CCSD Celebrates Partners of the Year, Volunteers of the Year at Fourth Annual Recognition Ceremony
The CCSD 2017 Volunteer of the Year, Scott Cudabac of Johnston Elementary School, center, is congratulated by, from left to right, School Board Member Kelly Poole, School Board Chair Kyla Cromer, Principal Amy Graham, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower, School Board Member Clark Menard, School Board Vice Chair Mike Chapman and Kevin Williams, Fundraising Chairman for the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, which sponsors the awards ceremony and reception.
The Cherokee County School District celebrated its top school community partners and volunteers at the fourth annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony.
The ceremony, held on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at Woodstock High School, recognized a Partner of the Year and a Volunteer of the Year for each individual school and center and then made the surprise announcement of the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year selected from that pool of candidates. Eighty-three outstanding partners and volunteers were recognized!
Liberty Hill Church, the Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy Partner of the Year, was named the CCSD 2017 Partner of the Year, and Scott Cudabac, the Johnston Elementary School Volunteer of the Year, was named the CCSD 2017 Volunteer of the Year.
Liberty Hill Church, partner of Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy, is the CCSD 2017 Partner of the Year. Church member Teresa Abernathy is congratulated by School Board Member Kelly Poole, as other school board members look on.
“Supportive community partners and caring volunteers are necessary for our school district’s success, and we appreciate all that they do,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said. “Recognizing those who give so much of their time, talent and treasure is just one way to foster these relationships. It’s inspiring and heart-warming to learn more about all that our partners and volunteers do to make a difference in the lives of the children and the families that we serve.”
Tuesday’s recognition ceremony was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 2012 to raise funds and awareness for CCSD that has already awarded more than $200,000 in grants. Prior to the ceremony, which included tributes and the presentation of plaques to all honorees, a reception was held in the auditorium lobby. The honorees were joined at the event by their families, principals of the schools that they support and other special guests. Refreshments were served by Woodstock HS students, and the Woodstock HS Navy JROTC presented the colors and Pledge of Allegiance.
After the surprise announcements were made of the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year, excerpts were read from the nomination letters submitted by the principals of the schools that they support. A committee of retired educators selects the CCSD winners from the pool of exemplary nominees.
The CCSD Partner of the Year, Liberty Hill Church, not only works to encourage and support all students and staff at Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy throughout the year, it also runs a program that provide the school’s neediest families with significant assistance including weekly donations of food.
Liberty Hill Church, partner of Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy, is the CCSD 2017 Partner of the Year. Church member Teresa Abernathy is congratulated by School Board Member Kelly Poole, as other school board members look on.
“Liberty Hill United Methodist Church believes in our children,” Principal Rodney Larrotta wrote in his nomination letter. “The volunteers believe that children with less than average resources can still have dreams and be successful. Those dreams have a better chance of coming to fruition when their basic needs are met. Liberty Hill works hard to make sure that our students have the academic, nutritional and emotional support they need to be successful. Their heart have no boundaries.”
The CCSD Volunteer of the Year, Scott Cudabac, founded Johnston Elementary School’s Men at Work group, and organization that encourages dads to volunteer at the school. Setting up the book fair, campus beautification and Hi Five Fridays greeters in the car and bus lanes – none would happen without Mr. Cudabac’s leadership, according to the school.
“Mr. Cudabac gives freely of his time and tremendous effort in organizing the Men at Work group of male volunteers, meeting with administrators and staff, and being persistent and present for the countless functions he establishes,” Principal Amy Graham wrote in her nomination letter. “Mr. Cudabac is a strong, multi-dimensional person with diversified skills, which allows him to adapt to many different jobs. He is an invaluable part of our extended Johnston Elementary School family.”
Every week, a different school Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year will be featured on CCSD social media platforms.
2017 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
Read more here about the 2017 School winners!
ACE Academy: Northside Hospital Cherokee
Arnold Mill ES: State Farm Insurance
Avery ES: Menchie's Riverstone Plaza
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Awnex Inc.
Bascomb ES: Menchie's Towne Lake
Boston ES: Cub Scout Packs 994 and 999
Canton ES STEM Academy: Rotary Club of Canton
Carmel ES: Modern Woodmen of America
CCSD Preschool Center ‐ Johnston: The Home Depot, Store No. 16943 on Sixes Road in Canton
CCSD Preschool Center ‐ Oak Grove: The Home Depot, Store No. 116 on Highway 92 in Woodstock
CCSD Preschool Center ‐ Ralph Bunche: Christian Egner Smile Foundation
Cherokee HS: Northside Hospital Cherokee
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Ridgewalk Chiropractic and Massage
Clayton ES: The One Taekwondo Center of Canton
Creekland MS: Trotter & Patel Pediatric Dentistry
Creekview HS: Chick‐fil‐A of Canton
Dean Rusk MS: Kona Ice of Cherokee
E.T. Booth MS: The Premier Group
Etowah HS: SignGig
Free Home ES: Modern Woodmen of America
Freedom MS: Allegro Business Products
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Liberty Hill Church
Hickory Flat ES: Hickory Flat Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: City of Holly Springs
Indian Knoll ES: Cherokee County Farm Bureau
Johnston ES: Chick‐fil‐A Dwarf House
Knox ES: Menchie's Riverstone Plaza
L.R. Tippens Education Center: Pizza Hut of Holly Springs
Liberty ES: Marco's Pizza of Sixes Road
Little River ES: The One Taekwondo Center of Woodstock
Macedonia ES: Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant
Mill Creek MS: Chick‐fil‐A Dwarf House
Mountain Road ES: Chick‐fil‐A Dwarf House
Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy: The Premier Group
R.M. Moore ES: Reinhardt University
River Ridge HS: Chick‐fil‐A Dwarf House
Sequoyah HS: Southeast Restoration Group
Sixes ES: Marco's Pizza, Sixes Road
Teasley MS: Chick‐fil‐A of Canton
Woodstock ES: Woodstock HS Spanish Honor Society
Woodstock HS: The UPS Store at Towne Lake
Woodstock MS: Velociteach
2017 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
Read more here about the 2017 School winners!
Arnold Mill ES: John O. Donnelly, Jr.
Avery ES: Mary Long
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Carrie Halstead
Bascomb ES: Hope Leak
Boston ES: Richard Branscomb
Canton ES STEM Academy: Sarah Hill
Carmel ES: Lavinia "Kay" Hart
CCSD Preschool Center ‐ Johnston: Edir Real Fabiano
CCSD Preschool Center ‐ Oak Grove: Julie Fuller
CCSD Preschool Center ‐ Ralph Bunche: Todd Adams
Cherokee HS: Melanie Rockey
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Andrea Dean
Clayton ES: Susan Williamson
Creekland MS: John Russell
Creekview HS: Tim Hart
Dean Rusk MS: Cristina Kroeppler
E.T. Booth MS: Claire Black
Etowah HS: Kelly Covington
Free Home ES: Anita Ask
Freedom MS: Pamela Montgomery
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Larry DeSue
Hickory Flat ES: Megan Kremer
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Karrie Pratt
Indian Knoll ES: Sequoyah HS Cadets led by John Futral and Ronald Whittle
Johnston ES: Scott Cudabac
Knox ES: Anne Landfried
L.R. Tippens Education Center: Teddye Holloway
Liberty ES: Jenna Williams
Little River ES: Scott Steinbrenner
Macedonia ES: Erin Whaley
Mill Creek MS: Brandee Sass
Mountain Road ES: Dana Patterson
Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy: Stanley Weinick
R.M. Moore ES: Emily and Shane Fager
River Ridge HS: Debbie Rabjohn
Sequoyah HS: Cindy Brown
Sixes ES: Jennifer Mascitti
Teasley MS: Kristi Volz
Woodstock ES: Robert Tidwell
Woodstock HS: Nancy B. Utley
Woodstock MS: Tawnya Velzy