Board Business Briefs: Preparations Underway for Next School Year

The Cherokee County School Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, heard reports of work already underway to prepare for next school year, including investing in more competitive pay for teachers and support staff, opening the new replacement Cherokee High School on time and within budget, and allocating resources to ensure every middle school student has access to a laptop computer as the first step in expanding access for all students. 

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.

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 to Elevate the Excellence in: academics and achievement for all students; in effective School Board-Superintendent Governance; in the district’s coordination and alignment of goals, systems, and processes; and 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 third quarterly progress report of the 2025-26 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.

Numerous projects are underway and making progress including review of the School Board’s current student promotion, retention, and grading policy and completion of the new replacement Cherokee High School campus, set to open in August.   

Superintendent Davis shared with the board the decision to pause two action steps: upgrading the bus routing and parent communication (bus locator app) system; and solicitation, selection and acquisition of science and social studies resources.

The process to upgrade bus systems has been postponed until next school year to allow for the completion of other technology-related initiatives already underway.  The process to select and adopt standards-aligned science and social studies for all grades has been postponed until next school year to allow the current school year’s focus to remain on the implementation of the newly adopted resources for English language arts and math.

 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR OUTLOOK

The presentation of the quarterly report was followed by a report on the 2026-27 School Year outlook, with initiatives sorted by the same four Key Priorities.

KEY PRIORITY 1

In the area of academics and achievement for all students, the school district will allocate resources to ensure every middle school student has access to a laptop computer for next school year as the first step in expanding access for all students.  This expanded access is in response to teacher feedback for another consistent instructional option in addition to textbooks and workbooks, with the School Board, through policy development, to cast the vision for the role devices should play in student learning.

School Board member Kelly Poole said she supports the plan to provide more access to technology along with a plan for acceptable use.

“It doesn’t replace instruction,” she said of technology, “it’s just another tool for instructional use.”

Other initiatives focused on honoring student learning include adopting a balanced assessment system, which is made up standards-aligned online resources teachers can use for developing class quizzes and tests, and a customized learning tool, which is used by teachers for supporting students who need additional intervention or enrichment.  The district also will coordinate a teacher-built kindergarten through second-grade reading skills progression and diagnostic plan and, beginning for next school year, each school will create a reading intervention plan as part of its annual school improvement plan.

KEY PRIORITY 2

In the area of effective School Board-Superintendent Governance, the School Board will lead the development, with strong stakeholder engagement, of a long-range strategic plan for the district and pursue new School Board Policies for grading and placement (promotion/retention) and for the expanded use of middle school laptop computers in classroom instruction. 

The School Board has made it a budget priority to advance the competitiveness of teacher and employee compensation (see more details in the budget report below) and this spring will review the results of the third-party personnel survey it commissioned.

KEY PRIORITY 3

In the area of district coordination and alignment of goals, systems, and processes, the school district will further improve safety and security by deploying school bus stop-arm cameras to identify drivers illegally passing stopped school buses and updating school safety maps for coordination with partner local public safety agencies.

School Board Chair Janet Read Welch said she is very glad that bus stop-arm cameras soon will be installed.  “It’s so important for safety and security,” she said.

The Code of Conduct will be updated for next school year to improve clarity for elementary school classroom and school bus disciplinary consequences and behavior supports, and the school district will begin the consolidation of tools to improve communication with parents by teachers and schools.

KEY PRIORITY 4

In the area of embracing a pervasive high-quality school environment defined by high standards, effective supports, and consistent practices, the school district will begin the 18- to 24-month process to acquire a new bus routing and parent communication (bus locator app) system.

The school district also will publish on its website Key Performance Indicators for district operations to increase transparency and accountability, with quarterly accountability reports to the School Board, and finalize a districtwide standard asset manual for classrooms and schools based on research collected through classroom and school furniture and equipment audits.

The outlook report Thursday, in addition to Key Priorities-related work, also noted “mission critical” projects necessary for the school district’s success.

These projects include the: August opening of the new replacement Cherokee High School (see more details in the CHS report below), August opening of the additions under construction at Woodstock High School and River Ridge High School, and January 2027 opening of the athletic improvements under construction at Sequoyah High School.

The school district also will determine the future use of the current Cherokee High School main campus and Cherokee North campus, relocate the Cherokee College & Career Academy cybersecurity and aviation programs to Woodstock High School, and complete long-range student enrollment projections, classroom utilization studies and age and condition studies in preparation for the Education-SPLOST renewal referendum in November.

School Board member Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison praised the work by district staff and Cherokee High School Principal Andy Hall and his staff to prepare for the transition to the new replacement campus.

“Thank you to everyone who has been involved with this whole project,” Dr. Padgett-Harrison said.  “It will be something to see, and we’re so proud.”

The district’s enterprise resource platform system, used for financial management services, will be updated, and the district will complete external auditing requirements in compliance with House Bill 845.

BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

The School Board on Thursday continued its budget development process with a report reviewing proposed investments in response to board members’ budget priorities.

The board members prioritized maintaining competitive compensation for employees, while keeping the millage rate steady and preserving low class sizes.

The proposed pay increases for next school year, designed to attract and retain talented and dedicated teachers, support staff and leaders, include both salary longevity “step” salary increases and 3% raises for eligible full-time and part-time employees. 

To maintain current operations and provide competitive pay, while holding the millage rate steady and paying increased state expenses for benefits, the district will balance its budget by making further central office spending cuts and reducing the amount of funding maintained in cash reserves, while still preserving required savings levels.  With the proposed central office spending cuts for next year, the total reduction to the central office budget over two years will total $26.5 million.

The outlook for next year’s budget forecasts decreases in federal and state funding, with expenditures to increase for the district’s portion of Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) costs.  The local property tax digest is projected to grow by 4%, which would generate an estimated growth of $11.9 million for the district, offsetting federal and state revenue declines and the state increases for TRS and SHBP but not enough funding to further invest in competitive pay.

In separate action, the board on Thursday unanimously approved the following one-time pay supplements: $2,000 for all eligible teachers and full-time employees, $3,000 for all full-time custodians, $1,000 for all eligible permanent part-time employees (not including substitutes and temporary workers), and $1,500 for all part-time custodians.  The School Board took this action to show direct appreciation and recognition for the hard work and personal dedication of CCSD employees.  This one-time pay supplement will be partially funded by monies allocated through Governor Kemp’s proposed budget and local funds authorized through the School Board’s vote. 

“This has been something that I have really, really felt strongly was needed,” School Board member Erin Ragsdale said of expanding the one-time pay supplements.  “We have the best teachers … and they choose to stay here.  I’m very appreciative of our teachers.  [Their work] is rewarding, extremely difficult, and for most of the time, it’s thankless.”

The Superintendent’s recommended tentative budget and millage rate will be presented at the March 12 meeting.  Public millage rate hearings are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on April 2 and 16 and at 6:30 p.m. on April 16. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the final budget and millage rate at its April 23 meeting.

School Board member Chance Beam said he would like the board to consider a work session during which they could more deeply review the proposed budget and ask questions.

CHEROKEE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION

Construction of the new replacement campus for Cherokee High School, funded by the voter-approved Education-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), is within budget and on schedule to open in August.  The new school will house all current students, with room for additional enrollment growth.

During its work session, the School Board heard a report that focused on the completion of construction of the new replacement campus, the transition of operations from the current campus to the new campus, and efforts to determine the future use of the current campus.

NEW CAMPUS

Construction of the new campus is on track for the school district to receive final certificates of occupancy this month, clearing the way for furniture and equipment delivery and technology installation; staff and community open house events in April, with details for the latter to be announced on the district website and social media; teacher and staff move-in beginning in June; and opening for the first day of school on Aug. 3.

Chief Support Services Officer Trey Moores also reported that staff now are working, using city- and CCSD-commissioned traffic study data, to design the campus traffic flow for bus and car traffic and student and employee parking.  A plan also is being designed to ensure legacy items are either transferred to the new campus, honored through digitization, donated appropriately and/or made available for purchase in alignment with the district’s surplus policy.

School Board members praised Mr. Moores for his leadership on the project.

“Watching this whole program unfold,” School Board Vice Chair Patsy Jordan said, “it’s amazing the work you’ve done.”

CURRENT CAMPUS

The school district has collected significant community feedback as to possible future uses of the current campus, with more than 2,800 parents, business and community partners, and alumni participating in focus groups, and surveys conducted at all school faculty meetings.

Nine common themes for possible uses emerged, and the School Board will review these ideas with three evaluation questions in mind: will the use positively impact student learning and achievement; will the use address an identified need or mitigate an organizational risk; and is the use financially acceptable and sustainable.

Using School Board member feedback provided over the next month in response to these questions, the school district staff will thoroughly research the options that meet the criteria.  That additional research could include conducting feasibility studies of the proposed uses, calculating the cost of renovations for and operations of those proposed uses, and an appraisal of the property’s market value.

Chair Read Welch, Vice Chair Jordan, and Dr. Padgett-Harrison all voiced their support for further reviewing the re-opening of Canton Elementary School, currently in use as part of Cherokee High School’s campus.

NEW LEADERS

As part of its approval of the monthly human resources employment recommendations, the School Board also approved new district leadership and principal appointments for next school year:

• River Ridge HS Principal Todd Miller, a 26-year educator who will join CCSD’s Human Resources team as an Executive Director of Strategic Talent Management;
• Creekland MS Principal Matthew May, a 24-year educator who will join CCSD’s Academics & Accountability team as Director of Instructional Services;
• Woodstock MS Principal Ken Nix, a 22-year educator who will serve as Etowah High School’s next principal;
• Mill Creek MS Principal Justin Sanderson, a 22-year educator who will serve as River Ridge High School’s next principal;
• Ball Ground ES STEM Academy Principal Melinda Roulier, a 25-year educator who will serve as Clark Creek ES STEM Academy’s next principal;
• Tippens EC acting Principal Kelly Flatt, a 21-year educator who will begin serving officially in that role next school year;
• Arnold Mill ES Assistant Principal Abbey Philpot, a 24-year educator who will serve as the school’s next principal;
• Creekland MS Assistant Principal Amanda Blackwell, a 22-year educator who will serve as Ball Ground ES STEM Academy’s next principal;
• Dean Rusk MS Assistant Principal Josh Martin, a 20-year educator who will serve as Creekland Middle School’s next principal;
• Sequoyah HS Assistant Principal Jason Meade, a 23-year educator who will serve as Mill Creek Middle School’s next principal;
• Cherokee HS Assistant Principal Elizabeth Spell, a 28-year educator who will serve as Woodstock Middle School’s next principal; and,
• River Ridge HS teacher Mary Bisgrove, a nine-year educator who will join CCSD’s Academics & Accountability team as a coordinator of curriculum for science in Academics & Accountability.
• Sean Petro, who currently serves in a human resources leadership role for Columbia County schools and has 25 years of experience, also will join CCSD’s Human Resources team as an Executive Director of Strategic Talent Management.

The School Board on Thursday accepted retirements and approved teacher reappointments for next school year; you can see the full list of board-approved HR recommendations online here.   In March, the board will consider recommendations for assistant principal openings created by promotions and retirements, as well as making leadership reappointments for next school year.

The School Board also:

• Heard School Board Member remarks from Ms. Poole who recognized CCSD’s high school performing arts programs, noting that she and Vice Chair Jordan recently attended several impressive theatre musical productions.  Ms. Poole also thanked the teachers and staff who serve on car rider duty and bus duty, especially during the recent very cold mornings; she noted that district leaders now have a practice of reporting to schools when temperatures dip below 30 degrees to allow those teachers and staff to take a break from duty;
• Heard School Board Member remarks from Chair Read Welch, who praised Penny Dempsey, coordinator for Communications, for her coordination of the CCSD Educators Hall of Fame Ceremony and Reception;
• Heard Student Delegate remarks from Addie Bishop of Etowah High School.  Each Delegate takes a turn at the dais, on a rotating basis, and shares remarks on behalf of the group, adding an opportunity for student insight at every board meeting. Addie reflected on what she and her fellow Delegates learned from their Delegate work session, which this month featured the Support Services team.  “Tonight, we learned about the utter importance of Education-SPLOST,” Addie said, “and how we contribute to building schools even while buying a pair of jeans at the outlet mall.”  She noted the Delegates learned about school construction, facility maintenance, transportation, and custodial services. “In the two years since our custodians became employees again, the Delegates and I are happy to report that our schools are significantly cleaner,” she said.
• During the work session, Chair Read Welch thanked employees for participating in the recently administered third-party survey “for feedback and seeking recommendations on how we can do better.”  Board member Beam noted the survey received a large response and he appreciates teachers and staff for participating.  The board anticipates receiving a detailed report from the survey administrator, Hanover Research, in the coming weeks;
• Heard the monthly financial report for January, 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 improvements to River Ridge, Sequoyah, and Woodstock High School campuses, are on schedule and within budget;
• Recognized Special Olympics State Fall and Winter Games Gold Medalists.  Learn more here;
• Recognized STAR Students and Teachers.  Learn more here;
• Recognized All-State Chorus Honorees.  Learn more here;  
• Recognized Girl Scouts Gold Award recipient Angelina Miller of Sequoyah HS.  Learn more here;
• Recognized CCSD Overall Winners - Support Staff Employees of the Year Awards: Elementary School to Gary Provost, head custodian of Sixes ES; Middle School/High School/Centers to Karen Brown, head custodian of Creekland MS; and Central Office to the late Jami Stefano, who served as a CCSD lead nurse.  Learn more here;  
• Recognized CCSD Police Department in honor of National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day.  Learn more here;
• Approved the renewal of Partnership Agreements with Cherokee Soccer Association and Georgia Commute Solutions;
• Approved the appointment Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC to conduct external auditing in compliance with House Bill 845 at a cost of $3.28 million over five years.  Chair Read Welch shared that she, Vice Chair Jordan, and Chief of Staff Tyler Gwynn met with members of the Cherokee County Legislative Delegation at the State Capitol and confirmed that the scope of work did comply with the legislation;
• Approved the surplus of three inoperable school buses, which will be transferred to Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, via an intergovernmental agreement, to use for public safety training purposes;
• Appointed CCSD Financial Management Director Jenna Williams as the Cherokee Regional Land Bank Authority School District Advisor; and,
• Approved extending the contract of Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis.  Her contract, which runs through March 2027, will now run through March 2029.  The vote was 4-3, with Vice Chair Jordan and Board members Beam and Rick Steiner opposed.