Cherokee County School District - GA

The Cherokee County School District’s graduation rate for the Class of 2024 rose to 93.5%, a new high that also continues to top the state average. The CCSD four-year graduation rate increased from the Class of 2023’s 92.2% average, according to a new report from the Georgia Department of Education released today. The school district again exceeded the state average of 85.4%. CCSD’s rate is the third highest among metro Atlanta county school systems. More: https://lnkd.in/ebN53mJM #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

October is National Principals Month! Our Principals are Elevating the Excellence every day in our schools by providing leadership and inspiration. We’re recognizing one of these amazing leaders each day. Please join us in thanking them for all they do each day for our students and families, teachers and staff, and communities! #CCSDElevateTheExcellence #ThankAPrincipal Clayton Elementary School Principal Valerie Lowery Why did you choose to become a principal?  Growing up, I was deeply inspired by my grandfather, who dedicated his life to education as a principal in the Cherokee County School District. I watched him interact with students, parents, and the community with such passion and care. His ability to connect with others and make a difference left a lasting impression on me. Today, I am committed to continuing his legacy in the Clayton community. I am proud to support our amazing teachers, collaborate with families, and foster a positive learning environment for all students. I am honored to carry forward his mission and work alongside our amazing staff to inspire the next generation.    What inspires you in your work as a Principal?  I am continually inspired by the incredible potential of our students and the dedicated teachers who nurture their growth every day. Each student brings unique talents and dreams, and it is my pleasure and privilege to witness their journey and support them along the way. How are you Elevating the Excellence in your school?  I am elevating the excellence by fostering a culture of positivity, innovation, and continuous improvement. One of our key initiatives is a schoolwide focus on rigorous instruction. We believe that all students deserve access to challenging material that pushes them to grow and excel. In addition, we are emphasizing the importance of text annotation. This skill not only enhances comprehension, but also encourages critical thinking and deeper engagement with the material. By equipping our students with these tools, we are preparing them for success both in and out of the classroom. The faculty and staff at Clayton are dedicated to providing a rigorous and positive learning environment where every student is safe and can learn and grow.

Alumni from CCSD’s VILLA parent academy program joined Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis for a listening session lunch today. Parents shared feedback on topics including how parents can support student learning and how CCSD can advance classroom instruction and school safety. Thanks to Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner, for sponsoring lunch. #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

The Cherokee County School District is continuing a new monthly recognition for outstanding high school athletes. Beginning last month, CCSD kicked off recognizing a Female Athlete of the Month and Male Athlete of the Month. Congratulations to this month’s winners: Amya Dryden of River Ridge HS for volleyball, whose coach is Julie Winfield, and Malachi Burnett of Creekview HS for cross-country, whose coach is Kirk Scharich. Outstanding student athletes are nominated by their high schools, and a committee selects an overall winner. Thank you to gift sponsor, BSN Sports. More: https://lnkd.in/esrfTPiy #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

October is National Principals Month! Our Principals are Elevating the Excellence every day in our schools by providing leadership and inspiration. We’re recognizing one of these amazing leaders each day. Please join us in thanking them for all they do each day for our students and families, teachers and staff, and communities! #CCSDElevateTheExcellence #ThankAPrincipal Clark Creek ES STEM Academy Principal Joey Moss Why did you choose to become a Principal? I became a principal to have a positive, far-reaching impact on students’ educational experiences and to support teachers in creating engaging, effective learning environments.  I wanted to lead a school where the entire community works together to ensure every child feels valued and can succeed. What inspires you in your work as a Principal?  I am inspired by the growth and development of both students and staff.  Seeing students reach their potential and teachers continuously evolve in their practice energizes me.  The collaborative spirit of our school community and the positive impact we have on children's futures keep me motivated every day. How are you Elevating the Excellence in your school? I elevate excellence by focusing on continuous improvement, encouraging innovation in teaching, and creating a culture of high expectations and support for both students and staff.  By prioritizing professional development and fostering strong relationships with families, I ensure our school is always striving for growth.

Cherokee County School District’s theatre programs are taking the stage for a new season! All CCSD high schools, as well as select middle and elementary schools and the districtwide Academy Street Theatre Group program for elementary through high school students, present shows throughout the school year. Some shows will have advance ticket sales online; for information on ticket sales, please contact the school.  The schedule is posted online at https://lnkd.in/e5kmenxU; additions made throughout the school year also will be posted there. #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

The Cherokee County School District’s Principals participate in a monthly leadership and professional development meeting. This month, the training sessions focused on elevating student achievement through their role as instructional leaders and by effectively using student performance data for improving classroom teaching. The meeting also included lunch provided by Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner, in celebration of National Principals Month. #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

October is National Principals Month! Our Principals are Elevating the Excellence every day in our schools by providing leadership and inspiration. We’re recognizing one of these amazing leaders each day. Please join us in thanking them for all they do each day for our students and families, teachers and staff, and communities! #CCSDElevateTheExcellence #ThankAPrincipal Cherokee High School Principal Andy Hall Why did you choose to become a Principal? It chose me actually. I loved every minute of being an English teacher and a coach, and after 12 years doing those things, I moved into to administration as an assistant principal to expand my impact on students and staff through that role. Anyone who has been an AP (or met one) knows that being an AP is hard but rewarding work, and I wanted to do the best I could in that role, not really thinking that being a principal was necessarily up next. While working as an AP at River Ridge High School, I was lucky enough to work with principal Dr. Kerry Martin whom I admired for her ability to lead a school in all phases, from the students, to the staff to the community. One night, she stopped me in the middle of my running around organizing and leading a parent information night and told me, “I can’t wait to see you leading a school building one day.” It hit me like a bolt of lightning that night, and I worked to become a principal from there, knowing that it’s such an important job with such an important influence on the members of our community. What inspires you in your work as a Principal?  The team approach that we embrace at Cherokee High School inspires my work. With thousands of students, hundreds of faculty and staff members, and thousands of community members involved, a school has to function as a team to meet the needs that are there. The work of the students and staff here at Cherokee inspires me daily, and being able to be the leader humbles me and energizes me at the same time. To see our students achieve their goals, whatever those may be, and to play a small part in that inspires our team at CHS. How are you Elevating the Excellence in your school? At Cherokee, we strive to make the most of our time with our students every day. Our instructional leadership team of teachers, administrators, counselors and our instructional lead strategist are working to increase teacher understanding of reading and annotation and feedback strategies to use with students in all content areas, and our professional learning communities are aligning learning targets and success criteria to freshly unpacked standards to ensure rigor and relevance for our students. We are proud of the hard work that all of our professionals do here at Cherokee, and we are happy to meet the challenge of doing even better as we go.

The Cherokee County School District Police Department has earned state recognition for its excellence! The department’s status as a Certified Agency has been renewed by the Joint Review Committee of the State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program, and the department has earned the prestigious Silver Award for maintaining accreditation for 15 years. Certified Agency status is the highest level of state accreditation that local law enforcement agencies can achieve. CCSD’s department, which is led by Chief Buster Cushing, is one of only five school police departments in the state to achieve this certification. Chief Cushing noted that Mary Henson, the department’s certification manager, and Capt. Richie Rich, its certification supervisor, played lead roles in ensuring the success of the reaccreditation process. More: https://lnkd.in/efVtYW5J #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

Volunteers make a positive difference in our schools, which is why we spotlight them here ... congratulations to Dean Rusk Middle School 2024 Volunteer of the Year: Dean Rusk MS PTSA Executive Board! #CCSDElevateTheExcellence