Association board, and we
know she would represent
the entire State with excellence
as its Media Specialist
of the Year.”
All CCSD school media
specialists were eligible for
the award, and Ms. Graves
was selected as the winner
from a pool of outstanding
nominees by a judging
committee of retired
educators and community
leaders.
The Media Specialist of
the Year Awards are sponsored
by Credit Union of
Georgia.
Support Staff Employee
of the Year
The Support Staff
Employees of the Year
Awards program honors
one Support Staff Employee
of the Year from each of
CCSD’s schools, centers
and central office divisions,
and one overall CCSD
winner is selected for each
of three categories: Elementary
School; Middle
School/High School/
Centers; Central Office.
The 2021 overall winners
are: for Elementary
School: Bonnie Schroeder,
supportive instruction
paraprofessional for Sixes
Elementary School; for
Middle School/High
School/Centers: David
McMickens, custodian for
CCSD Preschool Centers’
Ralph Bunche Center in
Canton; for Central Office:
Belinda Leach, clerk for
CCSD Office of Technology
& Information Services.
40 CLASS ACT | 2021-2022
“We would not be able
to run our schools or our
School District without our
dedicated support staff,”
Dr. Hightower said. “These
honorees remind us all how
valuable these CCSD family
members are to our community
every day, and
especially over this past
school year.”
The overall winners are
selected by a committee of
retired educators and
community leaders. School
and division winners were
selected by their colleagues;
everyone who works in a
support role is eligible for
the honor. Teachers,
counselors, media specialists,
and administrators are
not eligible, as they are
honored through other
awards programs.
Ms. Schroeder, who has
21 years of service with
CCSD, including 12 years in
her current role, is known
for the exceptional care she
provides to the students
she serves.
“Ms. Schroeder loves a
challenge,” Principal Dr.
Ashley Kennerly shared in
her school’s nomination
letter. “As we know, all students
have different obstacles
that they face. Ms.
Schroeder seeks out students
who are experiencing
difficult times, and she
builds a relationship with
them. Many parents have
asked personally for Ms.
Schroeder to work with
their child. The community
has faith in her due to her
long-standing dedication
and high rapport with
students and families.”
Mr. McMickens has 36
years of service with CCSD,
all in the same role as
custodian for the Ralph
Bunche Center. He has
been part of the school’s
family for even longer than
that impressive tenure, as
he attended the school
himself as a child.
“David is a pillar of the
Ralph Bunche community!”
Principal Debbie Ritter said
in the Centers’ nomination
letter. “Because David has
a long history and tie to the
campus, pride in ownership
is evident. Ralph Bunche
has the most immaculately
kept grounds and that is
because David sees the
school as an extension of
his own home. In addition
to the wonderful work that
David does daily, his
interpersonal relationships
with both students and
staff are immeasurable.”
Ms. Leach, who has 13
years of service with CCSD,
including seven in her
current role, was praised
especially for her work to
ensure students and staff
had access to technology in
2020 when schools were
closed but teaching and
learning continued online.
“While she has been an
instrumental part of our
team for many years, there
are no words to adequately
describe her commitment
and performance since the
COVID-19 pandemic
began,” Chief Information
Officer Bobby Blount
shared in his division’s
nomination letter. “To say
that she went above and
beyond for her team is
simply an understatement.”
The Support Staff
Employee of the Year
Awards are sponsored by
Presenting Sponsor, the
Cherokee County Educational
Foundation; Platinum
Sponsors, Guaranteed
Seamless Gutters and
Credit Union of Georgia;
Gold Sponsor, Cobb EMC;
and Silver Sponsor, Children’s
Healthcare of Atlanta.
Nurse of the Year
The Cherokee County
School District celebrated
National School Nurse
Appreciation Day this year
with the presentation of its
inaugural Nurse of the Year
Awards!
A top school nurse was
selected for each Innovation
Zone (a high school
and its feeder schools) and
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Belinda Leach David McMickens Bonnie Schroeder