CCSD Celebrates 2024 Partners of the Year, Volunteers of the Year

The Cherokee County School District celebrated outstanding school volunteers and business and community partners at the annual CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year Recognition Ceremony.

The ceremony on Thursday evening in the school board auditorium 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.

Blue Sky Systems LLC, Avery Elementary School’s Partner of the Year, was named the CCSD 2024 Partner of the Year, and the Cherokee High School SALT (Student Athlete Leadership Team), R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy’s Volunteer of the Year, was named the CCSD 2024 Volunteer of the Year.

“We’re deeply grateful for our outstanding partners and volunteers and look forward to this special event when we recognize and celebrate them,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “We value and encourage these important relationships and need to celebrate all the good that they’re doing in our schools.”

The recognition ceremony was sponsored by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for CCSD.  The ceremony included tributes and the presentation of plaques by the Superintendent of Schools 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. 

After the CCSD Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were announced, excerpts were shared from the nomination letters submitted by the Principals of the schools that they support.  A committee of retired educators and community leaders selected the CCSD winners from the pool of exemplary nominees.

The CCSD Partner of the Year, Blue Sky LLC, was recognized for its support of school programs to encourage staff and student well-being, including rewards for students “caught being good” as part of a schoolwide positive behavior initiative and “happy carts” bearing gifts for teachers to support their health and wellness.

“Blue Sky Systems has played a pivotal role in fostering a positive and supportive community climate at Avery Elementary,” Principal Dr. Lisa Turner wrote in her nomination letter.   “Their involvement stands out as truly extraordinary and deserving of recognition.  Their commitment to always saying ‘yes’ and encouraging innovative ideas has created a dynamic and thriving educational environment that benefits both students and staff.  Their involvement serves as a shining example of how a partnership can positively transform a school community.”

The CCSD Volunteer of the Year, the Cherokee High School SALT club, was recognized for its efforts to volunteer every Monday morning, before their own classes at Cherokee HS, to mentor students at R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy.  The SALT members, who are among Cherokee’s top student athletes, spend that volunteer time with select fourth- and fifth-graders focusing on activities that develop leadership and team building skills and promote academic accountability and positive behavior.

“These impressive high school volunteers act as role models and a source of friendship and encouragement for some of our students,” Principal Matt Kimbrell wrote in his nomination letter.  “They provide an opportunity for some of our students to have someone to confide in, talk about their struggles with and share in their excitement.  This has proven to be a game changer with students -- setting those high expectations and pushing our kids to meet them.  We are seeing such a dynamic shift … students who in years past may have been on behavior plans are now successfully exiting the program.  Attendance has overall improved among our R.M. Moore mentees.  No one wants to miss out on their SALT mentor time!”

Every week, a different school Partner of the Year and Volunteer of the Year will be featured on CCSD social media platforms.

CCSD 2024 SCHOOL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: His Hands Church 
Arnold Mill ES: Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America 
Avery ES: Blue Sky Systems, LLC
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Serv International 
Bascomb ES: HOTWORX Woodstock, GA (Towne Lake) 
Boston ES: EF2 Realty Team Powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners 
Etowah HS: EF2 Realty Team Powered by Keller Williams Realty Partners 
Carmel ES: The Premier Group 
CCSD Preschool Centers: Geiger Legal Group, LLC 
Cherokee HS: Longhorn Steakhouse Canton 
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Garth Gherardini | Managing Partner Modern Woodmen of America 
Johnston ES: Garth Gherardini | Managing Partner Modern Woodmen of America 
Clayton ES: Soleil at Laurel Canyon Book Clubs 
Creekland MS: THE BEAUTY BARN 
Creekview HS: Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant – Macedonia 
Macedonia ES: Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant - Macedonia 
Dean Rusk MS: Bojangles 
E.T. Booth MS: Encompass Ministries/Papa’s Pantry 
Free Home ES: Vulcan Materials Company - Cherokee 
Freedom MS: Restor Diabetes Center 
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: American Legion
Hickory Flat ES: Chick-fil-A Hickory Flat 
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: City of Holly Springs 
Indian Knoll ES: Williamson Bros. BBQ Canton 
Knox ES STEM Academy: Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group 
Liberty ES: Cherokee Youth Foundation (Cherokee Impact) 
Little River ES: Taekwondo of Woodstock, Inc 
Mill Creek MS: Lee Holman Horace Mann Insurance 
Mountain Road ES: Irish Dee & Associates, LLC 
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Rotary Club of Woodstock 
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Quality Contracting, LLC 
River Ridge HS: Susto’s Taco Bar 
Sequoyah HS: BSN Sports
Sixes ES: Kona Ice 
Teasley MS: Canton Optimist Club
Tippens EC: Allegro Business Products 
Woodstock ES: Whataburger 
Woodstock HS: Chick-fil-A Towne Lake 
Woodstock MS: Woodstock City Church 

CCSD 2024 SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR
ACTIVE Academies: ACTIVE Academies PTSA Executive Board 
Arnold Mill ES: Amy Adcock 
Avery ES: Avery ES PTA Executive Board 
Ball Ground ES STEM Academy: Duane and Jennifer Jones 
Bascomb ES: Bascomb ES PTA Executive Board
Boston ES: Roxanne Saroli
Carmel ES: Lori Rebeles 
CCSD Preschool Centers: Ed and Valerie Hill 
Cherokee HS: Kristie Duncan 
Liberty ES: Kristie Duncan 
Clark Creek ES STEM Academy: Lisa Schade 
Clayton ES: Susan Williamson 
Creekland MS: Nicole Smith
Creekview HS: Ashley Petty
Dean Rusk MS: Dean Rusk MS PTSA Executive Board 
E.T. Booth MS: Theresa Warinner 
Etowah HS: Amanda Weber 
Free Home ES: Loren Marshall 
Freedom MS: Daniela McBride 
Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy: Hasty ES Fine Arts Academy PTA Executive Board 
Hickory Flat ES: Katie Lafountain 
Holly Springs ES STEM Academy: Mt. Zion Baptist Church Volunteer Team 
Indian Knoll ES: Jeanette Smith 
Johnston ES: Carli Stockton 
Knox ES STEM Academy: Knox ES STEM Academy PTA Executive Board 
Little River ES: Magida Gonzalez 
Macedonia ES: Christopher Bennett 
Mill Creek MS: Kimberly Miller 
Mountain Road ES: Ashley Benton 
Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy: Tonia Conner 
R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy: Cherokee High School Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT) 
River Ridge HS: Bruce Gates 
Sequoyah HS: Angie Miller 
Sixes ES: Jeff Sunderland and Kellen Smith
Teasley MS: Kristina Volz 
Tippens EC: Danny Postell 
Woodstock ES: Brandon Williams 
Woodstock HS: Woodstock HS PTSA Executive Board
Woodstock MS: Shelby Morrison

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