Superintendent Dr. Brian Hightower surprised Billy Hayes with his Superintendent's 2019 Game Changer Award for Instructional Advocacy during the monthly board meeting of the Cherokee County Educational Foundation where the Northside CEO serves as board president. Enter heading here...

You probably know that the Georgia Lottery donates towards education – specifically for Pre-Kindergarten and college students. However, the real question is this: Is Cherokee County directly affected by the Georgia Lottery? Do our students actually experience the benefits of the lottery? While K-12 public education districts do not directly benefit, the answer is yes! 

Each year, the Cherokee County Educational Foundation holds the On the Road With CCEF contest to celebrate how far and wide around the globe our annual t-shirts travel. Contestants take pictures wearing their shirts during their summer vacations, and we have seen entries from as far away as Thailand and Queensland, Australia. It has been a pleasure to be part of these travels, and we enjoy sharing these photos and travels with our community through articles, on our website, and in social media posts. However, this year looks a little different.

Good morning to all the Chick-fil-A Moo've It 5K entrants! Due to the coronavirus, we are not able to hold an in-person race at Etowah River Park this year. Instead, we have converted the event to a Race in Place/virtual run. The feature event will be a 30-minute "Moo've It 5K Show" this Saturday morning at 8:00. Click here to watch the video on Saturday.

The Woodstock Lions Club will be hosting a free and contactless food distribution event for the local community this Saturday, September 12th. Thanks to the partnership of the USDA, Collins Brothers Produce, Lions Club of Georgia, His Hands Church, City of Woodstock, and Lowe's Woodstock, this event will provide free food to the families of Woodstock.

This year has flown by and everyone seems to be searching for some sense of normalcy in the safest way possible. 2020 has been full of constant changes, but we're pleased to announce that this year's Golf Classic is still on the books and it's only a month away! Join us at BridgeMill Athletic Club on October 12th and enjoy a day full of golf, fun, and raising money for CCEF to benefit the students and staff of the Cherokee County School District! In preparation, here are some ways to improve your golf game.

For the last couple of months, we have been highlighting Impact Grant winners and how they're spending their grant money. This month, we're going to cover Hailey Burden and Elizabeth Gama, of Arnold Mill Elementary and April Popham of LR Tippens Education Center as they work hard to create a space where students can gain valuable life skills and develop a deeper passion for novel studies. 

As we look forward to the 2021 Gala, we wanted to take a peek at what school looked like in our county leading up to 1970, the year that both of our 2020 Alumni of the Year award winners graduated from Cherokee High School. Ms. Rebecca Johnston and Mr. Steve Stancil were chosen as the winners of this award for their outstanding contributions to the community. Both of our winners have had great success in their careers, and the cool thing is…it all started in a Cherokee County school. Ms. Johnston stated, "I appreciate that my education at CHS helped me to be able to achieve what I have in life. I have been able to do what I love most, which is to have a career as a writer and editor and have the opportunity to record our Cherokee County history through my writings. This award is a pinnacle of my life." 

In the Spring of 2019, the Cherokee County School District released a committee report focused on Social Emotional Learning within our school district. The primary objective is to not only prepare students for their future academically, but also to teach them how to foster meaningful relationships, make good decisions, and overall impact "not just the minds of Cherokee students, but also their hearts." However, this can't be accomplished single-handedly as it must be encouraged both in the classroom and in the home. 

Over the last several months, we've been featuring many of our Impact Grant winners. However, we also offer rapid grants. These grants allow us to meet the more immediate classroom needs of our Cherokee County School District teachers, offering up to $500. We've recently been able to support Boston Elementary School and Free Home Elementary by providing materials needed for math improvement and to spark interest in STEM through robotics. 

It's FINALLY spring! It's been a cold, rainy winter and if you're like us, you're ready for it to warm up! Both you and your children have probably been itching to get outside because no one likes being stuck inside all of the time! As spring peeks out, we find that we often "freeze" up and don't know what to do outside. To help you get a spark of motivation, we've compiled 8 ideas for outdoor activities!

If you've been in Cherokee County for any length of time, you've probably heard of Cherokee High School which sits on Marietta Highway. However, Cherokee High School hasn't always been here. In fact, it didn't become Cherokee High School until 1956. It was previously known as Canton High School – which is where Ms. Carolyn Turner graduated from in 1948. As you will see, Ms. Turner has been a light to the community and is truly a deserving recipient of the 2021 Alumni of the Year Award. 

No matter where you find yourself, you probably know that completing a race is hard. It takes preparation, perseverance, and the willingness to press forward even when you feel like you can't anymore. For all the teachers out there, you likely feel this before every fall, spring, and winter break…but more than ever right before the summer break. And perhaps even more so this year, as you have continued to navigate the challenges that COVID-19 has brought with it. However, as you get closer and closer to the end, remember this: Finish well. Here's how to do just that.

by Jenny Miller 

While it's not a formal medical diagnosis, nature-deficit disorder is no less alarming. The term was coined by author Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods, to describe the physical and psychological costs of the disconnect between humans and nature. This is concerning kids today who are spending less time in nature and more time indoors with their noses in electronic gadgets. This is not only depriving them of nature's innate benefits, but also giving rise to various learning, developmental, and health problems. Needless to say, understanding the disorder is as important as mitigating it. Here's what you need to know. 

Learning is a huge part of life that never goes away. From the moment you open your eyes you start taking in the world around you. School starts and you go to preschool, elementary school, middle school, then high school. Some go to college and get their associates, bachelors, masters, or PHD degrees. Some go straight into the workforce. No matter the case, the one thing everybody has in common is we never stop learning.  

It's human nature to doubt our work, our accomplishments, and even ourselves at times. Whether you're 10 years old or 45 years old, we all appreciate a "good job", a high five, or a simple "thank you" when we feel as though we've accomplished something. In fact, this might energize us to chase that feeling over and over again!

Gifted Kid Burnout Syndrome is a term that was coined on social media in the last few years. It quickly rose in popularity in early 2021 on TikTok, sparking conversations all over the world about its legitimacy, the causes, and what it all really means. So, what exactly is "Gifted Kid Burnout"? Why should we take the time to handle the concept with kindness, compassion, and understanding?

It's that time of year again! That's right. The Celebration of Education Gala is back and better than ever! We are so thrilled to be back together this year for our Gala, and we look forward to seeing all of your bright and smiling faces on March 12^th.  

For most of us, the turn of the season means it's time to declutter our homes. We donate the clothes that don't fit, put away our winter decorations, and start taking inventory on what we really need in our houses. But, what about your classroom?

More than likely, we have all experienced that "running around like a chicken with our head cut off" feeling on more than one occasion. If you are a teacher, that feeling is one we are certain you know all too well. Especially this time of year, with Spring break just behind us and Summertime looming on the horizon, students and teachers alike can start to feel more restless than usual.