CCSD Celebrates 2024 Partners of the Year, Volunteers of the Year
The Cherokee County School District celebrated outstanding school volunteers and business and community partners at the annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony.
The ceremony on Thursday evening in the school board auditorium honored a Partner of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year for each individual school and center. The evening included the surprise announcement of the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year selected from that pool of honorees.
Blue Sky Systems LLC, Avery Elementary School’s Partner of the Year, was named the CCSD 2024 Partner of the Year, and the Cherokee High School SALT (Student Athlete Leadership Team), R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy’s Volunteer of the Year, was named the CCSD 2024 Volunteer of the Year.
“We’re deeply grateful for our outstanding partners and volunteers and look forward to this special event when we recognize and celebrate them,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said. “We value and encourage these important relationships and need to celebrate all the good that they’re doing in our schools.”
The recognition ceremony was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for CCSD. The ceremony included tributes and the presentation of plaques by the Superintendent of Schools and School Board members to all honorees, who were joined at the event by their families, Principals of the schools that they support and other special guests.
After the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were announced, excerpts were shared from the nomination letters submitted by the Principals of the schools that they support. A committee of retired educators and community leaders selected the CCSD winners from the pool of exemplary nominees.
The CCSD Partner of the Year, Blue Sky LLC, was recognized for its support of school programs to encourage staff and student well-being, including rewards for students “caught being good” as part of a schoolwide positive behavior initiative and “happy carts” bearing gifts for teachers to support their health and wellness.
“Blue Sky Systems has played a pivotal role in fostering a positive and supportive community climate at Avery Elementary,” Principal Dr. Lisa Turner wrote in her nomination letter. “Their involvement stands out as truly extraordinary and deserving of recognition. Their commitment to always saying ‘yes’ and encouraging innovative ideas has created a dynamic and thriving educational environment that benefits both students and staff. Their involvement serves as a shining example of how a partnership can positively transform a school community.”
The CCSD Volunteer of the Year, the Cherokee High School SALT club, was recognized for its efforts to volunteer every Monday morning, before their own classes at Cherokee HS, to mentor students at R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy. The SALT members, who are among Cherokee’s top student athletes, spend that volunteer time with select fourth- and fifth-graders focusing on activities that develop leadership and team building skills and promote academic accountability and positive behavior.
“These impressive high school volunteers act as role models and a source of friendship and encouragement for some of our students,” Principal Matt Kimbrell wrote in his nomination letter. “They provide an opportunity for some of our students to have someone to confide in, talk about their struggles with and share in their excitement. This has proven to be a game changer with students -- setting those high expectations and pushing our kids to meet them. We are seeing such a dynamic shift … students who in years past may have been on behavior plans are now successfully exiting the program. Attendance has overall improved among our R.M. Moore mentees. No one wants to miss out on their SALT mentor time!”
Every week, a different school Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year will be featured on CCSD social media platforms.
CCSD 2024 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: His Hands Church
Arnold Mill ES: Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
Avery ES: Blue Sky Systems, LLC
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Serv International
Bascomb ES: HOTWORX Woodstock, GA (Towne Lake)
Boston ES: EF2 Realty Team Powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners
Etowah HS: EF2 Realty Team Powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners
Carmel ES: The Premier Group
CCSD Preschool Centers: Geiger Legal Group, LLC
Cherokee HS: Longhorn Steakhouse Canton
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Garth Gherardini | Managing Partner Modern Woodmen of America
Johnston ES: Garth Gherardini | Managing Partner Modern Woodmen of America
Clayton ES: Soleil at Laurel Canyon Book Clubs
Creekland MS: THE BEAUTY BARN
Creekview HS: Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant – Macedonia
Macedonia ES: Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant - Macedonia
Dean Rusk MS: Bojangles
E.T. Booth MS: Encompass Ministries/Papa’s Pantry
Free Home ES: Vulcan Materials Company - Cherokee
Freedom MS: Restor Diabetes Center
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: American Legion
Hickory Flat ES: Chick-fil-A Hickory Flat
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: City of Holly Springs
Indian Knoll ES: Williamson Bros. BBQ Canton
Knox ES STEM Academy: Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group
Liberty ES: Cherokee Youth Foundation (Cherokee Impact)
Little River ES: Taekwondo of Woodstock, Inc
Mill Creek MS: Lee Holman Horace Mann Insurance
Mountain Road ES: Irish Dee & Associates, LLC
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Rotary Club of Woodstock
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Quality Contracting, LLC
River Ridge HS: Susto’s Taco Bar
Sequoyah HS: BSN Sports
Sixes ES: Kona Ice
Teasley MS: Canton Optimist Club
Tippens EC: Allegro Business Products
Woodstock ES: Whataburger
Woodstock HS: Chick-fil-A Towne Lake
Woodstock MS: Woodstock City Church
CCSD 2024 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: ACTIVE Academies PTSA Executive Board
Arnold Mill ES: Amy Adcock
Avery ES: Avery ES PTA Executive Board
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Duane and Jennifer Jones
Bascomb ES: Bascomb ES PTA Executive Board
Boston ES: Roxanne Saroli
Carmel ES: Lori Rebeles
CCSD Preschool Centers: Ed and Valerie Hill
Cherokee HS: Kristie Duncan
Liberty ES: Kristie Duncan
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Lisa Schade
Clayton ES: Susan Williamson
Creekland MS: Nicole Smith
Creekview HS: Ashley Petty
Dean Rusk MS: Dean Rusk MS PTSA Executive Board
E.T. Booth MS: Theresa Warinner
Etowah HS: Amanda Weber
Free Home ES: Loren Marshall
Freedom MS: Daniela McBride
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy PTA Executive Board
Hickory Flat ES: Katie Lafountain
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Mt. Zion Baptist Church Volunteer Team
Indian Knoll ES: Jeanette Smith
Johnston ES: Carli Stockton
Knox ES STEM Academy: Knox ES STEM Academy PTA Executive Board
Little River ES: Magida Gonzalez
Macedonia ES: Christopher Bennett
Mill Creek MS: Kimberly Miller
Mountain Road ES: Ashley Benton
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Tonia Conner
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Cherokee High School Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT)
River Ridge HS: Bruce Gates
Sequoyah HS: Angie Miller
Sixes ES: Jeff Sunderland and Kellen Smith
Teasley MS: Kristina Volz
Tippens EC: Danny Postell
Woodstock ES: Brandon Williams
Woodstock HS: Woodstock HS PTSA Executive Board
Woodstock MS: Shelby Morrison
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2023 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2022 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2021 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2020 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2019 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2018 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2017 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year
2016 Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year