges over the past two years.  “She goes above and beyond what is required of a school counselor.”

Ms. Chesnut earlier this year was selected by colleagues as the Cherokee Innovation Zone’s Counselor of the Year in recognition of her outstanding service for the past nine years, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower surprised her Tuesday with the honor that she’s the Cherokee County School District 2021 Counselor of the Year! 

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.

On behalf of the Superintendent, as shared with the School Board at its meeting tonight, he has announced plans for Digital Learning for next school year; high school prom; and graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2021.

CCSD high schools raised more than $145,000 this year selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win a 2021 Jeep Wrangler, donated by Shottenkirk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in Canton.  Schools sold more than 29,000 tickets to hopeful future Jeep owners, and Tuesday night Lynn Cole of Ball Ground was the lucky winner!

The Cherokee County School District this week will begin a new series for its Parent University program, an annual initiative focused on providing parents with expert guidance to help their children be more successful in school and in their lives overall.

For this school year's series, which begins Tuesday, March 16, and will be conducted through live sessions on Microsoft Teams, CCSD is partnering with Nathan Maynard, author of the bestselling book "Hacking School Discipline," to focus on how to build students' social-emotional competencies through restorative practices. 

For more information click here.

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 District is successfully vaccinating employees at a districtwide event this week in collaboration with the Department of Public Health.

The two-day event began Thursday and continues today at Canton First Baptist, with a goal of vaccinating 2,850 full-time and part-time CCSD employees.  Additional employees, including substitute teachers, will be vaccinated by DPH by special priority appointments next week.

On behalf of the Superintendent, please be advised we have received official confirmation that the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be administered by the Department of Public Health (DPH) to our employees during our mass vaccination event this Thursday and Friday (March 11-12).  This means that we will NOT need to close in-person learning on April 15 and 16 for a second round of vaccinations.  

Get ready to learn! The Cherokee County School District is opening online registration for 2021-22 kindergarten students, as well as first graders new to CCSD, on Monday, February 8.