CCSD Schools Win State Honors for Excellence in Education

Two Cherokee County School District schools have earned top state honors for excellence in education.

Avery Elementary School and Bascomb Elementary School both have won the prestigious School Bell Award from the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals.

The association presents the School Bell Award to no more than 10 schools in Georgia each year in recognition of outstanding curriculum and organizational leadership initiatives.  It’s a rare feat to see two schools from the same school district honored in one year.  

Avery ES, led by Principal Dr. Lisa Turner, earned the award for its “You Are Loved” campaign.  Bascomb ES, led by Principal Dr. Carolyn Daugherty, earned the award for its Bascomb Behavior Teams initiative.

Avery’s student-led campaign fostered a positive and inclusive school culture.  Central to the initiative was curriculum written by students, under the guidance of staff mentors.  Those students then volunteered their recess time to teach their peers more about empathy, love, and gratitude.

“The success of the ‘You Are Loved’ campaign is a testament to the collaborative efforts of staff, students, parents, and the wider community,” Dr. Turner said.  “The students’ dedication and enthusiasm serve as a driving force behind the initiative, inspiring their peers to embrace the values of empathy and gratitude.”

The Bascomb Behavior Teams initiative was created to encourage and support positive student behavior, Dr. Daugherty said.  

Teachers volunteer to be part of the team and receive training on de-escalation techniques and best practices to encourage positive behavior.  If a child is struggling with behavior while a teacher is teaching, she can call for a team member to come to her classroom.  A team member reports and temporarily takes over the class to give the teacher time to speak to the child privately.

“This initiative supports the student and our staff to ensure learning continues and behavior struggles are addressed appropriately and in a timely manner,” Dr. Daugherty said.  

Both schools will be formally recognized and presented with their awards at the association’s fall conference.  The schools also will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis at an upcoming School Board Meeting.

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