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ment of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and
Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) and Farm Credit each year
together recognize the top teachers in pre-kindergarten
through 12th grade for innovation in using agricultural
concepts to teach across the curriculum.
Free Home Elementary School teacher Keith Furstenberg
was named the 2020 Georgia winner of the national
Sanford Teacher Award, which includes a $10,000 prize.
The winners from each state were selected based on
Sanford Programs’ five key traits of an inspiring educator:
Reflects on Teacher Practice to Maximize Student Engagement;
Builds Student Confidence and Student Resiliency;
Creates an Inclusive, Respectful Learning Environment;
Maximizes Assessment Results for Student Growth
and Motivates Students to Succeed; Sets High Expectations
while Promoting Student Choice and Student Voice.
For the third year in a row, CCSD’s School Nutrition
program earned the highest honor in the State for providing
fresh, healthy meals to students: the Golden Radish
Award at the Platinum Level presented by Georgia’s
Departments of Agriculture, Public Health, Education and
Georgia Organics. CCSD’s School Nutrition program also
earned the Georgia Department of Education’s 2020
Vision District award for its outstanding efforts to use
Georgia grown foods on school cafeteria menus.
CCSD again earned National recognition for communications
by bringing home 2021 National School Public
Relations Association Awards. The awards included the
Golden Achievement Award for CCSD’s COVID-19 pandemic
communications; CCSD is one of only 55 school
districts nationwide to win this top honor. CCSD also
earned three of the eight 2020 awards presented to
Georgia school systems for excellent publications: an
Award of Merit for the CCSD Connections parent newsletter,
and two awards for CCSD’s annual Class Act magazine.
CCSD earned the highest total number of awards
presented for excellence in communications and community
engagement in 2020 by the Georgia School Public
Relations Association, with 15 Gold Awards and three
“Best in State” awards among its numerous honors. The
“Best in State” awards honored CCSD’s communications
in regard to the COVID-19 crisis; its monthly CCSD
Connections parent e-newsletter; and its Instructional
Framework handbook designed to explain and guide
implementation of new practices to further improve
teaching and learning.
50 CLASS ACT | 2021-2022