Two CCSD Principals Named Finalists for 2017-18 U.S. Department of Educations Principal Ambassador Fellowship Program Teasley MS Principal, Dr. Susan Zinkil, and Etowah HS Principal, Keith Ball, have advanced to the interview level in this highly competitive program. The program is designed to improve students education by involving current principals in the development and implementation of education policy, according to the U.S. D.O.E. Principal Ambassador Fellows are selected to work for the U.S. D.O.E. full-time at its headquarters, as Washington fellows, and part-time on an hourly basis from their home communities, as campus fellows. Principals Ball and Zinkil both are finalists for the campus fellows opportunity. Applications are reviewed by a panel of U.S. D.O.E. staff members with experience and expertise in instruction, as well as current and previous Principal Ambassador Fellows, and finalists are then selected for the interview level.
CCSD National Signing Day Event Honors Student Athletes Fifty-seven student-athletes were recognized at the CCSD National Signing Day ceremony for signing scholarship commitment letters to compete at the college level. The following athletes were recognized from Cherokee HS, Creekview HS and Sequoyah HS: School/ Student/Sport/College CHS/ Bryson Perry/Football/ArmyCHS/Brittain Brown/Football/Duke UniversityCHS/Dwayne Tiller/Football/Shorter College CHS/Kaci Reid/Lacrosse/Concordia University-Saint PaulCHS/Sam Thornton/Soccer/Georgia Gwinnett CollegeCHS/Morgan Harrison/Soccer/Kennesaw State UniversityCHS/Deven Bennett/Softball/Brewton-ParkerCHS/Rachel Catt/Softball/Univ. of South Carolina-BeaufortCVHS/Kyle Wilkie/Baseball/Clemson UniversityCVHS/Samantha Rolka/Soccer/University of Arkansas at Little RockCVHS/Avery Pickerill/Softball/Columbus State UniverisityCVHS/Bethany Hyde/Softball/Truett McConnellSHS/Daniel Seres/Baseball/Kennesaw State UniversitySHS/Megan Garcia/Basketball/LaGrange CollegeSHS/Cameron Cox/Basketball/NavySHS/Derrion Rakestraw/Football/University of ColoradoSHS/Lisbeth Coleman/Soccer/Reinhardt UniversitySHS/Laney Joyner/Softball/Auburn UniversitySHS/Taylor Dodd/Tennis/University of S.C. UpstateSHS/Morgan Dodd/Tennis University of S.C. UpstateSHS/Kelley Hartman/Volleyball/University of South AlabamaSHS/Lauren Hartman/Volleyball/University of South Alabama
Creekland MS Team Qualifies for National Academic Quiz Tourney Two Creekland Middle School Academic Bowl teams have qualified for the National Academic Quiz Tournament to be held in Atlanta in May. The Creekland MS teams earned records of 9-1 and 8-2 among the 32 teams from Georgia, Florida and Alabama that competed in the recent Sixth Annual Tri-State National Academic Quiz Tournament qualifier held in Bainbridge.
Dr. Susan Zinkil is GAs MS Principal of the Year Dr. Zinkil was appointed the Principal of Teasley MS in 2010. Under her leadership, Teasley MS has been recognized as a Distinguished Breakout Middle School by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals in 2013, a finalist for the Georgia Family Friendly Partnership Award in 2014 and a Title I Reward School in 2012 and 2015 by the Georgia Department of Education. Additionally, the Technology Association of Georgia named Teasley MS as a finalist in its State STEM Awards in 2015.
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy Named 2015-2016 Microsoft Showcase School Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy is being recognized as a global leader in successful integration of technology with teaching and learning. The school has been recognized for its excellence in transforming its learning environment to deliver more personalized education to students, effectively using mobile and cloud technology and better preparing students for success in the workplace. Only 400 schools worldwide have earned this recognition. Last school year, Holly Springs ES STEM Academy became the first whole school ever to be Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) certified. As a Showcase School, Holly Springs ES STEM Academy will work closely with Microsoft to lead innovation in education and communicate a vision for education enabled by technology through the hosting and mentoring of other schools in the community on transformational educational practices. As well as being recognized on a global scale for their innovative approach to educating tomorrows workforce, Showcase Schools also receive the following benefits from Microsoft as part of the program: collaboration with an international group of thought leaders; special pricing on SteelCase Education learning classroom furniture; MIE Experts on staff to help drive innovation and to support staff, peers and students; access to professional development for Educators within their school; invitations to regional and global events; monthly community webinars and Yammer group discussion, exclusive to Showcase Schools; and email signature and digital signage.
CCSD 2016 High School Graduation Schedule Announced All of the ceremonies will take place at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, 11905 Highway 92, Woodstock, Ga. 30188. Thursday, May 26, 2016 @ 4:00 pm Woodstock HS@ 8:00 pm Creekview HS Friday, May 27, 2016 @ 4:00 pm Cherokee HS@ 8:00 pm Sequoyah HS Saturday, May 28, 2016 @ 9:00 am River Ridge HS@ 1:00 pm Etowah HS
CCSD Adaptive PE Teacher Wins State Triumph of the Human Spirit Award Cherokee County School District Adaptive Physical Education teacher, Amy Aenchbacher, has won a state award for her outstanding service to special needs students. She is one of 20 winners statewide of the 2015 BlazeSports Triumph of the Human Spirit Award, previously named the Georgia Disability Sports Award, which honors significant impacts made in Georgia through adaptive sport and recreation. These awards pay tribute to individuals, groups and organizations that demonstrate qualities beyond athletic achievement, such as leadership and a positive attitude, and to those who inspire, motivate and truly epitomize the Triumph of the Human Spirit. A lifelong advocate and educator of quality physical education programs for children with disabilities in Georgia, Ms. Aenchbacher has served as Co-Coordinator of the Cherokee County Special Olympics for more than a decade.
CCSD Tops Metro Atlanta on 2015 Georgia Milestones End of Course Tests Cherokee County School District students not only exceeded state passage rates on the new, more challenging Georgia Milestones statewide exams, but its middle and high school students also topped their Metro Atlanta peers in a majority of subjects. Georgia Milestones, which assesses the mastery of Georgia Performance Standards and replaces the States previous testing system, includes End of Grade tests for Grades 3-8 and End of Course tests for middle and high school students taking specific classes for high school credit. Results are reported as percentages of students who are Beginning, Developing, Proficient or Distinguished Learners and include English Language Learners and students who receive Special Education services. On the End of Course tests, CCSD middle and high school students, in addition to exceeding state passage rates (Developing to Distinguished Learners) on every test, also lead all Metro Atlanta county school systems in six of the eight subjects: American Literature and Composition, Biology, Coordinate Algebra, Economics, Ninth Grade Literature and Composition and U.S. History (tied with Cobb County).
CCSD Students Continued to Exceed State, Nation on AP Exams Cherokee County School District high school students not only continue to exceed State and National averages on rigorous Advance Placement (AP) exams, but the school system has also garnered national recognition for its AP achievement for the third consecutive year. CCSD has earned the third-highest AP exam passage rate in Georgia in 2015, as well as being named to the College Boards AP Honor Roll. Only six school districts in Georgia were named to the AP Honor Roll for 2015, and this was CCSDs third consecutive year to earn the distinction. The School District, with a passage rate of 73% among the 4,125 tests administered in the spring of 2015, ranks third out of Georgias 180 school systems and exceeds the State average of 55% and the National average of 58%. The AP Program allows high school students who score a 3, 4 or 5 on an AP exam to earn college credit in high school and, subsequently, to exempt those courses in college. Studies show that students who participate in AP courses are more likely to earn higher scores on the SAT and ACT and to complete their college education. Passage of AP exams places students at an academic and financial advantage, studies show, as they can both begin classes in their major sooner and avoid tuition costs for exempted courses.
Cherokee Charter Academy Launches STARBASE The only public charter school in Cherokee County is one of only 5 schools in Georgia with this premier educational program. STARBASE 1.5 is a unique opportunity for chosen students to explore potential careers and observe STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) applications in the real world. CCA teachers attended a Teacher Institute at Dobbins over the summer to prepare for the program and learn more about aerospace engineering.