Coronavirus: Cherokee Schools To Stay Closed Through Spring Break

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School Board heard plans Thursday to further extend the closure of all Cherokee County School District schools and offices through spring break.

The school board reviewed a status update from Superintendent Brian Hightower that included his announcement that the closure would be extended.

Digital learning days will continue through April 3, then spring break will be observed from April 6-10 with no online lessons. While there will be no online classes during spring break, Cherokee School Nutrition, as previously announced, will continue its weekly delivery of to-go meals for students to designated school and community sites on Monday, April 6, as well.

Related: GA Schools Offering Meals To Students During Coronavirus Closures

“While our students and employees might be unable to enjoy spring break travel plans they may have made before this crisis affected our world, we see the value in breaks even as most are home bound,” Hightower said. “We hope spring break will be a time for our students and teachers — and all the parents who have been helping their children with learning — to rest, recharge and reflect.”

Hightower said while he does not want to extend the closure longer than absolutely necessary, he also is dedicated to providing families with advance notice, as he understands the significant impact this has on them.

After many metro Atlanta school districts closed their doors last week, Gov. Brian Kemp ordered on Monday any remaining public schools districts that were still open to close through the end of the month.

In accordance with newly issued federal guidance, Kemp signed an executive order Monday night closing all public elementary, secondary, and post-secondary public schools in Georgia from March 18 to March 31.

Related: GA Coronavirus: All K-12 Schools Shut, Colleges Move Online

The school board also unanimously approved Hightower’s proposal to continue paying full-time and part-time salaried employees during the closure. Additionally, while not salaried, part-time kindergarten paraprofessionals and School Nutrition workers and long-term teaching substitutes also will be paid.

The meeting was brief, and special precautions were taken including how far apart school board members and the few staff members present were seated. All staff and student recognitions were postponed to follow social distancing protocols.

The school board approved several critical agenda items including personnel appointments for next school year and the construction contract for the Woodstock Middle School classroom expansion and Woodstock High School secondary gym and classroom building.

The personnel appointments included naming several more new principals for next school year:

• Julie Dutko, currently an assistant principal at Teasley Middle School, will lead Ball Ground Elementary School STEM Academy
• Matt Freedman, currently Principal at Woodstock Elementary School, will lead Little River Elementary School
• Ann Jordan, currently an assistant principal at Woodstock Elementary School, will step up to lead there.
• Debbie Ritter, currently a learning support specialist in Cherokee Schools’ Office of Curriculum and Instruction, will oversee the Cherokee Schools’ Preschool Centers as its principal.
• The school board named a new head football coach for Etowah High School: Matt Kemper, who has led the Roswell High School program for the last three years, and also will teach PE classes.

Retiring Principals Karen Carl of Little River Elementary School and Victoria Thom of Cherokee Schools’ Preschool Centers did not attend the meeting due to the special preventative measures, but Hightower recently thanked both for their longtime service at a meeting with their fellow principals. Thom already has announced her post-retirement plans: she will work as co-administrator for the Mountain Education Charter High School campus in Pickens County.

Construction on the Woodstock Middle/High School addition, which is planned to begin as soon as possible and is currently scheduled to be completed by August 2021, was awarded to McKnight Construction with a $9.8 million proposal. The project will be funded with Education SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) revenue and state construction funds earned for expansion due to increased enrollment.

The school board additionally approved monthly financial reports, construction reports, and special lease agreements. The school board also was recognized in honor of School Board Member Appreciation Week in Georgia.

See more:

• GA Schools Offering Meals To Students During Coronavirus Closures
• GA Coronavirus: All K-12 Schools Shut, Colleges Move Online
• GA Superintendent Suspends State Testing Amid Coronavirus
• Canton: What's Open, Closed Amid Coronavirus Concerns
• Woodstock: What's Open, Closed Amid Coronavirus Concerns