CCSD Connections

Dear CCSD Family,

Fall finally feels like it has officially arrived, and I just love all of the goodness it brings — from the beautiful leaves to the cooler temperatures to a season of gratitude and giving.

We have so much to be grateful for in our community, and I am especially grateful for the trust you place everyday in CCSD to partner with you in your child’s education. We have had a really positive and productive season of learning and growing together. What began with the unfamiliar early days of August has turned into routines and positive relationships fully alive in every classroom across the county. I am grateful for the exceptional talent and skill of our classroom teachers who are the architects behind the excellence I see as I visit schools and get a glimpse of the learning they bring to life.

This fall has also been a season of learning for me as well. I continue to seek out the perspectives and experiences of our employees, our students, and our families so that I can understand what we value most and where we can continue to get better. One such opportunity to convene was on the heels of the tragedy at Apalachee High School when we had an open community forum to discuss the very significant topic of safety and security. Following a panel presentation, we had productive dialogue as we sought insights from the audience of how we can get better. As a result of the recommendations provided through the community forum and subsequent collaboration with our law enforcement and public safety leaders across the county, our CCSD School Board took action to continue growing our School Police Department by adding four more police officers to the team. This will expand our department to a total of 33 police officers.

As we make our way through November, I want to recognize the extraordinary leadership of our School Board.

Over the course of this month, I have been able to visit a variety of schools with each of our seven school board members. Our reason for visiting schools is to connect ourselves, our thinking, and our work together to the core business of our district — student learning — and the people who make that happen each and every day. Our board members and I got a glimpse of extraordinary instruction, magical moments of learning, and also talked with the support professionals and administrators who make all things happen during the school day.

While the School Board has been visiting schools, they have also been engaging in deep study and discussion around the work of governance. The School Board has begun studying best practices in governance and are together contributing to the authorship of a policy to inform the way we operate as a district with the ultimate goal of determining how we can set our teachers and support staff up for success and make it easier for them to do their jobs on a daily basis. I am excited about the commitment of our School Board members and the path they have activated to Elevating the Excellence across the district.

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving season. I remain incredibly thankful for you and your family.

Mary Elizabeth Davis

Superintendent of Schools

Athletes and Volunteers Celebrate with Special Olympics Awareness Day Games

Microsoft Recognizes CCSD Educators as Instructional Technology Experts

CCSD Kicks off Annual Student Intern Program

School Board and Superintendent Visit to Johnston ES

CCSD Celebrates Employees with Second Annual Service Recognition Program

CCSD Earns Statewide Awards for School Communications

Superintendent Celebrates Bus Drivers and National School Bus Safety Week

Superintendent’s Inaugural Middle School Student Advisory Board Meets

Superintendent’s Inaugural Elementary School Student Advisory Board Meets

School Bus Drivers Treated to Biscuits and Gifts on Appreciation Day

Etowah Zone Mom Wins CCSD Parent Recipe Contest

CCSD School Partners with Stations for Career Skills Program

CCSD Celebrates National School Lunch Week

Woodstock Elementary Opens New Playgrounds

CCSD Recognizes High School Athletes of the Month

Principals Focus on Improving Classroom Instruction

CCSD Celebrates 2024 Georgia PreK Week

College Board National Recognition Program Scholars

Indian Knoll ES Named Microsoft Showcase School

Dr. Josh Heath is CCSD's first executive director for accountability, a new role focused on supporting schools in ensuring students learn more, grow more and achieve more in CCSD than they can anywhere else.

A 12-year educator, who most recently served as a principal for Pickens County Schools, Dr. Heath and his team play a vital role in aligning district goals, school improvement goals, and classroom instruction.

“I love helping principals and their teams access data to see how they can impact continuous

improvement in their schools," he said.

Dr. Heath worked as a basketball and baseball coach, Special Education teacher, and science teacher before appointments to serve as a middle school assistant principal and principal. He and his wife, who teaches at Indian Knoll ES, have three children.

You can learn more about the accountability department and its work online here.

To celebrate Retired Educator Day, which is held the first Sunday of November, CCSD every fall records brief StoryCorps-inspired oral history interviews with retired educators. This year’s “Learning from Legends: Retired Educators Share Their Wisdom” features Dr. Keith Bryant, Dr. Pat Kearns and Ann Wilkie. In addition to sharing memories, they also share advice for new teachers. The full video is posted online here.

Nov. 8-9: 7 p.m., Cherokee HS theatre program presents the play, "A Trip to the Moon." Tickets $10.

Nov. 11: Veterans Day (note: some schools may be holding a special event on another day; please check with your child's school if you have questions)

Nov. 11-15: National School Psychology Awareness Week

Nov. 11-15: Georgia Crossing Guard Appreciation Week

Nov. 14-15, 7 p.m.; 2 p.m. Nov. 16: Creekview HS theatre program presents the play, "Little Women: The Musical." Tickets $15.

Nov. 14-15, 7 p.m.; 2 p.m. Nov. 16: Woodstock HS theatre program presents the play, "One Stoplight Town." Tickets: $10

Nov. 15: 7 p.m., Cherokee HS theatre program presents the play, "Gobble Gobble Toil & Trouble." Admission: donation of a nonperishable food item at the door.

Nov. 20: National Education Support Professionals Day

Nov. 21: National Parental Involvement Day

Nov. 21-22: 7 p.m., Academy Street Theatre Group, CCSD's Grades 2-12 theatre program, presents the play, "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at Cherokee HS. Tickets: $5.

Nov. 21: 7 p.m., School Board Auditorium at Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility,

Cherokee County School Board Meeting.

Nov. 22: National Substitute Teachers Appreciation Day

Nov. 25-29: All CCSD schools and offices closed for Thanksgiving Break.

Dec. 6: 7 p.m., Cherokee HS theatre program and Special Education department present the play, "Frosty the Snowman." Admission: donation of an unwrapped toy at the door.

Please join us at our next job fair from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, at 1020 Keeter Road, Canton, GA 30114. See current job postings on our website: www.cherokeek12.net and click Jobs @ CCSD. We offer competitive compensation, outstanding benefits, a balanced school calendar, a wonderful work environment and caring team, and opportunities for professional development and advancement. Questions? Contact Lindsay.Bowley@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/
Twitter: @CherokeeSchools