Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower, left, surprises Brian Tomalavage, the Free Home Elementary School Volunteer of the Year, with the news he is the Cherokee County School District 2020 Volunteer of the Year. Mr. Tomalavage formed a Watch DOGS program at Free Home ES to encourage more dads, grandfathers and other male family members to become school volunteers.
The Cherokee County School District is celebrating outstanding school volunteers through its Seventh Annual CCSD Volunteer of the Year awards!
Through the annual program, every CCSD school selects a Volunteer of the Year to honor. From that pool of exceptional school volunteers, a committee made up of retired educators and community leaders selects an overall CCSD 2020 Volunteer of the Year. This year’s winner is Brian Tomalavage, the Free Home Elementary School Volunteer of the Year!
While the traditional recognition ceremony could not be held this year, plaques are being delivered to all of the school-level winners thanks to the continuing sponsorship of the Cherokee County Educational Foundation. Every week, a different school Volunteer of the Year will be featured on CCSD social media platforms. The Foundation also sponsors the CCSD Partner of the Year recognition program, and those winners will be announced soon.
“We are a better School District and a better community because of our willingness to work together for our children,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said. “We could never repay our outstanding volunteers for their dedicated service, but these awards are a way to recognize them and thank them. They are making a positive difference in the lives of our students.”
Mr. Tomalavage formed a Watch DOGS program at Free Home Elementary School to encourage more dads, grandfathers and other male family members to become school volunteers. Through the program, which he chaired while also serving as President of the School Council, Mr. Tomalavage engaged these volunteers in car-rider duty, campus improvement projects, and manning the book fair and other events.
He personally volunteered in all these roles and more, but the one most important, according to former Free Home ES Principal Kim Hagood, who now serves at Carmel ES, was role model.
“Many students enjoyed just spending time with him,” she said. “It is obvious to them that he is genuinely interested in what they have to say. This alone can change the course of a child’s day!”
#CCSDunited #CCSDfam
Above: Celebrating the announcement that Brian Tomalavage, the Free Home Elementary School Volunteer of the Year, is the Cherokee County School District 2020 Volunteer of the Year are, from left to right, former Free Home ES Principal Kim Hagood, who nominated him for the award and now is Principal at Carmel ES; Mr. Tomalavage; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower; and Free Home ES Principal Julie Peppers. Below: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower, left, congratulates Brian Tomalavage, the Free Home Elementary School Volunteer of the Year, for earning the Cherokee County School District 2020 Volunteer of the Year award.
2020 CCSD Volunteers of the Year:
Arnold Mill Elementary School
Dusty Elmore
Avery Elementary School
Linda Fulton
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy
Linda Miller
Bascomb Elementary School
Michelle Helvey
Boston Elementary School
Michael Burton
Carmel Elementary School
Staci Powell
Cherokee High School
James Butler
CCSD Preschool Center – Johnston
Soleil Charity Committee
CCSD Preschool Center - Ralph Bunche
Laurel Canyon Optimist Club
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy
Kathy Sanders
Clayton Elementary School
Debbie Champion
Creekland Middle School
Tessa Craig
Creekview High School
Jeff Stokes
Dean Rusk Middle School
Mitzi Hamilton
E.T. Booth Middle School
Susan Honea
Etowah High School
Kimberle Crosby
Free Home Elementary School
Brian Tomalavage
Freedom Middle School
Di Graves
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy PTA Executive Board
Hickory Flat Elementary School
Jessica Falls
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy
Sarah Reed
Indian Knoll Elementary School
Jeanette Smith
Johnston Elementary School
Emily Meyer
Knox ES STEM Academy
Tiffany Bird
Liberty Elementary School
Charlie Thomas
Little River Elementary School
Natalia Jones
Macedonia Elementary School
Alyson Conley
Mill Creek Middle School
Mill Creek MS PTSA Executive Board
Mountain Road Elementary School
Chanda Schwab
Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy
Lorna Westphal
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy
Alexandra Stark
River Ridge High School
Brenda Page
Sequoyah High School
Paula Cangemi
Sixes Elementary School
Melissa Meyer
Teasley Middle School
Renee Johnson
Tippens Education Center
Teddye Holloway
Woodstock Elementary School
Woodstock ES PTA Executive Board
Woodstock High School
Dacia Shackelford
Woodstock Middle School
Jennifer Carpenter