Board Business Briefs - Celebrating Student Performance, Looking Ahead

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, celebrated student performance by recognizing each school’s successes on the statewide Georgia Milestones Assessment and progress made on the School Board’s student performance goals.  The board also reviewed progress on district improvements underway this school year and honored a late Principal’s legacy with the naming of a playground in her honor.

The meeting began with a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by the regular business meeting at 7 p.m.  Both were livestreamed via YouTube, and the videos are archived on the CCSD website in the Board of Education area online here.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GROWTH

The School Board’s laser focus on teaching and learning led to a strong year of achievement as indicated by recently released Georgia Milestones Assessment results.  With an increase in 19 out of 27 performance areas compared to 2024, CCSD not only continues to outperform the state in all tested areas for what is now the 10th consecutive year but also has even further widened the performance gap in multiple subjects.

During the board’s work session, Chief Academic and Accountability Officer Dr. Josh Heath presented a detailed report on the results.  The report, which is online here, shows CCSD’s performance over time, how CCSD’s performance compares to the state and 10 comparison school districts, student performance as compared to School Board goals, and local school “bright spots” celebrating schools that met or exceeded the School Board goals in specific subjects and grade levels.

Significant work has occurred over the past year, from the board room to the classroom, to achieve this milestone moment of focused, transparent reporting on student performance.  The School Board began this endeavor by developing Core Beliefs anchoring their governance and the work of the district, followed by setting its first-ever governance policy, School Board Policy BAB: Supportive Accountability Governance, which called for establishing a system of support and accountability.  The School Board then charted the district’s path for student performance improvement by setting clear goals for achievement on the Georgia Milestones’ English Language Arts (ELA) and Math exams and for reading on grade level as measured by Milestones ELA exams.  The School Board’s goals for student performance are the catalyst for alignment, as every school’s School Improvement Plan is now aligned by these clear achievement targets.

Later in the regular meeting, the School Board celebrated these successes by recognizing each school for its progress toward School Board goals, with Principals accepting certificates of recognition on behalf of their schools with the intent for them to take the celebrations to their school staff, students and families.  In CCSD, we are laser focused on learning and aspire to be the district where kids learn more, grow more, and achieve more than they could anywhere else.  The School Board’s Policy now directs us to celebrate where we make progress and prepare adjustments where we don’t.  

Dr. Heath’s report connected to the meeting’s next report, which featured School Leadership & Operations leaders reviewing this year’s School Improvement Plans.

Each school developed a School Improvement Plan, which in addition to including the school’s action steps to meet and exceed their school’s three-year goals for Milestones student performance in reading, English language arts and math, for the first time also include student attendance three-year improvement goals and action steps.  These plans are online here.

The School Leadership & Operations team also reviewed the accountability and support provided to each school in alignment with the School Board’s Supportive Accountability Governance model, data trends by Innovation Zone (high school and its feeder middle and elementary schools), and the three levels of action steps established for schools to meet and exceed School Board goals for Milestones student performance.  As a district, we have much to celebrate, and our teachers should be honored as the best in the profession.  At the same time, decreases in third, fifth and eighth grades in English language arts and high school American Literature will now prompt our areas of focus this coming year.  The full report is online here.

School Board Chair Janet Read Welch thanked staff for the reports, with School Board member Kelly Poole praising the reports’ transparency.  School Board member Chance Beam asked a question about interpreting results, and School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan shared appreciation for the data compiled and questions about next steps.  To review all of the Milestones data by school, see our website online here.

“This is my thing,” Ms. Jordan said of the School Improvement Plans.  “I love looking at this.”

Dr. Heath explained the “toolkit of supports” in response to a question posed by Ms. Jordan, noting that district leaders and resources are “not just waiting for Milestones” to support principals, but that student achievement trends prompt customized coaching and support throughout the year.

As we look to the 2025-26 school year, our formula for continuing to improve is clear: planning at the level of the standard, instruction at the level of the standard for all students, student work at the level of the standard and assessing at the level of the standard.

To support teachers, the School Board has invested in new English language arts and math resources and directed funds out of the district office directly into our 40 schools (resulting in a 30% increase in instructional funds per school) in order to amplify and support teacher instruction.

KEY PRIORITIES REPORT 

The school district’s 2025-26 Key Priorities are a continuation of the successful plan implemented last school year focused on four areas for district overall improvement.

Informed by community insights and financial, operational and student performance reports, the Key Priorities drive CCSD’s work as an organization, with regular progress reports shared at School Board meetings by Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis.

The four Key Priorities are:

• Elevate the Excellence in academics and achievement for all students.
• Elevate the Excellence in effective School Board-Superintendent Governance.
• Elevate the Excellence in the district’s coordination and alignment of goals, systems, and processes.
• Elevate the Excellence by embracing a pervasive high-quality school environment defined by high standards, effective supports, and consistent practices.

Superintendent Davis during Thursday’s work session shared the first quarterly progress report of the new school year, which is online here.  The report details the status of specific Action Steps that she set in the spring for each Key Priority.  For each Action Step, underlying activities are implemented to ensure measurable success.

Highlights noted in the new report include the completion of action steps, such as: the successful roll-out for this school year of new School Board-approved instructional resources (textbooks, workbooks, and online resources) for K-12 English language arts and math, the expanded use of the CCSD Math Screener from K-8 to K-10, and the implementation of the School Board’s budget focused on increasing investments closer to the classroom including a longevity salary increase and 3% raise for teachers, support staff and school leaders; positive changes in the employee work calendar; and shifting more funds from the central office budget to school budgets for classroom use. 

The completion, on time and within budget, of Free Home ES, classroom additions to Creekview HS and Creekland MS, and the improved car rider driveaway for Teasley MS also are noted as successes in the report, as is the introduction of body cameras for school police officers to both improve safety response and to maintain the department’s state certification, and the seamless transition to an upgraded districtwide timekeeping system.

Numerous other planned projects for this school year include, but are not limited to:

• Consideration of science and social studies core instructional resources for grades K-12;
• Review of the School Board’s current student promotion, retention, and grading policy;
• Completion of a classroom utilization study and age and condition study of facilities to help guide future school construction and renovation projects; and,
• Completion of the new replacement Cherokee High School campus, set to open in August 2026.    

HONORING A LEGACY

A new playground at Johnston Elementary School will be named in honor of the late longtime Principal following the School Board’s unanimous approval.

Current Principal Dr. Lori Etheridge led a committee made up of school faculty, staff, parents, and community members focused on how to honor the legacy of Laura Akers, who passed away in May.

Principal Akers, who made a profound and lasting impact on the school community that continues to resonate, will be honored with the naming of the new playground as “Johnston Akers.”

A celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held following the playground completion, which is expected in September.

“Thank you to the team that put this together,” Ms. Read Welch said.  “It’s a great way to honor someone who was very important to our school district.” 

The School Board also:

• Recognized retiring Director of Technology Field Services Chris Saxon, upon his last School Board meeting running the AV and video recording system, with remarks by School Board Chair Janet Read Welch;
• Recognized all CCSD employees for a successful start to the new school year, with remarks by School Board member Kelly Poole; 

• Recognized Max Stancil, pictured above, who served in the past on the School Board for 24 years and served as president of the Georgia School Boards Association, in honor of his 95^th birthday, with remarks by School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan;
• Heard the monthly financial reports for June and July, which are online here.  Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Owen additionally reported on this school year’s state funding, explaining the Georgia Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding formula earnings report for the district.  This report is received every summer and outlines the amount of state funding earned by the district based on the state’s formula, which uses: student enrollment on two specific dates, one in October and one in March; specific instructional programs funded; and the number of specific types of teachers and staff employed, among other factors.  School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison remarked upon the formula’s requirement that CCSD donate 5 mills it has earned to instead be redistributed to other districts; 
• Heard the monthly capital outlay report, which is online here.  All projects, including construction of the new replacement Cherokee HS campus and improvements to the River Ridge HS and Sequoyah HS campuses, are on schedule and within budget;
• Approved the final reading of an update to School Board Policy JBD: Absences and Excuses, which is online here, to comply with newly enacted state legislation. Students with five unexcused absences, or a total of 10 accumulated absences, will be referred to the school social worker and the school attendance review team for a parent meeting.  Students who continue to be determined as chronically truant (absent 10% or more of their enrolled days) after school and parent interventions could be referred to state agencies, including the Department of Family and Children Services or the court system, for further support;
• Heard a report from Chief of Staff Mike McGowan on the district’s continued efforts to comply with House Bill 845.  He noted the district continues to await, from the Cherokee County state legislative delegation, the list of companies or individuals eligible to perform the requirements of the legislation, as well as a timeline for that work.  The cost to the district is yet to be determined.  Ms. Read Welch noted that earlier in the day she attended an event with legislative delegation members;
• Recognized Special Olympics Summer Games Gold Medalists.  Learn more here;
• Recognized FCCLA National Leadership Conference Gold Medalist Bailey German of Cherokee HS.   Learn more here;
• Recognized River Ridge HS and Career Pathway teacher Callie Davis for earning Healthcare Industry Certification.  Learn more here;  
• Recognized AFJROTC Outstanding Instructor Award winners.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Georgia Parent Teacher Association (PTA) State and District 13 Award winners.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals President – Joey Moss of Clark Creek ES STEM Academy.  Learn more here;
• Recognized School Nutrition Team of the Year Winners: R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy and E.T. Booth MS.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Transportation Employee of the Year Wanda Fowler of the Creekview Zone and Innovation Zone Winners.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Special Education Department Employees of the Year.  Learn more here;
• Recognized Coach of the Year Jennifer Maloney of Creekview HS and Innovation Zone Winners.  Learn more here;
• Recognized GHSA State and Region Champions.  Learn more here;

From left, this year’s Student Delegates are: Nathaneil Amakelew of Woodstock HS; Olivia Kennison of River Ridge HS; Shannon Power of i-Grad Virtual Academy; Jacob Duncan of Cherokee HS; Addison Bishop of Etowah HS; and Josh DeLima of Creekview HS. Not pictured: Lili DeFiore of Sequoyah HS.  

• Recognized Student Delegates to the School Board.  Learn more here; and,
• Approved the monthly Human Resources employment recommendations, including the retirement in December of Chief of Staff Mike McGowan after 29 years of service to CCSD.