CCSD Celebrates 2025 Partners of the Year, Volunteers of the Year

The Cherokee County School District celebrates outstanding school volunteers and business and community partners and their valued role in our mission to become the highest-performing school district in Georgia!

The annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony 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.  A committee of retired educators and community leaders selects the CCSD winners.

Building Fires, Cherokee High School’s Partner of the Year, is the CCSD 2025 Partner of the Year!

“Building Fires supports our community of students and athletes in so many powerful ways,” Cherokee HS Principal Andy Hall said in his nomination, “providing financial assistance to students in need for player packs, team dues and varsity letter jackets, providing scholarships for deserving students so they can continue their education, and offering mentoring and support for students so they can build skills that they'll take with them wherever they go in life.  Todd Baker is at Cherokee all the time, offering support, speaking with our teams and organizations and looking for more ways to support our students.  When we instituted a new graduation cord honor for student athletes at Cherokee, Building Fires stepped in and donated the cords for the athletes who qualified for the honor.  We are thankful for Todd and Building Fires – as they continue to build more fires in our students, ones that will burn far beyond high school, and we are grateful for their partnership here at Cherokee.”

Susan Williamson, Clayton Elementary School’s Volunteer of the Year, is the CCSD 2025 Volunteer of the Year!  

“Susan Williamson supported our school community during her teaching career and has continued to do so extensively since her retirement in 2012,” Clayton ES Principal Valerie Lowery said in her nomination.  “Over the past 13 years, she has been chosen as Volunteer of the Year five different times.  As a retired teacher, she understands the vital role educators play and works tirelessly to support them.  Her passion for reading makes her an invaluable presence in the media center, where she helps students find books, assists with daily tasks, organizes book fairs, donates books and supports the reading bowl team by creating study guides.  Beyond her time, Ms. Williamson generously contributes monetary donations to enhance classroom libraries, the media center, and STEM, music, art and PE programs.  She also plays a key role in our Clayton Christmas program, providing for families in need and organizing donations through her church.  Susan Williamson’s unwavering dedication and generosity make a profound impact on Clayton Elementary.  Cougar Nation is deeply grateful for her continued support, which goes far beyond that of a typical volunteer.  Her passion and commitment enrich the lives of our students and staff every year.”

The ceremony included the presentation of plaques by Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis 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.  The cost of the plaques and reception was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation.

CCSD 2025 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: His Hands Church
Arnold Mill ES: Northside Hospital Cherokee 
Avery ES: Window World of Atlanta
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Cherokee County Farm Bureau
Bascomb ES: Smile Doctors Orthodontics
Boston ES: The Board and Box Charcuterie
Carmel ES: Harry Norman Realtors
CCSD Preschool Centers: Geiger Legal Group LLC
Cherokee HS: Building Fires
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Cherokee County 911
Clayton ES: Wilkes Meat Market of Ball Ground
Creekland MS: Trotter & Patel Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
Creekview HS: EF2 Realty Team Powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners 
Dean Rusk MS: First City Church
E.T. Booth MS: HOTWORX Woodstock, GA (Towne Lake) 
Etowah HS: Graze Craze Charcuterie
Free Home ES: Tru Masonry LLC
Freedom MS: Bridgemill Animal Hospital
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Smile Doctors Orthodontics
Hickory Flat ES: First City Church
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: ACTIVE Academies 
Indian Knoll ES: The Premier Group
Johnston ES: Kona Ice of Cherokee
Knox ES STEM Academy: Northside Hospital Cherokee
Liberty ES: Christ the Rock Church 
Little River ES: First Baptist Church Woodstock
Macedonia ES: YK Taekwondo
Mill Creek MS: Revive Painting Company
Mountain Road ES: Mt. Gilead Methodist Church
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Hillcrest Baptist Church
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Hillside Community Church
River Ridge HS: LGE Community Credit Union
Sequoyah HS: ATL Grad
Sixes ES: Townsend Realty Group
Teasley MS: Georgia Impact 
Tippens Education Center: Allegro Business Products 
Woodstock ES: Smile Doctors Orthodontics
Woodstock HS: Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services
Woodstock MS: Woodstock City Church

CCSD 2025 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: Shanna Coulter
Arnold Mill ES: Julie Call
Avery ES: Melissa Chesson
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Julie Bales
Bascomb ES: Kay “Nana” Williams
Boston ES: Erin Reece
Carmel ES: Alicia Adamson 
CCSD Preschool Centers: Marla Payne Wise
Cherokee HS: Jane Martin
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Mike & Debbie Rabjohn
Clayton ES: Susan Williamson
Creekland MS: Creekland MS PTSA Executive Board
Creekview HS: Amber Cloy
Dean Rusk MS: Rachael Tisdale
E.T. Booth MS: Melissa Bryant & Kristen Karcher
Etowah HS: Steve Hyland
Free Home ES: Georgine Lightsey
Freedom MS: Stefanie Poole
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Lanna Swindler
Hickory Flat ES: Shayla McLarty
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Chris Argo
Indian Knoll ES: IKES PTA Hospitality Committee
Johnston ES: Brittany Sims
Knox ES STEM Academy: National English Honor Society, Cherokee HS
Liberty ES: Shira Worthman
Little River ES: Susan Byberg
Macedonia ES: Tonia Reeves & Jessica Talbert
Mill Creek MS: Kayley Pacific
Mountain Road ES: Garett Venable
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Denise Lewis
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Kiwanis Club of North Cherokee
River Ridge HS: River Ridge HS PTSA Executive Board 
Sequoyah HS: Meg Davidson
Sixes ES: Tyler Smith
Teasley MS: Melissa Owens
Tippens Education Center: Dr. Danny Postell
Woodstock ES: Donna Nelson
Woodstock HS: Woodstock Community Pep-Rally Committee
Woodstock MS: Julee McGehee

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