A Mill Creek Middle School seventh-grader enjoyed a wiffle ball game of a lifetime with his classmates Tuesday as they celebrated his big heart.

The Atlanta Braves surprised Bronco Reese, a heart transplant recipient who then overcame cancer, with one of its Community Hero Awards.  The pep rally ceremony came complete with the Heavy Hitters drum line, Blooper mascot and half a dozen Braves players… including Woodstock High School grad Nick Markakis.

Three CCSD schools have earned recognition from Safe Routes to School for their efforts to encourage students to walk and bike more and stay safe!  Clayton Elementary School earned the Gold Partner Award from the nonprofit organization, with Bascomb Elementary School and Woodstock Elementary School both winning Bronze Partner Awards. #CCSDfam

It’s Curriculum Night time! CCSD Curriculum Night programs provide parents with an overview of what their children will learn this school year. Hope to see you there! #CCSDfam 

Please share our new job listing for School Police Officer -- this position offers a competitive compensation package with outstanding benefits, a great work calendar and schedule, and a wonderful work environment and team. Join the #CCSDfam & apply now: http://bit.ly/ApplyCCSDpolice

The Cherokee County School District’s school PTA units and leaders have won top State awards for their family engagement efforts! 

The Georgia PTA presents statewide awards to outstanding PTA units and parent leaders at its annual conference, and CCSD claimed an impressive list of high honors.  The CCSD winners will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools at the School Board’s Aug. 16 meeting.

Friday Night Lights time is nearly here!  Scrimmages kick off next week, with the regular season beginning Aug. 17.  Check out the full CCSD schedule for high school varsity football games below. Let's go, #CCSDfam! 

The rain is not going to stop our students from having the best-ever #CCSD1stDay! We love seeing your photos... search for the hashtag to find more that your friends and neighbors are sharing on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. #CCSDfam

What an awesome #CCSD1stDay!

Ball Ground Elementary School STEM Academy parent U.S. Air Force Major John Lloyd returned home Wednesday from a six-month deployment in Kuwait and surprised his son in class on the first day of school.  Thank you for your service, and welcome home! #CCSDfam

Please see the following message to parents from Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower:

Today, we found silver linings in our rain clouds. 

No one wants to hear a forecast for rain on the first day of school.  It soaks those new school clothes and backpacks, but, of greater importance, it also makes the morning traffic more challenging and dangerous.

Our teachers and leaders carried on, many getting drenched as they greeted car riders in the process, but remaining enthusiastic and welcoming.  And you carried on, too, and we appreciate the patience and kindness you showed, especially as buses were slowed by the rain and car rider lines grew long.

We need your help in spreading an important message as our students head back to school: #SafeCherokee  Please check out this brief video - http://bit.ly/CCSDSafeCherokee - featuring Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower and Cherokee Sheriff Frank Reynolds, and a united force of our community’s law enforcement and public safety officers and first-responders. 

CCSD's summer break doesn't mean days off and down time for all its employees.  The nine weeks of summer break are prime work time for many departments, which start preparing for the next school year as soon as the last bell rings in May.

CCSD School Nutrition staff are ready to welcome students to the cafeteria and help them understand how the cafeteria line and cashier process works!  

You can view the brief video here: http://bit.ly/CCSDcafeteria  The video also features useful information for parents.  

For the fourth consecutive year, Cherokee County School District students exceeded State averages on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests!  CCSD has exceeded State averages every year since the tests that measure mastery of Georgia Performance Standards began.

“We are focused on increasing students’ mastery of the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in college, career and life,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “These Milestones results show our students and teachers are consistently and successfully getting the job done.  I’m so proud of them, their families and our partners and volunteers -- we’re in this together with the same goal: making our community’s future the best it can be.”     

How many students are expected in CCSD schools this school year?

How many new teachers will be in the classrooms?

Who is my new Principal?

Find the answers to these questions and many more in the 2018-19 First Day Facts publication, which shares new information about the upcoming school year.

The Cherokee County School District is expanding to all schools its system that allows parents to track their child’s school bus on a smart phone or computer!

The Transportation Department began testing the Versatrans My Stop system last school year, and after a successful pilot, the system will be available to all CCSD parents beginning July 30 – just in time for the first day of school on Aug. 1.

The Cherokee County School District will begin offering students and parents a closer look at school cafeteria menus this school year with the new MealViewer To Go app and website.

The system, which launches today, not only lists what’s on the breakfast and lunch menu each day, but includes photos and nutritional information.  The menu for the first day of school is available now through MealViewer, with more menus, photos and nutritional information being added daily in preparation for the start of school.

The Cherokee County School District is adding an expanded system for reporting safety concerns!

The SafeSchools Alert system will allow students, parents, school staff and everyone in the community to anonymously report safety concerns by text, email, online message or phone call.  This system will replace the previous anonymous tip hotline.

The Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools recently took a sneak peek at the newly renovated Cherokee North annex at Cherokee High School before it opens on the first day of school, Aug. 1.
 
Cherokee North, formerly the home of Canton Elementary School, will alleviate overcrowding at the main campus and prepare for increasing enrollment -- 2,797 students are expected this school year, with 881 of that total in the ninth grade.  Cherokee HS parents and students can get their first look at the school’s open house from 9 to 11 a.m. on July 30.

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, July 19, 2018, approved the installation of security foyers in 15 more schools, speeding up the project at the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools and his Safety and Security Ad Hoc Committee.

The foyers will be constructed over the next year at Avery ES, Bascomb ES, Boston ES, Clayton ES, Hickory Flat ES, Johnston ES, Macedonia ES, Mountain Road ES and Sixes ES, and Creekland MS, E.T. Booth MS, Freedom MS, Mill Creek MS, Teasley MS, and Woodstock MS.

The Cherokee County School District’s school and district leaders kicked off the new school year with the annual CCSD Leadership Symposium professional development event!

Thanks to the support of community partners, CCSD school and district leaders this week had the opportunity to attend two days of sessions designed to prepare them for the new school year.  This year’s event was held at Woodstock High School and was made possible by Presenting Sponsors, Cherokee County Educational Foundation and Credit Union of Georgia; and Platinum Sponsors, ABM Industry Groups, Goshen Valley and HP.

The Cherokee County School District School Police Department this week hosted a national training program for officers from across the state!

In cooperation with the Georgia Association of Secondary School Law Enforcement Executives, CCSD hosted the National Association of School Resource Officers’ (NASRO) Advanced School Resource Officer Course at Teasley Middle School in Canton.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower today met with Cherokee County Council of PTA leaders to kick off another school year of outstanding partnership!

Dr. Hightower said he looks forward to a great year ahead with the PTA, which he views as the Cherokee County School District’s most important partner.

“Our PTA gives unparalleled support for our students and staff, as evident through its thousands of hours of volunteer time, thousands of dollars in fundraising for school needs and thousands of voices advocating on our behalf,” Dr. Hightower said.  “We would not be able to succeed in our mission of ‘Educating the Emerging Generation” without the PTA, and we’re so grateful for all that they do.”

The Cherokee County School District is accepting applications for its second annual parent academy program.

A Cherokee County School District graduating senior has earned the prestigious National Merit Scholarship!

Etowah High School senior Joseph Young is one of only 2,500 students in the nation — of the 1.6 Million students who took the 2016 PSAT exam — to be awarded the $2,500 scholarship by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

A Sequoyah High School student has won an international award for her marketing skills!

Hanna Palmer earned the Award of Excellence for Apparel & Accessories Marketing at the 2018 DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta.  The Conference was the pinnacle of competition for the student marketing association, where more than 19,000 students from around the world vied for international honors.