Cherokee County GA School District

“Katie Bowling of Coosa Valley Credit Union has made an immediate and meaningful impact as a new school partner this year. She has proactively met with partnership staff to learn about school needs and explore ways she and Coosa Valley Credit Union can best support both students and educators.” Thank you Clark Creek ES STEM Academy Partner of the Year: Coosa Valley Credit Union! We’re on a mission to be the highest-performing school district in Georgia – and your support makes a difference!

“All the teachers you've had these past four years: did you ever thank them? Instead of thinking: ‘Wow! That teacher is amazing, I think of them as my hero! Academia wouldn't be the same without them.’ Tell them, show them you gratitude … If you feel grateful now, that's amazing, but you can always be more grateful. And if you don't, that's OK: because you now have the rest of your life to be as grateful to live as possible. Be constant in gratitude in all that you do,” Cherokee High School Valedictorian Grayson Prien shared in his graduation speech. Building leaders starts in CCSD with the investment by our teachers, School Board, and community into our students’ success. Congratulations to our Class of 2026 and best wishes in all that you will accomplish! Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else. Graduation ceremony videos now online for free downloads: https://www.cherokeecountygrad.com/

A Cherokee High School Class of 2026 graduate has earned a national competitive scholarship for future educators! Anna Weitzenkorn is a recipient of the Vicki Soto Scholarship, receiving $12,000 toward college tuition and academic fees. Anna plans to attend Samford University in Birmingham to study education as she pursues a career as a Special Education teacher. The scholarship honors the memory of the beloved teacher killed at Sandy Hook Elementary. Five students are awarded the annual scholarship, with only two selected each year from states other than Connecticut. Recipients, who must plan to pursue a career as an educator, are selected based on academic excellence, leadership, a deep passion for education, a submitted essay, and a letter of recommendation. Anna’s letter was provided by Anna Sloan, an English teacher at Cherokee HS. Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

We've earned five national awards for excellence in communications! The National School Public Relations Association annually honors the best communications work by school districts nationwide. Industry professionals judge this work in consideration for honors. Our Communications department is made up of Chief Communications Officer Barbara Jacoby, Director Carrie McGowan, Coordinator Penny Dempsey, and Administrative Assistant Stefanie Gibbons. Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else! Learn more: https://www.cherokeek12.net/post-detail/~board/ccsd-comms/post/ccsd-wins-2026-national-awards-for-communications

“Whenever Cherokee High School needs anything, Josh Bagby with Providence Insurance is always willing to help. Always willing to volunteer or support with donations of time, talent, and resources, Josh contributes greatly to CHS.” Thank you Cherokee High School Partner of the Year: Providence Insurance! We’re on a mission to be the highest-performing school district in Georgia – and your support makes a difference!

One of our Class of 2026 graduates has earned a statewide student athlete award! Trevor Condon, who graduated this spring from Etowah High School and helped lead his team to two State Championships, is the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year for Baseball! Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. An outfielder, Trevor has signed to play at the University of Tennessee but is projected as an early round selection in July's Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft. He’s ranked nationally: No. 14 by Prep Baseball Report, No. 17 by ESPN, and No. 20 by Baseball America, which also named Trevor a Preseason First Team All-American. Trevor graduated with a B average and volunteers as a baseball instructor and mentor to youth groups. Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

“As we leave high school, the pressure will not magically disappear. Life will still challenge us. We will face rejection, failure, uncertainty, and taxes. But we will also experience incredible things. We will experience purpose, growth, adventure. We will discover new places, meet new people, and become versions of ourselves we have not yet met. We are a most fortunate group of people, for we have the power right now to decide how we live the next years of our lives. We can spend our lives constantly chasing the next achievement, always waiting for things to finally slow down so we can be happy. Or we can choose to appreciate the life that is happening while we are living it,” Woodstock High School Student Government Executive Board President Keelin Murray shared in her graduation speech. Building leaders starts in CCSD with the investment by our teachers, School Board, and community into our students’ success. Congratulations to our Class of 2026 and best wishes in all that you will accomplish! Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else. Graduation ceremony videos now online for free downloads: https://www.cherokeecountygrad.com/

Our students won gold in the statewide Summer Special Olympics, and a team is advancing to the USA Games to compete nationally this month! Cherokee County Special Olympics’ soccer team earned gold and student athletes earned individual gold medals in cheer, soccer, swimming, and track competitions at the 2026 State Summer Games recently held at Emory University. Cherokee County Special Olympics’ Unified Basketball Team, which won gold at the 2026 State Indoor Winter Games, will compete in USA Games on June 19 in Minnesota. CCSD Adapted PE teacher Ben Farist serves as the Cherokee County Special Olympics coordinator. Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else!

UNIFIED SOCCER TEAM
Brandon Ashbey of River Ridge HS, Gia DiGregorio of Creekview HS, Davis Kohl of Cherokee HS
Unified Partners: Cherokee HS, Nate Weatherby; and Creekview HS, Ryan Maher and Will Maher

CHEER
Sammy Grugan of Transition Academy

SOCCER SKILLS
Will Anderson of Cherokee HS
Hadley Stavropoulos of Little River ES
CCSD Coach: CCSD Police Officer Ken Locke

SWIMMING
Aiden Carr of Etowah HS - 4x100 Traditional Relay
Stephen Eifert of Teasley MS - 4x100 Traditional Relay
Sean Ela of River Ridge HS - 4x100 Traditional Relay
Noah Gravitt of Hickory Flat ES - 10 M Assisted and 15 M Floatation
Ryan Holmes of Creekland MS - 10 M Assisted and 15 M Floatation
Aiden Kohlhepp of River Ridge HS - 25 M Backstroke
Mason Motes of Little River ES - 10 M Assisted and 15 M Floatation
Aniya Lott of Creekview HS - 25 M Freestyle,
Sahasra Rajesh of Hickory Flat ES - 10 M Assisted and 15 M Floatation
Luke Spiker of Woodstock HS - 25 M Backstroke
William Steffes of Creekview HS - 4x100 Unified Relay, 25 M Freestyle, 25 M Backstroke
Nicolle Valle of Transition Academy - 4x100 Unified Relay
Colton Wagener of Teasley MS - 4x100 Traditional Relay, 25 M Freestyle
Madison Wyas of Cherokee HS - 15 M Unassisted
Unified Partners and Junior Coaches: Dean Rusk MS, Harper Anderson, Hollis Anderson, Lylah Heath, Sean Thompson; Etowah HS, Kate Dallas; Hickory Flat ES, Thad Farist; i-Grad Virtual Academy, Reilyn Wardlow; River Ridge HS, Gabriella Rezabek; and Woodstock HS, Hadley Sawyer.
CCSD Coaches: Mill Creek MS, Andrew Pullen; Teasley MS, Kris Cole and Lena Painter; and Jordan Hofmeister of Tippens EC and Merry Hofmeister of CCSD Technology and Information Services.

TENNIS SKILLS
Leo Johnson of Teasley MS

TRACK
Sam Bucher of Tippens EC – Turbo Javelin
Mason Peddycoart of Hickory Flat ES - 100M and 200M

UNIFIED BASKETBALL TEAM
Leah Weatherby of Cherokee HS, Mairin Crossman of River Ridge HS, Tylor Armstrong and Mikey Moreno of Sequoyah HS, and recent Creekview HS graduate Charlie Holderness
Unified Partners: Cherokee HS, Wyatt Head and Nate Weatherby; Creekview HS, Cris Holderness; and Sequoyah HS, Riley Buck

Congratulations to this year’s CCSD Special Education Staff of the Year Award winners honored for their outstanding service to students! The annual recognition program honors our top employees in four groups of Special Education department staff to celebrate their unparalleled talent and unmatched dedication. This year’s honorees are: Itinerant Staff of the Year Mindy Ureche, districtwide teacher of the visually impaired; School Psychologist of the Year Dr. Anne Stair of Little River Elementary School, Special Education Facilitator of the Year Rebecca Costales of R.M. Moore ES STEM Academy, and Speech Language Pathologist of the Year Chris Kramer of Bascomb Elementary School. Each honoree received a $100 Visa gift card from sponsor, Credit Union of Georgia, a CCSD Partner. Our School Board is laser focused on ensuring our students are learning more, growing more, and achieving more in our classrooms than they could anywhere else.

PHOTO: From left, Special Education Director Melissa Sneed, Emily Hewitt of Credit Union of Georgia, award winners Mindy Ureche, Dr. Anne Stair, Chris Kramer, and Rebecca Costales; and Special Education Director Don Garner.

“What makes Geiger Legal extraordinary is the consistency and heart behind their partnership. They do not simply give, they engage. They listen to our needs, respond quickly, and seek creative ways to support our staff and families throughout the year.” Thank you CCSD Preschool Centers Partner of the Year: Geiger Legal! We’re on a mission to be the highest-performing school district in Georgia – and your support makes a difference!