School Board, Continued from
Page 21 ccsdcares); and the development
standards, that challenges
boards to create a culture
of success for students and
communities.
The Cherokee County
School Board earned the
Quality School Board
designation in 2018, followed
by the Distinguished
School Board honor in
2019 and the Exemplary
School Board award in
2020, culminating in the
Governance Team of the
Year Award, the top accolade
offered.
The School Board also
achieved three consecutive
Leading Edge Awards from
the Georgia School Boards
Association, which recognize
innovative practices by
School Boards and School
Districts in seven categories.
All three awards
recognized the School
Board in the Culture,
Climate & Organizational
Efficacy category.
The 2019 Leading Edge
Award celebrated the
School Board’s annual
VILLA Program, which
encourages and celebrates
parent engagement. The
award-winning parent
academy program began in
2017 in CCSD as a pilot
initiative developed with
the Georgia School Boards
Association and with the
support of School Board
Chair Cromer, who championed
the idea during her
re-election campaign. You
can learn more about this
program through the article
on page 16.
The 2020 Leading Edge
Award honored the Student
Advisor and Student
Delegates to the School
Board program. Through
30 CLASS ACT | 2022-2023
the program, which began
more than 20 years ago, an
outstanding senior from
each of CCSD’s high
schools has the opportunity
to serve as a representative
of their school at School
Board meetings. You can
learn more about this
program through the article
on page 22.
The 2021 Leading Edge
Award honored the
#CCSDcares program.
Through the program,
which began in 2019 in
response to rising rates of
anxiety, depression, selfharm,
suicidal ideations
and suicide, CCSD provides
well-being support to
students and staff.
Initial investments
included hiring the school
district’s first two mental
health counselors; and
training staff to help better
identity and refer to these
counselors any students
showing signs or risk of
depression, self-harm or
suicidal ideations. The
school district also developed
a system for schools
to identify students most at
risk of self-harm or suicide.
This system provides
at-risk students with
counseling support, monitors
their well-being, and
ensures they feel safe and
supported at school … and
that they and their parents
or guardians have access to
community resources for
their needs including
mental health counseling.
Since #CCSDcares
began, it has expanded to
include bringing recently
retired top educators in
part time to work with the
mental health counselors
and school counselors in
developing #CCSDcares
curriculum unique to our
school district (this curriculum
is posted on the CCSD
website at https://www.
cherokeek12.net/Content/
of a districtwide
employee wellness committee.
School Board members attend high school graduations and offer
congratulations to students as they receive their diplomas.
Each School Board meeting starts with the recognition of students
and staff for outstanding achievement.
/ccsdcares
/ccsdcares