Once A Warrior, Always A Warrior

Throughout the 2025-26 school year, the Cherokee High School administration team, along with the PTA and a community group of alumni Warriors, has been diligent in marking all the "lasts" in recognition of the significance of saying goodbye to an iconic campus that touched so many lives across generations of Cherokee County residents.  Members of our school board were on campus for the "last first day", handing out token "Last First Day" keychains and "Once, Always" magnets to students as they disembarked school buses or emerged from cars for what would be the school's final first bell of a traditional school year.  From that moment forward, there have been milestones measured and alumni celebrated, from the last first football game of the season, to inviting all the past Homecoming Queens for the annual parade through downtown Canton, to hosting tours for alums by decade.  Special events like Warrior Winterfest added to the nostalgic journey, and the Cherokee County History Center kicked off a special exhibit in March about the 70 years of Cherokee High.  Learn more about that exhibit at the History Center website.

Seventy years of tradition does not fade quietly with a change of address.   Great care and thought has been given to preserving the best of Cherokee High School's history and culture.  A committee is reviewing the legacy artifacts important to the school and community, such as totem poles, artwork, and other pieces of memorabilia, to determine what will be preserved and installed at the new campus.  

In addition, a committee, made up of current students, parents, teachers, and community members, recommended naming the new football field for the late Tommy Baker, beloved Cherokee High School student for whom the existing field at Cherokee HS has been named since 1958; naming the stadium, Warrior Stadium; and naming the gymnasium, baseball/softball complex, and practice field for noted alumnus and generous philanthropist Ken White, class of 1959.  These names were approved by the School Board at its December 2025 meeting.  School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison, an alumna and past principal of Cherokee High School, praised Principal Andy Hall, his leadership team, and the committee for the thoughtfulness of their work to continue traditions while also embracing new ideas.

“They’ve been so careful to preserve the history we have and to make sure we move forward on elevated levels -- literally elevated levels,” School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison said, as a nod to the prominent site of the new replacement campus.

With the community-wide excitement building for the opening of the much anticipated new Cherokee High School campus, at the same time there emerged a conversation across the county about what to do with the existing school campus on Marietta Highway, after the students and teachers have moved to the new building.  Our school board  was diligent in asking for input and ideas to define our next steps.   A series of focus groups, along with a community survey and specific questions to faculty and staff across the county, garnered feedback from almost 3,000 people.  

 Input from Focus Groups & Survey on Future Use of Current Cherokee HS

• 10 Focus Groups  

• 2,864 Participants

• 21 School Faculty Meetings

• 50 Survey Responses

Most Common Themes that Emerged:

• Alternative School Use

•  Career Tech HS/ College and Career Academy

• Central Office Usage

• Cherokee County Government Usage

• Community Center

• Historical Designation (by the City of Canton)

• Pursue Public-Private Partnerships

• Reopen Canton ES

• Sale of Property or Portions of Property

Renovation evaluation and cost analysis, along with a feasibility study for each theme (i.e., structural costs, initiation costs, sustainability costs, infrastructure & logistics) were conducted, and the School Board used the following criteria to drive the decision on what happens with the original CHS campus: 

1.  Positively impacts student learning & achievement

2.  Addresses an identified need or mitigates an organizational risk

3.  Financially acceptable & sustainable

At its March 19 meeting, the School Board voted unanimously to re-open Canton Elementary School in the existing Cherokee North facility (slated for August of 2028), and to sell the remainder of the campus, with the proceeds going to enhance career pathway programs at all CCSD high schools. 

APRIL UPDATE ON CHEROKEE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION AND NEXT STEPS