Etowah HS Senior Earns Perfect ACT Score Senior Nathan Baker earned the top composite score of 36 on a recent administration of the college entrance and placement test. Nationally, while the actual number of students earning a composite score of 36 varies from year to year, on average, less than one-tenth of one percent of students who take the ACT earns the top score. Only 2,235 out of the nearly 2.1 million students who took the exam in 2016 earned a score of 36, according to ACT.
River Ridge HS Student Wins National Research Proposal Grant Julia Boll won the $200 grant from the prestigious New York Institute of Technology for her research proposal, The Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Planarian Regeneration, under the mentorship of River Ridge HS biology teacher Henley Sawicki. Her submission was chosen for scientific merit and potential impact of an important contribution to the field of science and technology.
CCSD Parent Leader Earns Outstanding Leadership in School-Community Relations Award The Cherokee County School District recently won fifteen awards from the Georgia School Public Relations Association (GSPRA), a record total, which included a Best in State top honor! A special award also was presented to one of CCSDs parent leaders, Lisa-Marie Haygood of Cherokee County, president of Georgia PTA, who received the 2016 Outstanding Leadership in School-Community Relations Award. The award, which is not necessarily presented annually, is the highest honor the Association awards to a non-public relations professional.
CCSD Students Volunteer to Help Homeless Cherokee County School District students recently volunteered with Give Homeless Hope to help those in need. The students weathered very cold temperatures to help provide 70-80 homeless children and adults with a meal, toiletries, warm hats, gloves and other items to help them through their difficult circumstances.
CCSD Makes AP Honor Roll for 4th Consecutive Year Cherokee County School District high school students not only continue to beat state and national averages on college-level Advance Placement (AP) exams, but CCSD also has earned national recognition for its AP achievement for the fourth consecutive year! CCSD is one of only ten school districts in Georgia named to the College Boards elite AP Honor Roll for 2016, and this was CCSDs fourth consecutive year to earn the prestigious distinction. With a passage rate of 70% among the 4,784 tests administered in the spring of 2016, CCSD exceeds the state average of 58% and the national average of 57%. The AP program has grown significantly in CCSD, with AP courses and exams currently offered in 30 subjects, up from 26 last year. The number of exams taken by CCSD students increased by 16% from 2015 and has risen by more than 80% in the last five years. High school students who score a 3, 4 or 5 on an AP exam earn college credit, and subsequently, they get to exempt those courses in college. 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.
CCSD Celebrates Teachers of the Year at Legacy Makers Banquet The Cherokee County School District (CCSD) celebrated outstanding educators with an elegant dinner, tributes and gifts at the 2017 Legacy Makers: CCSD Teachers of the Year Celebration, thanks to the support of community partners.Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower congratulated CCSD 2017 Teacher of the Year Brian Carnes of Sequoyah High School as well as all school-level winners during the event. Our School Districts Teacher of the Year exemplifies what you can accomplish when you take a risk to follow your hearts calling, Dr. Hightower said of Mr. Carnes, who left behind a successful career in the poultry industry to pursue his dream of teaching high school chemistry. Were so glad he listened, as are the hundreds of students who learned from him in special education, science and Advanced Placement Chemistry classes over the last twelve years.In his speech, Mr. Carnes spoke about how his faith in his teaching abilities, which started as small as a mustard seed, coupled with his familys support, enabled him to move mountains and not only fulfill his dream, but also earn accolades. He congratulated all of the school-level Teachers of the Year for their accomplishments, noting how hearing about their successes during the evenings program made his award even more meaningful and humbling.Dr. Hightower presented gifts to all of the schools Teacher of the Year winners, including a $150 Visa gift card, a portrait by Lifetouch Portrait Studio and an engraved plaque and a tote bag filled with supplies and gifts.
River Ridge HS Opens Student-Run Coffee Shop River Ridge High School recently celebrated the grand opening of The Knight Stand, a student-run coffee shop. The shop, which is housed in the cafeteria, is operated by special education students, with support from teachers and administrators.
CCSD Earns High Approval Rating Marks in Regional Report More than 76% of residents polled rank Cherokee Countys public schools as excellent or good in a new regional report the second-highest school approval rating in metro Atlanta. The poll, which was recently published by the Atlanta Regional Commission, found 35.6% of respondents describe Cherokees schools as excellent, and 40.6% describe them as good, for a total that trails only Fayette County. The remainder was split between fair (10.8%), poor (4.3%) and dont know (8.7%). Residents were polled in thirteen metro counties and in the city of Atlanta. These results affirm what we already know to be true: our students, parents, employees, volunteers, partners and School Board are working together to continuously improve teaching and learning, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said. We appreciate the support of our community and recognize the confidence placed in our School District. Were committed to further strengthening our schools and seeing our approval ratings rise to even higher levels.
Sequoyah HS Science Teacher Named CCSD 2017 Teacher of the Year Chicken farmer has been a nickname for the poultry industry leader-turned-science teacher at Sequoyah High School since he made the career change twelve years ago. Recently, Brian Carnes earned a new nickname: Cherokee County School Districts 2017 Teacher of the Year. I was very surprised and excited just to be named Sequoyah High Schools Teacher of the Year; its such an excellent school. I know all of the great teachers we have in Cherokee County, so this is just kind of overwhelming to me, said Carnes. The CCSD Teacher of the Year is selected by a panel of community leaders who evaluate applications from each schools Teacher of the Year. The school winners are selected by their peers. Mr. Carnes will serve as CCSDs nominee for Georgia Teacher of the Year; the winner will be named in the spring.
Woodstock HS DECA Students Volunteer to Support Local Nursing Home Woodstock High Schools DECA marketing student association recently partnered with Woodstock Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center to create a positive relationship between high school students and local senior citizens.Ryan Brusie, the clubs vice president of community outreach, proposed the DECA Angels Program. Ryan said he was inspired by his interest in working with seniors as a career path and hopes DECA Angels will continue after he graduates. My goal is to enrich the lives of the seniors, said Ryan, adding he hopes to bring back hope for the patients and their families.For its first activity, the students hosted a garden party at the Center, with carnival games, 1950s and 60s music and refreshments. Seven students, Makayla Adams, Ryan Brusie, Jonathan Powell, Isharat Prokreety, Angelique Sayles, Matthew Wessler and Dorothy Wilson, later spent an afternoon planting new shrubs and flowers at the Center. The planting project was in cooperation with Keep Georgia Beautiful, with donations of plants and soil from Twin Branch Nursery in Woodstock.Future plans include hosting holiday parties and providing music therapy programs for Alzheimers patients.