CCSD Connections

Dear CCSD Family,

Happy almost-fall!

As I shared with you before the holiday weekend, we're off to a great start for this school year -- together.

I truly believe that we are on the path to become the highest-performing school district in our state and in our nation, and we will accomplish that goal the same way all great teams do: by working together. A not-very-closely-held secret is that I root for Alabama (Roll Tide!), and in the words of Coach Saban: “We’re not going to talk about what we’re going to accomplish. We’re going to talk about how we’re going to do it.”

High-performing school districts begin with high-performing school boards, and our Cherokee County School Board has embarked over the past few months to shape the tenants of governance.

Thank you to School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, Vice Chair and District 2 member Patsy Jordan, District 1 member Kelly Poole, District 3 member John Harmon, District 4 member Rick Steiner, District 5 member Erin Ragsdale and District 6 member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison.

They have participated in three trainings, during which they've shown extraordinary care for every student's success and their critically important role in leading our school district to provide the best education possible for each of our students.

In their work together, our School Board is defining their core beliefs for what our school district must do to meet and exceed our community's expectations, and not only through clear statements, but also through measurable goals and actionable policies. As they complete this work, we will be creating a new section on our website to share this important information with our community as a whole.

They have added a work session to the regularly scheduled board meeting and have incorporated three standing reports, in the areas of academics and accountability, capital outlay projects and financial management, to increase public transparency and to set the table for board discussion around the business of the school board. The work session, along with the school board business meeting that follows, are now all livestreamed and video archived on our newly designed school board meetings webpage online here.

As we continue on this journey of elevating the excellence in our schools, we will work to ensure that you, as our students' parents and family members, remain informed and engaged.

And because I know my new hometown is passionate about another team, I'll end with this quote from UGA Coach Kirby Smart: "How do you play well? You practice well. You prepare well."

We are preparing for continued success of our students, elevated confidence of our families, and continued commitment to be the best employer in public education today.

Have a great week,

Mary Elizabeth Davis

Superintendent of Schools

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Superintendent Speaks to Rotary Club of Canton

This week, we began posting the new CCSD Athletics weekly calendar of events on our website and social media. The weekly calendar will include times, dates and locations for upcoming CCSD high school varsity, JV and freshman athletic games: https://www.cherokeek12.net/divisions/school-operations/high-school-athletics Please note that the calendar is subject to change without advance notice due to weather and other circumstances.

Sept. 6: The deadline to enter the sixth annual CCSD School Nutrition Parent Recipe Contest is at 4 p.m. The contest, held in celebration of National Farm to School Month, offers parents the opportunity to earn a $100 Visa gift card sponsored by Credit Union of Georgia and see their recipe featured on school lunch menus.

Sept. 6: CCSD's Varsity Football season continues with games at 7:30 p.m. Fridays. The schedule is posted online here. Order tickets online at https://gofan.co/search.

Sept. 7: Woodstock HS CTAE (Career, Technical & Agricultural Education) programs will present a car show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school. There will be vendors selling food, crafts and other items. The fee to enter a car in the competition is $25; the vendor fee is $10. The lot will open at 9:30 a.m. for cars entering the competition and vendors. Admission to see the show is free.

Sept. 9: The 2024 Georgia Probe College Fair tour will make its annual stop in Cherokee County from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Cherokee High School gym. Learn more about this free can't-miss event here and register online here.

Sept. 11: 8:30 a.m., Cherokee County Public Safety Memorial at Rotary Park (North Street, downtown Canton), Cherokee County Patriot Day ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. As part of the program, members of the Cherokee High School Band of Warriors will provide music.

Sept. 12: 7 p.m., School Board Auditorium at Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility,

Cherokee County School Board Meeting.

Sept. 16-20: All CCSD schools closed for Fall Break.

Sept. 17: Constitution Day (observed in CCSD schools from Sept. 9-13)

Sept. 28 and 29: Service League of Cherokee County's Riverfest arts and crafts festival, benefitting Cherokee County children in need, is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 28 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at Etowah River Park in Canton.

The Cherokee County School District is seeking additional bus drivers to join its team! Bus drivers work the same school year schedule as our students and receive outstanding immediate benefits. Don’t have a CDL? We’ll pay and train you to earn it! Apply online now by visiting https://www.cherokeek12.net/ - click on Jobs@CCSD. Want to learn more? We’re hosting info sessions on Friday, Sept. 13, every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to noon at our office at 1020 Keeter Road, Canton 30114. Questions? Please contact CCSD Recruiter 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