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Board Business Briefs: School Board Approves Hiring More Police Officers

Board Business Briefs: School Board Approves Hiring More Police Officers

The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024 unanimously approved plans to add more officers to the CCSD Police Department to continue advancing safety and security in the school district.

The meeting followed the new structure, adopted this summer, of a work session at 5:15 p.m. and a regular business meeting at 7 p.m.  The new structure promotes more meaningful discussion, greater transparency, and public awareness around the business of the board.  In addition to the regular business meetings, all work sessions now are livestreamed via YouTube, and the videos are archived on the CCSD website in the Board of Education area online here.

SAFETY AND SECURITY
The School Board’s unanimous vote to hire an additional four police officers as soon as possible followed a report during the work session by Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis on the state of safety and security in the school district.

Superintendent Davis, in her report Thursday, reviewed recent activities by the school district to foster community conversation about school safety.  

These activities began last month, with the sharing at the School Board meeting of a new video that gives a comprehensive overview of the daily efforts, commitments, and School Board investments in place to keep students and staff in CCSD safe each day.  This video is housed in the updated Safety & Security section of the CCSD website online here that also features a chart of current systems in place aligned to CCSD’s safety framework, and other useful information.

Then, earlier this month, Superintendent Davis hosted a community forum on safety and security, open to all parents and employees, during which she moderated a panel presentation.  The panel featured CCSD Police Chief Buster Cushing, Capt. Richie Rich, Emergency Operations Facilitator Danielle Ross, Chief School Leadership and Operations Officer Dr. Debra Murdock, Student Support Coordinator Dr. Tara Quinn-Schuldt, and Cherokee Sheriff Frank Reynolds.  Following the panel, CCSD staff facilitated small group discussions and collected recommendations about advancing safety and security practices in schools. 

A video recording of the panel presentation was shared with all parents and employees and posted on the CCSD website online here, along with an online form created to provide those unable to attend an opportunity to share feedback. 

The feedback collected at both the meeting and through the online form was reviewed by Superintendent Davis and Chief Cushing and then presented to a roundtable of local law enforcement and public safety officials for their review.  This group included the sheriff, city police chiefs, county fire chief, emergency management agency director and members of their leadership teams, as well as leaders from Cherokee 911, the marshal’s office, district attorney’s office and Georgia State Patrol.

This process culminated in Superintendent Davis’s recommendation that the School Board approve authorizing $675,000 to be used to fund the four new police officer positions, including salaries, benefits and equipment.  

Each CCSD high school and middle school has at least one officer dedicated to its campus; the larger high schools have two officers.  The ACTIVE Academies campus, which includes CCSD’s alternative school, has its own officer.  CCSD elementary schools share officers at a ratio of one officer assigned to three clustered schools – with the additional four officers approved Thursday, that ratio will improve to one officer assigned to two elementary schools.

She also detailed additional investments now underway including: installation of security film on more school doors and windows, expansion of security camera system capabilities, improvement of CCSD Police communication system interoperability with county and city agencies’ systems, and increased parent and community communication and educational programs to raise awareness of CCSD’s safety and security measures.

Next steps, she said, including further studying other recommendations, observing how effectively they function in other settings, and seeking and relying upon the professional insights of the community’s law enforcement professionals to ensure future investments don’t unintentionally expose CCSD to new risks or hazards.

The consensus of those law enforcement professionals, Superintendent Davis said, is valuing “presence over products.”  “Presence,” she said, “is made possible by people, and that does include increasing our police force,” as approved Thursday night.

School Board members voiced their support for the continued expansion of the police force, noting the importance of investing in the CCSD Police Department, a team that is fully dedicated around the clock to the safety of students and staff.

School Board member Patsy Jordan asked to hear more about the numerous job responsibilities of CCSD police officers, which Superintendent Davis then detailed as ranging from daily morning safety huddle meetings with administrators to checking for locked doors and monitoring hallways to ensuring safety of students, staff and visitors during both the regular school day, special events and athletic competitions. 

“We are very fortunate in Cherokee County to have our own police officers,” Ms. Jordan said.  “They’re just amazing.”

School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison served as the Principal at Cherokee HS when CCSD in 1999 established its school police department.  She spoke of the vision and commitment of past school board members and superintendents to invest in safety and security, and the determination of the current school board members and Superintendent Davis to build upon that legacy.

“We don’t just talk the talk – we want to walk the walk,” she said.

GEORGIA MILESTONES
In a continuation of a new level of accountability and transparency to the School Board and community introduced earlier this school year, Superintendent Davis during the work session provided a Georgia Milestones Assessment Performance Review report focused on math sections of the annual test.

Mirroring the report presented in August on the English language arts sections of the test of student mastery of statewide standards, the math report provided greater analysis and comparative data than previously presented to help the School Board and community better understand CCSD student performance.

Dr. Josh Heath, the school district’s executive director of accountability, provided the Superintendent’s report, which is online here.

The annual state exams administered each spring test students’ mastery of Georgia Performance Standards, which set expectations for what students will learn in each grade.  Results measure students’ knowledge as Beginning, Developing, Proficient or Distinguished Learners. 

Students in grades 3-8 take Milestones End-of-Grade exams in English language arts and math; students in grades 5 and 8 additionally are tested in science, and eighth-graders also take a social studies exam.  High school students in specific courses – Algebra, American Literature, Biology and U.S. History (as well as the eighth-graders taking Physical Science and Algebra for high school credit) -- take Milestones End-of-Course exams.  Parents recently received their child’s individual math scores, which were released later this year than other sections due to the implementation of new state standards for math.

As shared upon the state’s release of Milestones math results earlier this month, CCSD students for the ninth consecutive year exceeded State averages.  When comparing CCSD student performance to last year, six of seven grade levels tested saw gains.  The only dip reported in CCSD was in third grade, which continued to exceed state averages.

The report at Thursday’s meeting highlighted individual school successes and compared CCSD student performance over the past three years to both state averages and nine other school districts with characteristics in common with CCSD.  The newly released student performance data now is being analyzed by principals, with the support of Academics & Accountability and School Leadership & Operations leaders, to determine areas for student performance improvement.

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITES 
Every fall, the School Board approves its Legislative Partnership Priorities, a report outlining its stand on issues likely to come up during the state legislature’s next session.  This report is shared with Cherokee County’s state legislative delegation and is posted on CCSD’s website for the entire community to review.  The draft report shared at Thursday's work session is online here.

Top concerns include the need for the State Legislature to fully fund its share of school operational costs for competitive teacher salaries, student safety and security, school counselors, school bus transportation and school technology.  Other returning requests include more high school diploma choices and eliminating schools as election polling places.

The concern for adequate state funding is even greater this year given the State Legislature’s vote last session to approve House Bill 581, a proposal impacting local property taxes, which make up more than half of CCSD’s budget for daily operations.  As a result of this law, voters in the November general election will decide whether to pass a Constitutional Amendment that creates a floating statewide property tax exemption capping the amount property taxes can increase annually at the rate of inflation.

In recent years, the School Board has made substantial strides to ensure tax dollars stay in the hands of homeowners – reducing the millage rate by 1.5 mills in 2022 and supporting the expansion of the senior tax exemption to take effect next year.  In total, this School Board has returned $43 million to taxpayers over the last two years alone.

A property tax cap would reduce CCSD’s funding for daily operations and its ability to maintain educational services at current levels, which is why the legislative priority is to: “Maintain local School Board control/authority as denoted in the State Constitution (e.g., establishing appropriate millage rates).”

state funding chart

School Board members asked questions about the vast gaps between actual costs and state funding, which CCSD has bridged through using local property tax and Ed SPLOST funds.  For example, the actual cost of safety and security measures in CCSD last school year was $4.5 million, but the state only provided $1.9 million in funding.  In response, School Board member Erin Ragsdale said she’d be interested in knowing how much in tax dollars the State Legislature spends on its own security. 

School Board member Kelly Poole voiced her concerns about the impact if the state’s property tax cap Constitutional amendment is approved by voters.  State law already limits the millage rate maximum for daily operations, which includes costs such as teacher and staff salaries, utilities for schools and bus fuel, to 20 mills (Cherokee’s current millage rate for school operations is 16.45 mills).  If the tax digest’s growth is halted by the property tax cap, the School Board not only would be forced to raise the millage rate to cover daily operations, but also would face reducing services and investments, such as in safety and security, when the rate hits the 20-mill maximum.

“If [the amendment] does pass, we need to have some serious discussions about choosing that opt-out option as a board,” she said, referring to the option to hold hearings to halt the implementation of a property tax cap.

NEW LEADERS

Rick Beaulieu, Elizabeth Crook, Rita Modrzynski

Rick Beaulieu, Elizabeth Crook, Rita Modrzynski

The School Board on Thursday, as part of its approval of the monthly human resources employment recommendations, accepted the retirement of a longtime district leader and approved two leadership appointments.

Rick Beaulieu, CCSD’s chief human resources officer, is retiring in December after a 29-year career in education and was celebrated at the meeting with a standing ovation.  

After beginning his career as a classroom teacher and coach, Mr. Beaulieu was appointed to start his administrative career as an assistant principal in Cobb County.  He then advanced to lead Pope High School as its principal for four years, following by an appointment to leadership at the district level.  He served as an area assistant superintendent for Cobb County and then as executive director of human resources for Atlanta Public Schools before joining CCSD in 2016 as our chief human resources officer.

Elizabeth Crook was appointed to serve as CCSD’s supervisor of instructional resources, a new role created by the recent reorganization of the Academics & Accountability division.  A 15-year educator, Ms. Crook currently serves as an instructional design and resource specialist for Academics & Accountability.  She began her CCSD career as a teacher at Woodstock Middle School and E.T. Booth Middle School and then advanced to the role of instructional lead strategist for E.T. Booth.  

Rita Modrzynski was appointed to serve as CCSD’s supervisor of professional learning, a role recently vacated by promotion.  A 12-year educator, Ms. Modrzynski currently serves as a Title II specialist for Academics & Accountability.  She began her CCSD career as a teacher at River Ridge High School and then advanced to the role of instructional lead strategist for Cherokee High School.

The School Board also: 

•    Heard the monthly financial report, which is online here;
•    Heard the monthly capital outlay report, which is online here.  All projects, including construction of the new replacement Cherokee HS campus and Free Home ES campus, are on schedule and within budget.  As Free Home ES construction wraps up, work soon will begin on equipping the school with technology, furniture and other steps needed to open in August as planned.  The report also noted the completion of the HVAC replacement work at Creekland MS;
•    Recognized Principals in honor of National Principals Month and school custodians in honor of National School Custodian Day;
•    Recognized CCSD’s National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.  Learn more here;  
•    Recognized Free Home ES for being named one of America's Healthiest Schools. Learn more here;  
•    Recognized Indian Knoll ES for being named a Microsoft Showcase School. Learn more here;  
•    Recognized R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy’s School Nutrition team for earning the Georgia Department of Education Cafeteria of Excellence Award. Learn more here;  
•    Recognized the CCSD Police Department for earning State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification reaccreditation and the Silver Award for longtime excellence. Learn more here;  
•    Approved a proclamation in honor of Retired Educators Day, screened the trailer for “Learning from Legends,” CCSD’s annual oral history project video in collaboration with the Cherokee Retired Educators Association, and recognized the featured “Legends” who attended the meeting.  Watch the trailer online here;
•    Approved a partnership agreement renewal with the American Legion; and,
•    Approved surplus property and set the public auction date for 9 a.m. Nov. 16 at the Central Distribution Warehouse.  See a list of surplus property online here.